The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I've been wanting to read The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for literal years, ever since I first heard @bringmybooks, Queen of Historical Fiction, recommend it. I knew it was going to be good. I didn't know it was going to become the bar against which all other #MiddleGradeMarch picks are measured. This story about a girl with a disability during World War II could have so easily verged into cliched, overwrought, or simplistic. Instead, it was nuanced, with characters who made me remember how difficult those middle years are. I loved seeing so many different themes unfold: those of child evacuations during WWII, of overcoming abuse, of grappling with social class/status, depression, and loss of a loved one. I loved Ada's journey and can't wait to read the second book in the duology, The War I Finally Won.
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TW: child abuse and associated PTSD