The Wall

Bunting, Eve. The Wall. Illus. Ronald Himler. New York: Clarion Books, 1990.

This emotional story follows a young boy and his father during their visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. They search for the name of the boy’s grandfather and leave a picture of the boy beside all of the other ­­­tributes along the wall. Despite a very sad atmosphere, the father acknowledges the pride and honor that all the names stand for. The boy agrees, but also expresses his longing for the grandfather he will never meet.

The story is told from the little boy’s point of view, brilliantly portraying his emotions and experiences during the visit. This perspective conveys both his childlike innocence and his sensitivity toward the emotional significance of the names on the wall. We can imagine the way he runs his fingers along all the names on the mirror-like wall and later, the way he and his dad stand at the wall bowing their heads. Each page contains beautiful watercolor illustrations, further reflecting the boy’s emotions. The reader can sense the boy’s pain as he watches a grandfather and his grandson walk past, knowing that he will never have a similar experience with his own grandfather.

Bunting deals with a very grim subject in an age-appropriate and sensitive way. Children and adults alike who have been affected by war will appreciate this bittersweet tribute to those who have served our country.