M. ZACHARY SHERMAN is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He has written comics for Marvel, Radical, Image, and Dark Horse. His recent work includes America's Army: The Graphic Novel, Earp: Saint for Sinners, and the second book in the SOCOM: SEAL Team Seven trilogy.
The Bloodlines series from Capstone Publishing by Zachary M.
Sherman is more about format than plot, although there is enough
meat in these 80 page books that students who have forgotten for
the last two months to get a book about war for language arts that
they need for the test next week will find enough to discuss. The
interesting thing is how they are formatted to reel in reluctant
readers. Pages are occasionally illustrated with graphic novel
style illustrations, and chapters end with "debriefings" that
discuss causes of the war, equipment used, or events of specific
days. This will please my students who like nonfiction
tremendously. The writing is fine and the reading levels for
Accelerated Reader unusually high (over 5.0 is high!), probably
because of the technical terms. My only complaint is the use of
large font in the middle of text to add things like "kablamo!,
"fwooosh", and "ratatat", which was distractingly Batman- like.
Just because we can play with text doesn't mean we have to. All in
all, this series (even at $17.49 each) was a good investment.
http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/2011/04/bloodlines-by-zachary-sherman.html
*Ms. Yingling Reads blog*
The series Bloodlines includes Blood Brotherhood and Fighting
Phantoms in addition to these two. Each volume follows a member of
the Donovan family during their military career in World War II,
the Korean War, the Vietnam War or Afghanistan War. In A Time for
War, the first volume in the series, Private First Class Mike
Donovan is part of a group of paratroopers dropped behind enemy
lines on a mission to disrupt Hitler’s army and German supply lines
one month before D-Day. There are problems with his landing and he
becomes separated from his unit. While hiding in an abandoned
German farmhouse, PFC Donovan is spotted and shot at by German
soldiers. Luckily, members of his unit and his sergeant rescue him
just in time. Donovan rejoins his unit and they continue the
mission. As the fighting intensifies, Donovan becomes apprehensive
about his role in the war, his sergeant reassures him and PFC
Donovan finds the courage to fulfill his role on the team. Control
Under Fire sees the grandson of PFC Donovan, Lieutenant Lester
Donovan, in action in Afghanistan. Lt. Donovan and his team of Navy
Seals are given the task of capturing a Taliban leader. The mission
seems to o according to plan until their escape helicopter is shot
down. Separated from his platoon, Donovan decides to search enemy
territory for his fellow soldiers. Following a hair raising battle,
Lt. Donovan is able to rescue almost all of his men and
successfully complete his mission. Authored by M. Zachary Sherman,
a Navy Seal and the great-grandson of Civil War General William
Tecumseh Sherman, these books are fast paced and full of action.
The short chapters are illustrated with full color cartoon-type
panels. Interspersed throughout the book are non-fiction
“debriefings” which offer illuminating information on various
aspects of the war and war machinery. While this reviewer only saw
two of the four books in the series, this series will work well
with upper elementary through middle school boys as well as older
reluctant readers.
*VOYA*
The fictional Bloodlines series focuses on the recollections of men
from an American family who fought twentieth- and
twenty-first-century wars. This title focuses on the experiences of
Michael Donovan, who was a paratrooper during the Normandy
invasion. The story is cut from a familiar war-story template, with
the young private first hiding from the enemy but then finding his
courage after the death of the avuncular sergeant. Despite the
clichés, however, many young readers will enjoy this. The format
draws elements from comics, with large fonts denoting explosions,
plenty of blazing guns, and men with impossibly square jaws. Added
to the package are frequently inserted period photographs and facts
about WWII. There are a few fact-checking glitches: one page lists
the Allied powers but leaves out the Soviet Union. Still, the
additions of bite-size nonfiction give this book extra historical
heft. A good choice for reluctant readers.
*Booklist*
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