The Poppy Lady

October 1, 2012

Gr 4-5-Most children have seen red poppies for sale around Veterans Day, but how many of them know how they came to be associated with veterans? During World War I, many American soldiers died fighting near the border of Belgium and France. These men were buried, nameless, in a cemetery called Flanders Field that was memorialized in a poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. Red poppies grew wild in the cemetery, and they inspired Michael to honor and remember the men buried there. She began to sell poppies as a way to assist veterans who came home wounded from the war and unable to work. Michael wanted these young men to be remembered and she worked tirelessly to see that they were. While this book is not one that children will necessarily be drawn to on their own, it is one that can be used to talk about Veterans Day, included in a study of World War I, and to foster talk about what it means to serve your country. Johnson's lush and vivid illustrations on oversize spreads depict the world at that time-the soldiers going off to war, the women working on the home front, and period dress. The copious back matter allows students to read further. A portion of the proceeds for this book will go to a charity that supports the needs of children of the military.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Imbued with an unwavering sense of duty and patriotism, a woman conceives a lasting tribute to war veterans. Georgia schoolteacher Moina Michael, deeply saddened at the outbreak of World War I, wanted to help departing soldiers. She rolled bandages, knitted socks and sweaters, and boosted morale by delivering books, food and goodwill. These efforts, even combined with waving farewell at train stations, weren't enough; Michael yearned to do more. Working with the YMCA in New York City, she offered support and kindness to soldiers. A chance rereading of the famous wartime poem "In Flanders Fields," with its images of poppies on graves, galvanized Michael into action, and she devoted herself to seeing that a red poppy became a symbol to memorialize the war dead. Her idea eventually led to the public distribution of paper poppies to raise funds for veterans and military families, a tradition that continues in some communities. Michael's moral force and commitment are commendable and noteworthy, but this is a well-meaning, though only serviceably written, overwrought book that will resonate more with adults. Children of military families may take it more to heart than other youngsters, especially those unfamiliar with the tradition. The heroic oil paintings are colorful, and Michael looks nothing less than beatific. Of possible interest where poppies are distributed around Memorial Day and Veterans Day. (prologue, epilogue, author's note, bibliography) (Picture book. 7-10)

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October 1, 2012
Grades 2-5 Moina Belle Michael was teaching at the University of Georgia's Normal School in 1917, when her country entered the first World War. Vowing to do what she could for the lads in uniform, she began by knitting socks and rolling bandages. Later she took a position in New York City, where she helped departing soldiers. Inspired by McCrae's poem beginning In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Michael launched a successful campaign encouraging people to wear poppies in honor of fallen soldiers. An epilogue brings the story up-to-date. Inspired by Walsh's father's contact with Michael when he was a solider in World War II, this informative picture book is based on original interviews as well as Michael's book The Miracle Flower (1941), articles, and websites. Rich with color, Johnson's narrative paintings portray Michael's life and times with warmth, drama, and attention to detail. Teachers looking for a heartfelt alternative to the familiar, too-often-pedestrian children's books on Veterans Day and Memorial Day may want to introduce their students to the compassionate, determined Poppy Lady. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

August 20, 2012
Since WWI, red poppies have been used to commemorate fallen soldiers; Walsh explains why in a glowing tribute to the woman behind the symbol, Moina Belle â¨Michael, a professor at the University of â¨Georgia who "wanted to do more" for the men in uniform, and who went on to contribute to the war effort in several ways. Johnson's oil paintings offer several dramatically lit, almost beatific portraits of Michael, as well as one scene of a somber WWI battlefield, covered with red poppies and white crosses, the source of Michael's inspiration (along with John McCrae's poem "We Shall Not Sleep"). Ages 7â11.