Blueberries for the Queen by John & Katherine Paterson (2004) is based on a true story. And, I think, b Susan Jeffers found away to include horses in it. William is the younger of two brothers who live in the countryside of Lee Massachusetts. It’s the time of World War II. Williams’s father works in a factory, his mother helps at the Red Cross, and his older brother works on a farm growing vegetables for the army. William is “too young to do anything to help win the war.” But he dreams that he’s a brave night, armor clad, riding a magnificent horse, fighting dragons. Then one day, the queen of Wilhelmina rents a nearby estate to escape the dangers in her home country, The Netherlands. Despite his brother’s harassment, William brings blueberries to the queen. Jeffers blends fantasy and reality: William both walks to the nearby estate but also rides rides a magnificent steed to the castle of the Queen. After handing her the blueberries, he runs home to tell his father that she was disguised as a grandma. The final page is an historical note describing the true tale.
