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    Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam, by Elizabeth Partridge | Book Review

    Dr. Jen HarrisonBy Dr. Jen Harrison3 Mins Read Ages 9-12 Best Kids Stories Cultural Wisdom Teens: Young Adults
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    The Children’s Book Review | May 31, 2019

    Boots-on-the-Ground-cover-imageBoots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam

    Written by Elizabeth Partridge

    Age Range: 12 and up

    Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (2018)

    ISBN: 978-0-670-78506-3

    What to Expect: Military History, Civil Rights Activism, Women’s Rights.

    There are many moments in the history of the United States that make it easy to be patriotic, but the Vietnam War has never been viewed as one of those moments: hotly disputed both in its own time and in ours, Vietnam raised thorny questions about violence, imperialism and ideology that have yet to be resolved today. Despite this continuing ambivalence, however, the complexities of the Vietnam War echo many of the issues relevant to young people today as they negotiate increasingly polarized American politics: issues about representation and the media, issues surrounding race and inclusion, and issues concerning patriotism and political activism. For this reason, Boots on the Ground offers young people a taste of historical documentary that feels relevant and fresh in the modern world.

    The strongest aspect of Boots on the Ground is the use of documentary style photographs and interviews, which give voice and life to the real people who struggled to stay true to themselves during this troubled period in history. From presidents to protest singers, soldiers and war memorial designers, the book showcases the many talents and challenges of the real people who were touched by the war, and makes clear the point that patriotism can come in many shapes and forms. Special attention is paid to individuals from marginalized groups whose war efforts were not always appreciated: including Asian-American David Oshiro, African American civil rights activist Henry Allen, and refugee Hoa Nguyen, amongst many others. Readers are sure to be captivated by the wealth of detail brought to light by Patridge’s painstaking research, and the insights into modern America that they offer.

    Available Here: 

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    About the Author

    Elizabeth Partridge_author photo

    Elizabeth Partridge

    Elizabeth Partridge is a National Book Award finalist, Printz Honor winner, and author of several nonfiction books for children, including Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange;This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie; John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth; and Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don’t You Grow Weary. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area.

    Read our speed interview with Elizabeth Partridge.

    Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam, by Elizabeth Partridge, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with American History, Non-Fiction, Vietnam War, and Speed Interview.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Writing About Civil Rights Era Boycotts, Strikes, and Marches During a Time of Social Upheaval
    2. Elizabeth Partridge, Author of Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam | Speed Interview
    3. 4 African American Biography Books For Kids
    4. Seven Middle Grade Books for African American History Month

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    American History Books with Activism Civil Rights History Military Non-Fiction Vietnam War
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    Dr. Jen Harrison
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    Dr. Jen Harrison provides writing and research services as the CEO of Read.Write.Perfect. She completed her Ph.D. in Children’s and Victorian Literature at Aberystwyth University in Wales, in the UK. After a brief spell in administration, Jen then trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked for several years teaching Secondary School English, working independently as a private tutor of English, and working in nursery and primary schools. She has been an editor for the peer-reviewed journal of children’s literature, Jeunesse, and has published academic work on children’s non-fiction, YA speculative fiction, and the posthuman.

    6 Comments

    1. Curtis Fulford Jr. on December 9, 2019 11:12 pm

      Who is the black soldier on the front of the book; Boots on the Ground

      Reply
    2. Curtis Fulford Jr. on December 9, 2019 11:14 pm

      Who is the black soldier on the front of the book; Boots on the Ground . It might be a family member.

      Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on December 10, 2019 10:44 am

        Hi Curtis—

        I’m looking into this for you and will get back to you. 🙂

        Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on December 13, 2019 2:35 pm

        Hi Curtis—
        I have been unable to find out the answer to your special question. I wish you all the very best on the pursuit of your answer.

        Reply
    3. Curtis Fulford Jr. on December 9, 2019 11:16 pm

      The black soldier on the front of the book, might be a family member.

      Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on December 10, 2019 10:40 am

        Oh, wow!!

        Reply
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