In Elizabeth's War, by D.L. Finn, 11-year-old Elizabeth was always treated like a baby by her family. Her responsibilities were limited to the simplest chores and everyone always let her get her own way. With WWI now in full gear, her father, brother, and best friend’s brother all signed up to fulfil their duty to their country. The family was left behind, worried, but doing their best to survive as they waited for news from the war zone. Just when they were learning to live with the anxiety of lack of news from their dear ones, bad news came, leaving everyone completely devastated. As if things weren't already bad enough with the war, chicken pox hit and suddenly everyone was bed-ridden. Just overnight, Elizabeth had to grow up, for how well they made it out of this crisis completely depended on her.

Elizabeth's War by D.L. Finn is an enchanting YA story about war, love and transformation. There is something so soothing and so very inspiring about Elizabeth's War. Even amidst all the chaos and challenges left behind as the men went off to war, the story gave off a certain serene feeling. Reading it had such a calming effect. The tranquil camaraderie between the MacNeil and the Rhodes families, created through years of friendship and shared memories, and now through the shared weight of having their loved ones off in the military, was simply enchanting. The book gave an insightful look at what WWI really meant for those left behind as their men signed up for service. With all that was happening, I was especially interested in how Elizabeth, the clumsy spoiled baby of the house, would handle it. Through D.L. Finn's incredible character development, the transformation was simply amazing as the 11-year-old turned into the real hero of the war.

Elizabeth's War by D.L. Finn is an enjoyable story about a young girl named Elizabeth and her personal journey towards responsibility and maturity. Set in the World War I era, Elizabeth's War starts off with an introduction to 11-year-old Elizabeth and her family. Elizabeth has lived a fairly sheltered, country farm life with her older brothers and sister and parents on a farm in North Dakota. However, everything changes when the boys and men are called out to war and suddenly Elizabeth finds that there is more responsibility on her shoulders. This is the story of a young girl who finds the courage and maturity to not only learn to manage the household with the help of her siblings, but also aid her mother during the birth of her twin brother and sister.

Elizabeth's War by D.L. Finn is a meaningful read and young Elizabeth in particularly is an especially endearing character. Her character has been simply and beautifully portrayed with just the right amount of realism. Her growth and maturity as she learns to cook, clean, manage the farm operations, and in a time of crisis help her mother with the birthing process is truly inspiring. All of her family members also chip in and this story paints a vivid picture of life on a farm in the early part of the last century and how the war affected families. A nicely written and engaging read that I would recommend for all young readers as well as adults!