The Book
Grandpa, Were You Scared?
“Grandpa, were you scared?”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, eight-year-old Marianne realizes she has said the wrong thing. Grandpa never talks about his experiences in World War II, and the sudden silence makes her feel she has upset him. Then Grandpa starts to talk, and his story is both frightening and inspiring.
Grandpa, Were You Scared? deals with World War II in an honest but non-graphic manner. After seeing combat on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific, Grandpa witnessed the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. Weeks later, a chance encounter with an endangered toddler in the fishing village of Omadaka would change his outlook forever in this true, intergenerational story of conflict, courage, and reconciliation.
FAQs
Why did you think it was important to tell this story?
Sadly, we are losing numerous World War II veterans every day. The experience of “the greatest generation” is a precious legacy that must not be lost. I wanted to preserve my father’s personal memories not only for his grandchildren, but also so future generations of children could know what it was like for a combat Marine in the jungles of Guadalcanal and in post-war Japan. Warfare today is no longer what it was in 1945. But courage, compassion, and reconciliation are universal themes. This story of a time long past has a message for the children of today.