BAREFOOT IN FIRE: A World War II Childhood

Written by: Barbara Ann Gamboa-Lewis
Illustrated by: Barbara Pollak

Read the Powerful True Story of a Young Girl Growing Up In Manila in the early 1940’s.

Pooh hunched over the dictionary looking for the perfect name to call herself. She founded it under -Barbara, meaning foreign, strange. It was the right name for a feisty, smart, fiercely independent girl growing up bi-racial and poor in war torn Manila.

Join Pooh in her adventures, whether it’s chasing after wild ducks, foiling a chicken thief, playing with her own makeshift airplane, or having the pluck to play violin for a very sad Japanese officer.

Barbara Ann Gamboa-Lewis gives an unflinching, candid portrayal of her pre-teen years set against the backdrop of a war that tested to the edge the wills of men, women and children alike.

Barbara Pollack's charming drawings perfectly capture the highs and lows of Lewis’s unforgettable childhood. Although World War II happened a long time ago, today’s readers will identify with Pooh as she struggles between right and wrong, joy and sadness, obedience and rebellion.

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Size: 7.9 x 5.2 in
ISBN: 971-630-145-6
Year Published: 2005