Jackie by John Tammela

Jackie is based upon Tammela's experiences growing up.  It's the story of a sweet little boy who lives in Niagara Falls.  He has a loving, seemingly normal family and gets into all sorts of adventures.

What makes this book fascinating is comparing Tammela's childhood to the way I'm raising my own children. Perhaps I'm a bit too protective.  He seems to have turned out alright, despite some pretty hair-raising situations.

Not only that, this is a great time study piece.  Things have certainly changed since the 30's and 40's! Seeing what daily life was like back then was actually pretty neat.  We get a glimpse at everything from operations to bread carts!

What really surprises me about this book is Tammela's memory.  I barely remember a few scraps of information from my childhood, yet his memory spans back to when he was about a year old.  Each piece of his childhood is told with clarity and humor.

Now, for the bad stuff.  I hate the front cover.  That little boy is just as adorable as an be, but he looks so wistful and sad!  This is an uplifting and sweet story about life!  Where's the little boy with the mischevious grin?  Where's the little boy that's full of joy and life?  Why does this boy carry an expression so much different than that of what the main character, Jackie, usually carries?

You're not going to read all sorts of drama here.  Though there are snippets about Hitler, the book doesn't focus around  him.  This is the story of a little boy's life.  It's that simple.  It's a fun and adventurous read.  Honestly, it was a great break from all the horror and drama and romance that I usually read.  For awhile, I was able to sit back and just be a kid again.