Sunrise over Fallujah

( 82 )

Overview

From Walter Dean Myers comes a powerful and timely novel about the heroics and horror of war---a gripping companion to FALLEN ANGELS.

Robin "Birdy" Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their maneuvers is Operation...

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Sunrise over Fallujah

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More About This Book

Overview

From Walter Dean Myers comes a powerful and timely novel about the heroics and horror of war---a gripping companion to FALLEN ANGELS.

Robin "Birdy" Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their maneuvers is Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the young men and women in the CA unit have a simpler name for it:

WAR

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Editorial Reviews

Leonard S. Marcus
Birdy and his fellow soldiers find themselves in a perplexing hall of mirrors, and we as readers are embedded with them…This is an astonishing book.
—The New York Times
Children's Literature - Heather Christensen
The army is a different place from when Robin, a.k.a. "Birdie," Perry's Uncle Richie (Fallen Angels) fought in Vietnam. Birdie may eat MRE's and fight alongside female soldiers, but like his uncle, he is still a young soldier willing to fight for his country, yet uncertain who he is fighting and even why. Myers skillfully displays the ugly realities of the battlefield, while honoring the heroics of those in the trenches. Interspersed within the first person narrative are letters from Birdie to his parents and his uncle. Birdie shields his parents from the daily hazards of war but writes to his uncle as a fellow soldier. These letters highlight an important theme in the book—the conflict between what the media portrays and what the soldiers actually experience. Myers creates suspense in the tension between monotony and adrenaline-producing battle scenes. Birdie and his companions are rich and complex characters—each struggles with his or her own fears and worries. Their reasons for being in Iraq are diverse as are their reactions to the war around them. This book could serve as an excellent starting point for a discussion about the Iraq War. With its companion, Fallen Angels, teachers can compare and contrast the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. Reviewer: Heather Christensen
VOYA
AGERANGE: Ages 12 to 18.

Robin's parents aspire for him to go to college, but following September 11, he feels compelled to join the Army instead. By early 2003, Robin has completed Basic Training and is deployed to Iraq where he becomes part of a Civil Affairs Unit charged with building the trust of the Iraqi people to minimize fighting. Civil Affairs soldiers are often put into deadly situations to test the waters, and Robin finds that the people in his unit, who nickname him "Birdy," are the only ones he can trust. Robin quickly learns that the situation in Iraq will not be resolved easily and that much of what is happening there will never make the news. Facing the horrors of war, Robin tries to remain hopeful and comforting in his letters to his family, never showing his fear or the danger he actually faces. The story of teenagers going to war today is an important one, and it is not told often enough. Myers writes an important book to have in any collection to recognize that many teens will choose to join the military instead of, or before, going on to college. Robin is only eighteen, and it is difficult to watch his innocence erased as war leaves its mark on him, but it is the reality for many young men and women. This fine book could be included with a unit on current events and is a good choice for boys. Reviewer: Stephanie Petruso
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)

Kirkus Reviews
In 2003, in the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, young Robin Perry already wonders about "an enemy we can't identify and friends we're not sure about." Myers dedicates this novel to the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Services and to their families, and he offers a powerful study of the strange war they have been sent to fight, where confusion and randomness rule. Why are they fighting? Whom are they fighting? When will they be hit next? Narrated by Robin, nephew of Richie Perry, the main character of the landmark Fallen Angels (1988), this companion expertly evokes the beauty of Iraq and the ugliness of war. Given the paucity of works on this war, this is an important volume, covering much ground and offering much insight. Robin's eventual understanding that his experience was not about winning or losing the war but about "reaching for the highest idea of life" makes this a worthy successor to Myers's Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic. (map, glossary) (Fiction. 12+)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780439916257
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 4/15/2009
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 62600
  • Age range: 12 years
  • Product dimensions: 5.00 (w) x 6.90 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 82 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(50)

4 Star

(13)

3 Star

(12)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(5)
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 82 Customer Reviews

  • Posted Mon Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    A Classic for the Ages- A must read!

