"An immersive work that’s full of heart and emotion."
OPERATION: HAPPY A World War II Story of Courage, Resilience, and an Unbreakable Bond Author: Jenni L. Walsh Review Issue Date: June 15, 2024 Online Publish Date: May 17, 2024 Publisher:Zonderkidz Pages: 229 Price ( Hardcover ): $18.93 ISBN ( Hardcover ): 9780310159261 Section: Children's Inspired by real-life experiences, this is the tale of a white girl and her dog who experience life in Honolulu during World War II. With 12-year-old Jody’s dad being a Marine, she’s moved a lot. Her two constants in life have been Happy, her “German shepherd-collie-husky mix,” and Team Zuber, her family, consisting of Dad, Mom, and older sister, Peggy. In October 1940, when they relocate to Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, Jody becomes uneasy about her mom’s nervousness over being so near the battleships and about the war in Europe. After the vet says that Happy is in his golden years, Jody creates Operation: Happy, a list of fun new things they can do together. When the realities of war creep into their daily lives, the list becomes Jody’s way of coping with her fears. Then, on December 7, 1941, everything changes when bombs fall around them. Evacuated to San Francisco and separated from Dad, Jody and Happy use the list to find the courage they need to adjust to their new lives. This story of family, courage, and strength during harrowing times includes chapters told in Jody’s first-person and Happy’s third-person points of view. The raw emotions, which include tense, suspenseful scenes leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, are lightened by fun, humorous moments. An immersive work that’s full of heart and emotion. (author’s note, discussion questions) (Historical fiction. 9-13) Comments are closed.
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