The Peach Pit Parade: A World War I Story (Tales of Young Americans)

As World War I wages overseas, its repercussions are rippling across America. Food is in short supply, and conserving fuel is a necessity. Polly’s life changes in unimaginable ways when her father enlists and is sent to France to join the fight. She experiences the pain of his absence almost immediately, and while she tries to help at home in every way she can, it still seems like too little. Her desire to do more grows with each passing day. When she discovers the government is requesting donations of peach pits, Polly organizes a parade. The results are phenomenal and her jubilance resounding.

This is an enlightening book in which the devastating realities of war have taken hold, sweeping across nations, leaving no one unscathed, regardless of their race or creed. African Americans fought alongside their white counterparts, thousands of them. The author notes she dedicated time to researching the role of them in the war and their efforts to support it. She discovered the Girl Scouts welcomed African Americans and thought it realistic to portray Polly as a young Black girl. This adds a certain uniqueness to the text and broadens its audience to include all children ages five to nine.