Novels by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. Fighting Words. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2020.
Another novel with a ten-year-old main character, Della. But this time the story is not so cheerful. Not on the surface and not underneath, either. Della has always had a protector: her older sister Suki. When their mother was in prison, Suki took care of her. When their mother’s boyfriend did something terrible, Suki took care of her. But now Suki has tried to commit suicide and it’s time for Della to speak up and tell the truth. Neglect and abuse were addressed in a previous novel by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – The War That Saved My Life set in World War II England – and now these problems occur in a story set in present-day America. Only this time, the description is grittier and the issues more immediate. A realistically hopeful novel recommended for mature readers 11 years old and up. Older readers who are fans of Joan Bauer will also appreciate this empowering story of survival.

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The Night War. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024.
Twelve-year-old Miriam’s father has taught her that can choose her actions, even if she can’t choose her feelings.  But both her parents are gone now and she has to make a decision by herself: will she risk her life to save others? Will she stay in Nazi-occupied France to help others escape or run away to save herself? Set during World War II and full of historical facts including an extensive afterward, this compelling novel by an award-winning author is highly recommended for readers 11 to 14 years old.

Questions to consider: How do you know whom to trust? Does knowing someone’s story make you feel differently towards them? If you feel guilty, are you? If you had to give up your culture in order to save your life, would you?

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The War I Finally Won. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers 2017.
Do you need courage to have hope? Can you know something but not believe it? How do you learn to overcome fear? The story of Ada and Jamie, evacuated from London in The War That Saved My Life, continues in this 385-page novel recommended for readers 12 years old and up.
The story begins with surgery to repair Ada’s clubfoot. But surgery can’t repair the sense of rejection she still feels from years of abuse. And surgery can’t teach her how to trust anyone except herself. It is steadfast love from her new guardian and her own determination to learn that transforms Ada from a fearful 11-year-old to a confident 14-year-old ready to embrace the goodness of life.
P.S. Part of the brilliance of this novel is its quiet complexity. While told from the limited point of view of Ada, the reader sees that we all have limited points of view. And sometimes our lack of knowledge limits our ability to see clearly. Lady Thorton is stand-offish due to limitations imposed by her childhood. People in the village mistrust Ruth – a Jewish refugee – due to ignorance of events in Germany. Susan assumes she will be rejected by a friend’s family, and Maggie thinks her mother doesn’t care about her. Over and over again, we see that life may have been terrible in the past but it can still be good in the future. And we are all lovable.

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The War That Saved My Life. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015.
Evacuated from London during World War II, a sister and brother find respite from their abusive mother. Recommended for readers 11-years-old and up.