One Thousand Tracings

One Thousand Tracings

Written and Illustrated by: Lita Judge

Published by: Disney-Hyperion, 2007

Pages: 40

 

​In this heartwarming story, an American family befriends a German family after World War II. The German family is in serious need of supplies. This compassionate American family defeats that odds and lends a hand to these people by sending them the supplies they need. The family’s kindness is soon known about all over, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Based on a true story of pictures and tracings found in her grandmother’s attic, Lita Judge creates a beautiful story of an unlikely friendship and a light of hope during a hard time for the whole world.  

 

​The illustrations in this story are based off of pictures and tracing found in the attic. Judge uses paintings and colleges to bring her words to life. The pictures truly capture the heartwarming story because they were the actually from the time that the story was taking place. There are no made up ideas, they are what they are. Some of the pictures include actual letters from some of the families all over Europe impacted by these kind people from a small farm in the Midwest.

 

​I would use this story when discussing the aftermath of World War II. It is important to not only learn about America’s trials after the Great War, but also about the other countries affected. This story captures Europe in its time of need. I would also use this lesson when learning how to write a letter and the importance of knowing how to make an appropriate one. While not everyone’s letter could end up in a book, it could impact a life in some way. Writing letters is becoming something of thing of the past, but this book would (hopefully) encourage students to send a letter to say thank you for something. Last, I would use this book for motivation. In this story, the Midwestern family touched so many lives. I would read this story and then have my students discuss and write about how they could change someone’s life!