Ages 9-14 / Middle-grade fiction / Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Win a set of THIS MEANS WAR! by Ellen Wittlinger for your book club.

Enter to win by emailing the author (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).

Dear Reader,

Living in a small town near an air base during the Cuban Missile Crisis was a frightening experience for me and I'm glad I found a way to write about it that includes humor.

In This Means War!, the Missile Crisis is the background for a neighborhood war -- one between the boys and the girls to prove which group is stronger, faster, braver. As with the larger crisis, the neighborhood war soon gets out of hand, progressing from foot races and Twist contests to dangerous challenges.  Where is the line between bravery and foolishness? What makes you a hero?

Enjoy!

Ellen Wittlinger

Book reviews:

"... Wittlinger conveys a sober knowingness that shadows and deepens the seemingly bland innocence of 1960s girlhood.( 'I wanted to watch Mister Ed with Mom,' [Juliet] said, and then the tears began to trickle down her cheeks. It suddenly seemed as if President Kennedy and the Russians and the newscasters had all stolen something precious from her that she could never get back'), and her prose has the same bracing good sense and down-to-earth humor of her main character. A fine addition to the growing shelf of novels set during the Cuban Missile Crisis."
--Horn Book magazine

"Wittlinger latches on to a poignant metaphor for war in this lively and readable tale set against the backdrop of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Fifth-grader Juliet lives near a growing military base which has brought in an influx of new kids, including the rowdy Patsy. It's a good thing, too, because Juliet's longtime pal Lowell has abandoned her to hang out with boys, including the overgrown bully, Bruce. This division turns into an all-out battle of the sexes when Bruce devises a nine-day competition that tests the strength and bravery of girls versus boys. These increasingly dangerous tests (entering a dog pen, shoplifting) bring most of the children closer together, though for Patsy and Bruce, they only escalate the conflict. It's a clever concept that keeps the proceedings fun even as the darker drama of potential world collapse provides a weighty element; young readers will be shocked to learn of Juliet's daily prayers, including 'Dear God, please don't let the world end today.' A warm way to introduce the cold war."           
--Booklist

Discussion questions:

1.     Lowell says, "Girls have to play with girls and boys have to play with boys." Is that true? Can boys and girls be friends? Are there some sports only boys do well? Some only girls can do?
 
2.     How has life changed since 1962? What are the large and small differences between Juliet's life and yours?
 
3.     Bruce challenges the others to shoplift which most of them don't want to do, but they're afraid to say no. Have you ever been in a situation where there was that kind of peer pressure? How did you handle it?
 
4.     Why do Juliet's parents argue so much? Are they really mad at each other or at something else?  Juliet asks God to figure out a way for everybody to have enough money. Do you think she's right that that would solve a lot of the world's problems.
 
5.     Juliet says bravery is always part stupidity and it really just means, "I have no choice." Is this true? Have you ever wanted to be a hero? Have you ever known anyone you thought was
heroic?

A more complete discussion guide can be found on the author's website, as well as guides for many of her other books. Or you can keep up with her via Facebook.
 
Author call-in information: Ellen is happy to call-in to your club. She also does school and library visits. Details on her website.  Send an email to Ellen to submit your request.