ABOUT THIS BOOK

Ten-year-old Johnny loves the nutcracker soldiers his father, a London toy maker, has carved for him; he admires their tall black boots and their rifles tipped with silver bayonets. But when World War I descends upon Britain and long-time neighbors and friends begin disappearing to join their countrymen on the front lines, Johnny’s father among them, what once seemed like fodder for play becomes reality.

At first Johnny is certain that his father will be home by Christmas; his first few letters are full of vigor, hope, and even delightful new soldiers carved to fight in Johnny’s imaginary war. Over time, though, his father’s letters from the trenches become more grim and the tiny soldiers begin to characterize the gritty reality of battle, forcing young Johnny to grapple with life, death, the irrationality of war, and his place among it all.

FOR DISCUSSION

1. What is the relevance of Johnny’s father being a toy maker? How are youth and adulthood represented in the novel? How is Johnny’s father described before the war? What is his attitude toward the war at that time? How does Johnny’s father’s attitude toward the war change once he has reached the front? How do the descriptions of him change at that time?

2. What role does nationality play throughout the book? How does Johnny’s father feel about neighbors and friends such as Fatty Dienst when they leave England to fight in the war? Does his opinion of them change when he is fighting on the front lines?

3. How does Johnny’s understanding of war change from the beginning of the novel to the end? How are his feelings and his interpretation of war reflected in his battles with the toy soldiers? How are they reflected in his image of his father? How does Johnny’s experience with war parallel his father’s?

4. What impact does the war have on women in this novel? What impact does it have on Sarah in specific? How does Sarah’s knowledge and interest in the war influence Johnny’s impression of her?

5. “For amusement [the gods] toy with the people. To the gods, the people are merely pieces in a great game.” (p. 54) How is this idea reflected throughout the novel? How is God represented throughout the novel? Who is able to play the role of God?

6. Why is Mr. Tuttle so upset when his roses are destroyed? What do they represent to him? What did they represent to Johnny when he destroyed them? How does Johnny’s attitude change by the end of the story?

7. When referring to Johnny’s father, Aunt Ivy comments: “[The war] will rot him away if it doesn’t end soon. He’ll be changed; he’ll be different. He’ll be hollow.” (p. 89) Does Aunt Ivy’s prophecy come true? Why or why not? Who else might Aunt Ivy be describing? How does the war affect other soldiers throughout the novel?

8. What role do letters play in the novel? What part do they play in the war? Describe the different types of letters that people receive throughout the novel? How do these letters affect their lives? How do the letters from Johnny’s father change from the beginning of the novel to the end?

SUGGESTED READING

Also Available from Iain Lawrence:

The Wreckers
hardcover: 0-385-32535-5
paperback: 0-440-41545-4

The Smugglers
hardcover: 0-385-32663-7
paperback: 0-440-41596-9

The Buccaneers
0-385-32736-6

Ghost Boy
0-440-41668-X

Ghost Boy
0-385-32739-0

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Iain Lawrence was born in Ontario, Canada. A former journalist, he now writes full time. In addition to his magazine and newspaper articles, he is the author of the bestselling High Seas Trilogy: The Wreckers (an Edgar Allen Poe Award Nominee), The Smugglers, and The Buccaneers, as well as the young adult novel Ghost Boy.

An avid sailor who enjoys building ships in bottles, Iain Lawrence spends several months every year traveling by boat with his longtime companion, Kristin, and their dog, the Skipper. They make their home on the Gulf Islands of British Columbia.