The Art of Keeping Cool

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The Art of Keeping Cool
The Art of Keeping Cool book cover.png
Author Janet Taylor Lisle
CountryUnited States
Language English
SubjectWorld War II
Genre Children's Literature
Historical Fiction
Set inSachem's Head, RI in 1942
PublisherAtheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
October 2000
Pages207
Awards

The Art of Keeping Cool is a children's historical novel by Janet Taylor Lisle published in October 2000 by Anthem Books. [1]

Contents

Background

Author Janet Taylor Lisle drew from three sources of inspiration when writing The Art of Keeping Cool. Her fascination with her father's service as a bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force, the U.S. army occupation of her hometown during World War II, and the far-reaching cultural impact of the Nazi regime. [1]

Summary

The Art of Keeping Cool deals with the difficulties of childhood during World War II. in 1942, making sense of his family is especially difficult for thirteen-year-old Robert, whose father has been deployed in Europe with the Royal Canadian Air Force for more than six months. After Pearl Harbor, Robert and his family moved from their farm in Ohio to live with his father's parents in Rhode Island. [1] [2]

This living situation is strange to Robert, who has never met his grandparents or his cousin Elliot who also lives in Rhode Island. He finds it even more odd that neither his mother nor his extended family ever discuss his father. Robert must search to find reason for the unexplainable family dynamic. With the help of Elliot and an exiled German painter named Abel Hoffman, Robert uncovers with the dark history of his father's family. [1] [2]

After a little time, Elliot starts going to Abel Hoffman's house to sketch. [1] [2]

Awards

Notes

References:

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "The Art of Keeping Cool".
  2. 1 2 3 "The Art of Keeping Cool". The New York Times .
  3. "Scott O'Dell Award". Archived from the original on 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2015-11-13.


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