Author uses past to write award-winning kids’ book

Every now and then, a book comes along that you don't want to end. But, rarely, does a book come along that also brings the intense magic and joy of treasured classics such as 'Anne of Green Gables,” 'A Little Princess” or 'The Secret Garden” - books the like of which you thought never could be written again.

Just before Christmas, I read Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's 'The War that Saved My Life” (2015, Dial, $16.99, ages 8 to 12) and was moved so much, I contacted her through her website writing, 'If you don't win the Newbery, I will scream!”

On Jan. 11, the American Library Association announced the winners for the most distinguished books in children's literature. 'The War that Saved My Life” did win a Newbery Honor, alongside 'Echo” by Pam Munoz Ryan and 'Roller Girl” by Victoria Jamieson; however, the top Newbery Medal honor went to a picture book, 'Last Stop on Market Street,” an unusual outcome for an award overwhelmingly given to middle-grade novels.

Bradley's novel also was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award (for books embodying an artistic expression of the disability experience) in the middle-grade category, shared for the first time in history with another middle-grade title, 'Fish in a Tree” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

And, lastly, read by British actress Jayne Entwistle, the audiobook of 'The War that Saved My Life” won the Odyssey Award for best audiobook for children and young adults. It received multiple starred reviews and was placed on many 'best of” lists.

Set in London, just before World War II breaks, our first introduction to young protagonist Ada comes with a blow so hard it knocks her to the floor. We soon learn that Ada was born with a clubfoot and, because of it, has been locked away in shame by her abusive mother, not once allowing her to enter the outside world. What her 'mam” doesn't know is that Ada, originally motivated by hopes of finally pleasing her, teaches herself to walk, despite pain and the constant re-wounding of her backward foot. Instead of the love and acceptance Ada pines for, this brings more animosity and worse abuse.

As Hitler's war draws near, all children must leave for safety to the countryside - Ada's younger brother Jamie included, but not Ada. 'Nice people don't want to look at that foot,” her mam says. 'You can't leave. You never will. You're stuck here, right here in this room, bombs or no.” Thankfully, Ada's love and protection for Jamie brings on the needed courage to sneak out and leave London with him, starting the great adventure that eventually, painfully, yet beautifully, leads to Ada's happiness, heroism, self-acceptance and learning to trust in the kindness of others, thus truly saving her life.

For a School Library Journal blog, Bradley contributed a post for its monthlong blogathon about mental health issues in children's literature. There, she was open about her own Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered from childhood abuse and how her deep understanding of trauma shaped the very real, endearing character Ada is as well as how healing begins:

'It's a slow process. There's never a magic turning point in the book in which Ada is suddenly healed. Trauma survivors don't heal like that. In nurturing, safe environments we can advance in small steps, gradually rebuilding ourselves from the shattered pieces of our past. Then, if we're very lucky - as I was - we become better, more empathetic, more compassionate versions of who we might have been. I would prefer not to understand trauma as well as I do. Yet without my past, I never could have written ‘The War that Saved My Life.'”

On Baker's own blog, she refers to Ada's story as, 'the book of my heart, the book that took every bit of skill I have as a writer” and it is felt on every page. Ada's story was Baker's 10th novel and 16th book.

I am gleeful to announce that there will be a sequel to Ada's story released in spring 2017.

' Wendy Henrichs is a children's author living in Iowa City.