Testa, Maria. 2003. Almost Forever. Cambridge: Candlewick Press.
ISBN0-7637-199-5
Almost Forever,
is an emotionally charged verse novel told from a six year old girl’s perspective. This story tells how one letter received
on Christmas, changes the life of a family. The narrator’s dad, a doctor, has just received a letter informing him that
he has been drafted into the army and will be going to war. “Daddy opened/ the
envelope /slowly./ unfolded the letter,/ and said only one word:/ Vietnam.”
Each chapter chronicles the life style that she and her
family experience during the absence of her dad. Every day routines keep the family together, like walking to the post office
and playing on the swings. During the absence, the young narrator and her brother strain for any glimpse of their father while
watching TV. Testa shows this in such passages as,
“Hey, Dad,”
my
brother would whisper
sometime,
“where are you?”
Testa also shows how war can strain a family with the skeptical
nature of the narrator in regards to her mother’s obsession with watching Mr. Roger Mudd, the war correspondent. The
narrator believes her mother is in love with him, when in actuality she waits to hear of any news about the war. On the other
hand, humor is also incorporated to ease the emotions, when the children are laughing at Roger Mudd’s last name.
Like any six year old, she has worries about forgetting
her father’s voice and that he might be injured in the war. Testa shows the hopeful innocence of children with the prayers
the young narrator says every night.
“Our father
hail Mary,
angel of God,
help me
help me
help me remember
him.”
Testa reveals the frustration of a child who cannot understand
words such as “escalation/ and casualties/ body counts” when listening
to the news of the war. The author uses repetition in order to emphasize the anxiety of the family when they learn of the
disappearance of their father. This is revealed in the passage,
“Mama’s voice
was steady
and
strong
repeating
Daddy’s
name
and
rank
and
numbers
so
many times
steady
and strong.”
Testa’s use of poetry breaks and white space show
that this verse novel should be read slowly and with emotion, stopping at all the breaks. The author also separates the story
into chronological chapters beginning with the departure of the father until his return, to emphasize the different periods
in the child’s life. The shortness of each chapter further emphasizes the intensity of these moments in the narrator’s
life.
Testa’s heartwarming poem is not melodramatic, but
sensitive and real as she shows how tough life can be when your only six years old and words like “war” are only subjects you learn about in school. Almost Forever
is a great read for children ages 9-12. A great book to read out loud and combine with non-fiction books on the Vietnam War
Reviews
”With delicacy,
sensitivity and extraordinary imagination, Testa once again proves herself to be an exceptional wordsmith and has created
a book that could be telling the story of any family, at any time, living through any war. Reviewed by Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber
Available from http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/. Accessed August 8, 2005
From School Library Journal.
“is a tender, insightful
story from a perspective too often ignored-that of a soldier's child.” Lee Bock, Glenbrook
Elementary School
Available from www.amazon.co . Accessed August 8, 2005
