For our May 17th discussion, we are reading the book heartbeat by Sharon Creech.  Run, run, run.  That’s what twelve-year-old Annie loves to do.  Find out more about Annie and her family in this tenderhearted story.

Almost 8,700 B-24 Bombers were built at Willow Run.  During top production, the plant employed 42,000 people including Rosie the Riveter.

During the war years, the Andrews Sisters sang many hit songs.  In our story, Meggie hears them singing “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” on a nieghbor’s radio.

Here they are dressed in uniform.  Left to right:  Maxene, Patty,  and LaVerne.

” ‘Oh, Meggie.’  Mom had pulled me to her, hugging me hard, smelling like cold cream and Sweetheart Soap.  ‘I have to do something.  I just can’t stay home all day and knit socks.’ “

During World War II people were encouraged to grow vegetables.  These gardens were called “Victory Gardens” and helped people feel like they were contributing to the war effort.  In Willow Run, Grandpa is very involved with his garden and even gives Meggie an envelope of seeds to take to Michigan.

What else is important to Grandpa and how does the author invite us to discover these?