    Sunrise over Fallujah is a novel whose storyline pertains to the war in Iraq and how one soldier learns about the realism of war. The story follows the Invasion of Iraq through the eyes of Pvt. Scott Carpenter, an African-American soldier in the Public Relations Unit. In the Unit, he sees the war firsthand, like gruesome battle scenes and individual events that happen to each of the unit members. The themes that the book represents are courage, prejudice, and suffering in trials of war and hatred. I liked Sunrise over Fallujah because I really love war stories to heart and this book is now one of my favorites. It contains drama, some love, with a blast of action and suspense to keep the reader involved with the story. I didn't find anything wrong with the book other than a part that is VERY suggestive and inappropriate for some younger readers. People should read Sunrise Over Fallujah because it teaches the reader about the aspects of war and the view from not only an American standpoint, but also a view from the Iraqis natives there caught between the crossfire. Overall, I would rate this ***** (five stars), because I loved both the characters and the storyline itself. Other books I would recommend that are like this are Flags of Our Fathers and Black Hawk Down.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sat Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    human interest story, not just war

    The characters in this story are likable and most of them seem real. I was concerned this would be a war story, but it is not. It is about a person who happens to be a soldier and how the war affects him.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    life changing

    a very good book

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Thu Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    Sunrise over Fallujah, Walter Dean Myers

    WAR: that's what it's called. In Sunrise over Fallujah an 18 year old boy finds out what war really is. Robin Perry, from Harlem is sent over to the foreign country Iraq. His hero skills are put to the test when they travel back and forth from Fallujah to Baghdad, and faced with many disasters.
    Description and summary of main points
    Writing to his Uncle Richie back at home, "Birdy", is trapped with a world of worries. Defending his nation and trying to stop Saddam Hussein, Birdy and his friends are just trying to make it by day by day. Jonesy, Birdy's new best friend, a guitar playing hick that doesn't know why he is in Iraq, just wants to be back in the states. Marla, a tough talking girl with a lot of attitude faces some major problems of her own. While traveling to the dangerous city Baghdad body bags lay on the side of the road with unburied people. Birdy's unit is just trying to stay away from all of the danger that lies ahead.

    Evaluation
    This book will have you at the edge of your seat and wanting to read more. I recommend this book to middle school and up. With excitement on every page Sunrise over Fallujah will have you just wanting to find out what will happen.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Amasing story

    I found out this is based on a true story in 2003 it dosnt suprise me because it seemed very real its a must buy

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu May 05 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    A Very Good Book - you should try to read it

    This book is about a U.S. soldier who is in the Iraq War. He is assigned to the civil affairs team and his job is to make friends with the Iraqi people. He encounters many obstacles a long the way including lossing his friends and seeing people die which affects him inside. His missions arne't the ones that get in the front lines of the newspaper, but they are the most important it the Iraq war will be a success. I thought it was a very good book becuase it brings you into a soldiers life and it tells the book as if you were with the soliders in the war. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about war or wants to read about a soldier who is caught up in this horrible war where he dosn't know who the enemy is.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    good

    a little mad about the ending right 1 more in the series. like one about monaco ( from fallen angles)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sun Oct 04 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    more from this reviewer

    A decent war story

    Walter Dean Myer's book, Sunrise Over Fallujah, is a decent war story that takes place during the Iraq war. Robin "Birdy" Perry is a new recruit from New York, who decides to join the army since he is not sure of what he wants to do. He is assigned civil affairs, and gets along well with others in his group. They all think the war will end soon, but soon find out they will be here for much longer . The book was a very realistic story that told of how the war affects solders, and the terror and fear they face when they risk their lives everyday. Birdy also experiences the horrors of war, as he sees many innocent people die, and even some people close to him killed. Birdy begins questioning if America can win, and if he was right to sign up for the war in the first place. The book was a good read that had some really intense and heated moments of action. At other times, I found myself bored as the soldiers were waiting around with nothing to do, or as Birdy kept repeating over and over how the war was affecting him. I was able to pull myself past these parts though, as the book is a really light and simple read. Myers is never short on metaphors, similes, and imagery that helps depict the war to readers of the book. I might have not been impressed by this book because I have read plenty of other war stories, but I would recommend this book as a first war story to someone in junior high or a teenager. It would help them understand what our soldiers are currently going through in Iraq, and give them a glimpse of how a war affects a soldier.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri May 29 00:00:00 EDT 2009

    Sunrise Over Fallujah. Walter Dean Myers. New York: Scholastic Publishers, Inc. May 2008. 281 pages.

