After the Dancing Days

This one's a tale of the aftermath of World War I. The war is over and Annie Metcalf's father--a doctor--has just returned home. Moved by his experience, he forgoes his old practice at County Hospital and begins working with the wounded vets at St. John's veteran's hospital. Annie's grandfather

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also regularly visits St. John's, to read to a local boy who has suffered an eye injury. This causes a bit of tension in the family, as Annie's mother, like most of the rest of the community, would like to put the war behind and let someone else tend to Kansas City's maimed soldiers. 13-year-old Annie's curiosity is piqued and she visits her father at work, meeting some of the soldiers. Her initial visit is a bit frightening, but she soon becomes a regular visitor, especially befriending one young man who was badly disfigured by mustard gas. It's a nice story, positively dealing with wartime losses and the emotional recovery that needs to happen afterwards.
--J.

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A forbidden friendship with a badly disfigured soldier in the aftermath of World War I forces thirteen-year-old Annie to redefine the word "hero" and to question conventional ideas of patriotism.

"For Annie and her family, World War I is over. Her father, a doctor, had returned home. But for the wounded men Annie sees being carried from the train, the war will never really be over. It's time to forget the fighting, her mother tells her 'It brought so much misery. I won't have it touching

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you.' But it's already touched Annie - her favorite uncle was killed in France. In addition, her father decides to continue his work with the wounded soldiers and, despite her mother's disapproval, Annie too is drawn to the hospital. There she meets Andrew, a bitter and withdrawn young veteran. Annie helps to bring Andrew out of his shell, and in the process, not only learns to stand up to her mother's anger but also bravely confronts the ironies of heroism and war."

I read this book when I was younger and it spoke to me, saying that I should care for more than the people I know, I should care for the people I don't know and that is what Annie did to Andrew. She cared for him when he told her to go away and leave him alone, but she didn't because she cared enough for him, a perfect stranger, to help him get over his terrible wounds. To help him see beautiful things again. That is what I love most about this book.

If you have never read this book, go out and buy a copy, I recommend it wholeheartedly!

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