Women Heroes of World War II: The Pacific Theater; 15 Stories of Resistance, Rescue, Sabotage, and Survival

Gr 7 Up—Atwood continues her examination of women heroes of World War II, this time focusing on events in the Pacific theater. She features American, Australian, British, Dutch, and Filipino women in the Philippines, Singapore, China, Malaysia, and even the United States. This diverse group is comprised of nurses, humanitarians, spies, and war correspondents. Among those highlighted are Gladys Aylward, the British missionary in China who escorted 200 children on a trek to flee the Japanese army; Denny Williams, an American nurse on Corregidor who wound up a prisoner; humanitarian Elizabeth Choy of Borneo, who was tortured for providing food and medical assistance; Maria Rosa Henson, who gave information to guerrillas in the Philippines and endured rape and beatings; and Dickey Chapelle, a U.S. war correspondent who took photos at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Atwood presents their stories with dignity and admiration. She is forthright about her subjects' suffering, and though she spares readers overly graphic descriptions, some may find parts of the content difficult to read. Each chapter ends with a brief look at the heroine's life after the war. Sidebars and black-and-white photographs are included along with a conclusion about the ending of the war with Japan.