    In Sunrise Over Fallujah, a Military recruit named Robin "Birdy" Perry, finds himself engulfed in the horrors of war. In this book, Walter Dean Myers does an incredible job of capturing the real-life terror that faces all soldiers in combat situations. It is edgy, realistic, and an amazing book for the teenage audience.
    It begins with Robin "Birdy" Perry joining his Civil Affairs squad and leaving the U.S. for Iraq. Throughout the book, "Birdy" and his squad are dragged deeper and deeper into a war where they don't know who their enemies are or where they're coming from. Near the end of the book, "Birdy" finds himself wondering if the United States is really winning the war and whether he should have enlisted in the first place.
    The fact that the author has served in the Military is apparent, since his description of the day-to-day struggles of war are vivid and in-depth. This book's characters are diverse, and they are thoroughly flushed-out as the conflict drags on. The sad truth that no one is safe in a war is shown in this book time and again as soldiers and civilians alike are injured or killed because of the conflict.
    In conclusion, I find this book to be both a frightening and entertaining example of modern writing. The characters and story-telling in this book help to raise it beyond the rank and file. It is a good book for both Walter Dean Myers fans and anyone who enjoys realistic fiction.
    I personally found this book a glimpse into the realities of war. Though I normally don't read realistic fiction, I was still enthralled with this fantastic book. I recommend it for anyone in need of a good, moderately challenging book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    Totally awesome

    Wow

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Feb 09 00:00:00 EST 2013

    This book is GREAT! A must read!!

    A terrific book filled with action.recommended for all ages

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Jan 30 00:00:00 EST 2013

    Aw Aa WOW

    POORLY EDITEDBUT GREAT BOOK

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Jan 04 00:00:00 EST 2013

    Tis is bad

    Its POO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Sep 03 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Amazing

    As always walter dean myers delivers his bookly dose of kick a$$

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    As always...

    Walter Dean Myers still has his skills.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Mar 26 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Anonymous

    Jonesy dies.....

    0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Feb 09 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Highly Recommended - this is the best book in the world!!!

    The book starts out like this young man joins the army, and he is assigned to the civl affairs squadrant. He despretly hopes that he won't be killed. He sees his friends die in front of him. His mom and dad write him letters that they love him. He will write ack sometimes. He makes lots of friends and saves some of them.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Art

    Fantistico! Just like his poems

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  • Posted Fri Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2011

    more from this reviewer

    SunRise

    My book report is on the book ¿Sun Rise over Fallujah¿ and if you like action, a little sad, but suspenseful then this is the book for you! A man named Robin ¿Birdy¿ Perry joins the army for a reason he¿s not sure of yet, but all he knows is that he¿s in the ride of his life. Back at home he knows his mom is worried sick about him and his dad is mad at him because instead of going to college he went to the army. But his new squad seems to be his new family in Iraq. Robin meets a lot of new people but his best friends are Marla and Jonesy who later dies in a special mission from CENTCOM to trade stolen kids from the rival tribe for detonators. At first when Robin met Jonesy he was really quiet about making friends with him or anybody else because people in the army come and go so quickly, but soon enough they became the closest friends. One of my favorite parts of the book is when they received the detonators because it was so unexpected that it would turn out to be a fire fight. And the part that stunned me is when jonesy died trying to save one of the kids which was blind so he couldn¿t run away or anything. He was brought back to the camp and carried to the medic tent and he was tried to be saved but a bullet to the neck is almost instant death.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2011

    Great

    Soooo great!!!!!!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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