by Michael O. Tunnell
Hennepin County Library hardcover 104 pages
genre: non-fiction, history
I had never heard of Gail Halvorsen, a pilot who helped with the Berlin supply drops after WWII until Jodi mentioned him to me. This book was wonderful, filled with lots of photographs and sharing the story of this amazing young man! From a casual visit and two sticks of gum, he started a wave of candy donations that blessed the children of Berlin and involved many other pilots, donors, candy companies, etc. The drawings and letters from children are so heartfelt and moving!
Page 67 - "It took me a week to eat that candy bar. I hid it day and night. The chocolate was wonderful, but it wasn't the chocolate that was most important. What it meant was that someone in America cared. That parachute was something more important than candy. It represented hope. Hope that someday we would be free. Without hope the soul dies."
Page 93 - Years later, he helped with similar drops to children in Kosovo. "They had hope because of people in America who . . . knew they were in trouble and promised to stand by them. Hope is still the name of the game."
I love the references to hope. Such a powerful thing it is! This was an amazing true story and I'm glad I read it! Kudos to Halvorsen for sharing his photographs and letters so freely.
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