Craft,+Kyle

=Sunrise Over Fallujah= Walter Dean Myers

Reviewed by Kyle Craft

**Overview** The book //Sunrise Over Fallujah// is written by Walter Dean Myers. It was published in 2008. This book follows the story of a black soldier, Robin "Birdy" Perry, in the beginning of the Iraqi War following 9/11. He and his comrades including Marla, Captain Coles, and Jonesy are part of a group that is supposed to help with the citizens of Iraq and befriend them. This book shows the harsh realities of war, but also the good things soldiers are trying to do.

=Author Information= Walter Dean Myers wrote many other books, which include //Fallen Angels// (1988) //, Dope Sick// (2009) //, Game// (2008) //,// and //Monster// (1999). He is notable for writing children and young adult books. He has also won many awards for his numerous books, which can be seen on his home page. Author's Home Page

=Awards= Although the book //Sunrise over Fallujah// did not win any awards, it was nominated for the YALSA award, an award given to young adult books. The author though has won several awards, which can be found on his home page.

=Style= The title of this book catches the reader’s attention a bit, but is not appropriate because the title refers to just one small section of the story, which seems to have little importance. The main strength of this book is the realism. The book is pretty basic offering not a lot of description, but mainly dialogue. This make the book seem realistic because ordinary people do not think of what their surroundings look like, they just look at it. Also everyday life tends to center around talking, which this book replicates with its immense amount of dialogue and small amounts of description. The author also develops the main character, Robin “Birdy” Perry, through the use of letters to his relatives showing his changing feelings during the beginning of the war, also showing the harsh realities. The author brings the book to a nice closing and does not seem to suggest more.

=Destiny Review= I found this book to be a good read. It was on the shorter side making it a quick read. This book covers the fragile topic of the Iraqi War, which is not often touched upon in books. This book offers its realism with the small amount of details and lots of dialogue mimicking real life thinking. Overall it was a good book, but it did not offer any challenge for a high school reader such as myself. The book seems to be geared toward a younger audience like the upper end of middle school children.

=Professional Reviews= "Memorable characters share instances of wry levity that balance the story without deflecting its serious tone." (School Library Journal, 2008)

Example: "'Kennedy, I knocked out the last person who got my name wrong,' I said. 'Really? I'm impressed,' she said; agrin spread across her face. 'What kind of weapon was she carrying?' Kennedy flipped the sling of her M-16 over her shoulder and sautered off toward the women's quartes." (Myers 8-9)

"Even as the author exposes Robin's ambivalent feelings and doubts, he re-creates the climate of the earliest days of the war, when victory seems definable and soldiers credibly talk in March or April of being home by Christmas." (Publisher's Weekly)

Example: "There are rumors that we could be going home within two weeks. I think we'll have to serve a full six months before they start rotating us back" (Myers 88)

"Street-smart Jonesy is especially memorable singing the blues, and Marla is irreverent, tough, and funny." (Booklist Online, 2008)

Example: "'I wrote a song,' Jonesy said. 'I call it 'I hate Your Mother Worse Than I Hate This Sand Blues.' You want to hear it?' Nobody wanted to hear it." (Myers 46)

=Works Cited= Gepson, Lolly. Rev. of //Sunrise Over Fallujah,// by Walter Dean Myers. //Booklist.com.// American Library Association, 2008. Web. 27 May 2010. <[]>.

Myers, Walter Dean. //Sunrise Over Fallujah.// New York: Scholastic P, 2008. Print.

Rev. of //Sunrise Over Fallujah,// by Walter Dean Myers. //Powells.com.// Powells.com, 2010. Web. 27 May 2010. <[]>.

Tucillo, Diane P. Rev. of //Sunrise Over Fallujah,// by Walter Dean Myers. //Schoollibraryjournal.com.// Reed Business Information, 2008. Web. 27 May 2010. <[]>.

