Posts Tagged ‘a-year-of-borrowed-men’

As she did in The Last Airlift and One Step at a Time, Skrypuch uses one child’s story to give moving insight into the experience of the many children who escaped war-ravaged Vietnam to start new lives….Deines’s (Elephant Journey) hazy oil paintings poignantly capture the family’s physical ordeal and anguish during their perilous journey. Click […]

Pajama Press is thrilled to announce that three of our titles have been nominated for the 2016 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards. A Year of Borrowed Men, written by Michelle Barker and illustrated by Renné Benoit, has been nominated for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. The picture book, which is written from the WWII […]

Pajama Press is proud to announce that two of our recent titles have been shortlisted for the 2017 Chocolate Lily Book Award. Bad Pirate, written by Kari-Lynn Winters and illustrated by Dean Griffiths, and A Year of Borrowed Men, written by Michelle Barker and illustrated by Renné Benoit, have both been nominated under the Picture […]

Rating: 4 Genre:  Historical picture book What did you like about the book? In Germany during World War II, Gerda’s family is given three French prisoners to work with them on their farm. Gerda’s mother is kind to the men, although they are required to sleep in an outbuilding . When a neighbor spies the three prisoners […]

“A Year of Borrowed Men is illustrated by Renné Benoit and tells of how World War II ‘borrows’ the men in seven-year-old Gerda’s family to use as soldiers. In turn, the German government provides three French prisoners of war who must work the farm in their place. The family is ordered to treat these men […]

We are thrilled to announce that six recent Pajama Press titles have been selected and featured in the Spring 2016 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens: Ben Says Goodbye—STARRED SELECTION 978-1-927485-79-8  Hardcover with dust jacket Written by Sarah Ellis Illustrated by Kim La Fave Elephant Journey: The True Story of Three Zoo Elephants […]

“Because German Men were conscripted to fight during World War II, the families left behind were obligated to by the Nazi government to take in French prisoners of war to perform needed work. This is why three captives came to stay with seven-year-old Gerda, her mother and siblings at their farm. The rules were stringent: […]

“Based on a true story, this precious gem evokes compassion in a way that is sure to resonate with young audiences. Told from the perspective of seven-year-old Gerda, the tale explores the warmth that can exist among individuals whose countries are at war with one another. Gerda’s “borrowed men” are three French prisoners of war […]

“The story is told in simple, conversational phrases that sound like someone sharing her memories, with the occasional French or German word included either with a translation or in context. Highlighted incidents are child-centered, such as when Gerda visits the men on Christmas to show them her new doll (and accidentally melts the doll’s hands […]

“A Year of Borrowed Men tells a story from World War II that will be unfamiliar to many readers, but is nonetheless a moving part of the history of the German-Canadian community. The author writes from her mother Gerda’s recollections, bringing to life the engaging voice of the younger Gerda, whose family hosted three French prisoners-of-war […]