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    Mare's War
    Mare's War
    Mare's War
    Audiobook9 hours

    Mare's War

    Written by Tanita S. Davis

    Narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson and Myra Lucretia Taylor

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past. Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn't your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she's too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there's more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, this novel introduces a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they finish reading.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 21, 2011
    ISBN9781461848288
    Mare's War
    Author

    Tanita S. Davis

    Tanita S. Davis is the award-winning author of six novels for middle grade and young adult readers, including Serena Says, Peas and Carrots, Happy Families, and Mare’s War, which was a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and earned her a nomination for the NAACP Image Award. She grew up in California and was so chatty as a kid that her mother begged her to “just write it down.” Now she’s back in California, doing her best to keep writing it all down. Visit her at tanitasdavis.com.

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    Reviews for Mare's War

    3.5/5

    52 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Highly satisfying historical novel about a black woman's experience as a WAC during WWII. Octavia and Tali dread their upcoming summer road trip with Mare, their 80-year-old grandmother who still wears stiletto heels and push-up bras and is nothing like the typical cookie-baking, soft grandma. Familial tempers flare regularly during the drive but Mare is also sharing a story the girls were not aware of, when she ran away at 16 from an alchoholic mother and her mother's sexually abusive boyfriend to join the Women's Army Corps. Mare is determined to protect her younger sister and prove her strength and mettle on her own in the Army, while also coping with the racism. Mare strives for better in her life and never loses sight of her goals.
    • 4/5
      Told from the alternating perspectives of 15 year-old Octavia (an African-American teenager from California) and Mare, her elderly grandmother who enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II at the age of 17, this novel tells a heartwarming tale of intergenerational bonding while also filling a gap in historical knowledge.Mare narrates two chapters (all entitled “then”) for every one that Octavia narrates (all entitled “now”) as they drive from California to Alabama with Octavia’s older sister, Tali. Along the way, Mare tells her granddaughters the story of how she came to enlist in the army during WWII, trained in the south, and served overseas in England and France. Mare’s story, which comprises the bulk of the novel, addresses a number of serious issues—attempted child sexual abuse, family strife, poverty, racial discrimination and inequality, lesbianism—as it highlights the numerous “wars” that Mare fought while growing up and serving in the Army in the 1940s. Along the way, Octavia and Tali come to appreciate their grandmother’s struggles and learn more about American history, all the while developing stronger familial bonds of their own with each other and with their grandmother.The complementary narratives depict deeply contrasting stories of growing up as a Black woman during two different periods in American history. Educational without being pedantic, this novel serves as an entertaining way for adolescents to learn about and appreciate an often neglected aspect of American history.
    • 5/5
      This was a wonderful book. I loved the way that the chapters switched between the past and the present. I also loved how the book told the past from a voice that is not usually heard, especially not in school or textbooks. Wonderful, wonderful book.
    • 4/5
      2010 Coretta Scott King Honor Book"Aunt Josephine always says that running away from home was the best thing Mare ever did. You grandmother changed the world."Wish Goodreads had the image of the paperback cover -- I absolutely love it. Tavia and Talia are trapped on a summer roadtrip with their 80-year-old grandmother, Marey Lee Boylen. Mare's not a typical grandma -- no knitting, canes or sensible shoes for her. She wears stiletto heels, drives a red sports car, does whatever she wants and says EXACTLY what she thinks. When Mare announces she is driving across the country, from California to Alabama for a family reunion, her son decides that his two teenage daughters will go along to keep an eye on Mare and help her drive. Talia is like Mare, impulsive and adventurous, while Tavia is like her father, so cautious that she often can't do anything. Along their 2,000 mile journey, the girls hear Mare's stories about escaping rural Alabama and going off to join the Women's Army Corps in the 1940's, where she went to Europe to help fight World War II. The chapters alternate between their modern-day road trip and those stories of challenge, segregation, freedom and choices that the history books have mostly ignored. Mare is a character everyone should get to know! 6th grade and up.
    • 3/5
      The book is told from the grand-daughter's perspective (present day) and from the reminiscences of the Grandmother's rich history (as a WAC in WWII). A fun way for kids YA's to learn about the contribution of black American women.
    • 5/5
      This book was a great read. It shared a lot of perspectives on the life of a young lady during WW II. Not only was it written in a lively style, but most of the information presented, was accurate. It was interesting to read and actually informative. Arlington Cemetery has a display about the WAC, which confirms a lot of what was in the book.
    • 3/5
      Mare’s War for Young Adults is a [fictional] account of a woman who served in the [actual] 6888th Postal Battalion of the Women’s Army Corps for African American women soldiers during World War II. Although this unit was trained for combat conditions, its primary function was to handle the thousands of pieces of backlogged mail in Europe during the war. In Mare’s War, the parents of 15-year-old Octavia and 17-year-old Tali (Talitha) insist the girls accompany their 80-ish grandmother Mare on a cross-country driving trip from California to Alabama to see Mare’s family. Mare is not a “normal” grandmother who bakes and crochets. As Octavia describes her, “She wears flippy auburn wigs, stiletto shoes, and padded push-up bras.” Octavia, our narrator on this odyssey, is also appalled that Mare is loud and bossy and says what she thinks. Both girls are dreading the trip.As they drive, Mare begins to tell them the story of growing up in rural Alabama and about her service in World War II, parts of her life the girls didn’t know about before. Through Mare, we hear a detailed account of life in the 6888th. She shares with them the problems with racism and sexism the women encountered, and how differently they reacted to it back in the 1940’s. They also hear about the pride of service by all these young women, and how well they mastered the tasks they were handed.The chapters alternate between the modern day road trip and Mare’s memories. By the time the three get to Alabama, Mare has buried some old ghosts, and the two girls have a whole new appreciation of their grandmother.Evaluation: This entertaining and educational book contains all sorts of positive lessons for teens, from respect for elders to some of the services rendered by nonwhite Americans in World War II.
    • 5/5
      Marey Lee Boylen, known as Mare, is not a typical grandmother. For Octavia and Talitha, the prospect of a forced, cross-country road trip with their unpredictable grandmother is daunting, even if the mode of transportation is a red sports car. The already tense family relations quickly deteriorate as an argument erupts over Tali's use of headphones and Mare's smoking. After the two agree to a no headphones-no smoking pact, Mare passes the time by sharing stories about her youth in rural Alabama and her service in the 6888th African American battalion of the Women's Army Corps during World War II. What follows is a powerful story of a young woman’s struggle for independence and her strength in the service of her country in the face of racism and segregation. For Mare, the Women’s Army Corps is both an opportunity and a reminder of the realities of race relations in 1940s America. Davis tells the story in a series of alternating chapters. Headings of “Then” and “Now” differentiate Mare’s narrative from younger granddaughter Octavia’s reflections on the trip. Mare is strong, colorful character. But the secondary characters are equally compelling. Each member of the 6888th is an individual, from practical Peaches, who helps Mare learn to properly make a bed for inspection, to Ruby, the city girl from Texas who can’t boil water. The diversity of African-American experiences is reflected in the descriptions of these women. Mare’s granddaughters are strong, young women in their right whose respect for their unusual grandmother grows over the course of the trip. The chapters written from Octavia’s point of view will help draw young readers into the story, Davis’ vivid descriptions of Mare’s exploits will hold their attention.Mare’s War grew out of Davis’ search through military records for information on her own grandmother. Through this story she sheds light on a little known era of American history and reminds readers of some of the unsung heroes of the war. Interested readers will find resources for further information in the author’s acknowledgements.This book would make an excellent addition to any library. It deserves to be read because it is, quite simply, a wonderful book.
    • 2/5
      Mare takes her two teenage granddaughters in a cross country trip to Alabama with the excuse of a family reunion. The trip itself is the story. As they take turns driving Mare tells her life story of struggle and adventure, growing up and away. The girls learn to appreciate the unique the opportunity their grandmother had to serve in the Army durning WWII. There is a contrast between the freedom blacks had in Europe and the segregration and discrimination they suffered in the rural South. A fascinating way to reveal a unique piece of history. The sisters send postcards back to family and friends in California. Chapters titles alternate: "then" and "now". Could be a good discussion book.
    • 4/5
      Octavia and her older sister Tali don't look forward to spending their summer vacation traveling across country with their eccentric grandmother, Mare. They both had other plans. Both girls, then, are surprised at how much they enjoy Mare's stories about her youth. Mare lied about her age to join the Army and became part of the only African American WAC Unit to serve overseas during World War II. Octavia and Tali are also amazed to hear of the desperate poverty that Mare grew up in in Alabama and of the rampant racism Mare faced in the Army. At the end of the book, the girls and Mare have a much deeper relationship and respect for each other.
    • 3/5
      When Octavia and Tali are forced to spend their summer going on a road trip with their eccentric grandmother Mare, they do not expect to actually enjoy one moment. As the long trip proceeds the two sisters discover so much untold history and are inspired by Mare's past. She was a member of the African American battalion of the woman's army corps during World War II. Mare's experiences and friendships spark Octavia and Tali's imaginations and they immediately apply the lessons to their own lives and relationships. The book smoothly transitions between 'then' and 'now'. I found it easy to read because of its engaging characters and realistic flavor. The author's uniqueness shines through with the quirky characters and humorous touches. This book is a great read for any young person who wants to make something of their life even in difficult circumstances. I enjoyed Mare's War and am sure that others will also.