Good children's books

[Jem2109]

I have a 9 year old son who is moderately to severely dyslexic, as you can imagine books are not his favourite things. He has been helping with our family tree but up until now he hasn't really got the bug, now finding Robert in our tree he is hooked and wants to find out more about WW1.

I found this link about childrens books with lots of titles to look out for,but I was wondering if there has been any published in recent years? I will, of course, be reading them with him but he does like to sit down and try to read on his own sometimes, so although he's 9 any books suitable for 5/6/7 year olds would be great too.

Thanks

Jan

[Kirkes Lamb]

I am not an educator, but I think one of the finest ways to teach any child about the Gt War is by visiting museums (especially those hands on or interactive ones), looking at war memorials and perhaps a visit to the cemetery. Show them some pictures and then lead up to the books. I got hooked on militaria and military history when I was 6 by being given an army badge by my dad to get me to go to the dentist in 1959!

[Alison Arnold]

Ohh I've had a thread resurrected.

Jan,

Some of the books mentioned in the thread would be suitable for your soon as they are well illustrated. Farm boy by Michael Morpurgo was the book that got my son interested. It is aimed at younger children and has lots of illustrations in it.

I haven't seen anything in the last 3 or 4 years that can quite touch Farm Boy, War Horse and War game. I'll have a look and see if I can find our copy of War Game. If I can find it you will be more than welcome to have it as Luc's interests have moved to the napleonic era Just pm me your address.

Cheers

Ali

[michaeldr]

These are from 'T h e B a l d w i n P r o j e c t' which claims to be "Bringing Yesterday's Classics to Today's Children"

see if they are any use

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?auth...story=_contents

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?auth...story=_contents

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?auth...story=_contents

best regards

Michael

[SteveGarnett]

I would certainly read Michael Morpurgo but I would also suggest watching 'All Quiet On The Western Front'. I watched it year in year out with my Grandfather and it certainly stimulated my interest in the War.

[maryh]

The Horrible History books by Terry Deary are very popular with my kids. Full of offbeat facts and figures, they are great for dipping into rather than reading (although my daughter ended up reading the "The Blitzed Brits" in one sitting!).

Also an excellent childrens author is Stewart Ross, he writes fiction and non-fiction on aspects of history. He has written one book on the Battle of the Somme and another on the Technology of WW1. He has also written some excellent fiction on WW2 (What if the Bomb Goes Off - set in the Coventry blitz and The Star Houses set in the holocaust).

Enjoy

Mary

[Jem2109]

Thanks for all the suggestions, these should keep him busy for a while.

Jan

[David Seymour]

Tommy Atkins in the Great War, devised by Robin Ollington and illustrated by Albany Wiseman.

This is a beautifully watercolour-illustrated 84 page softback which provides an excellent introduction to the study of the First World War for its designed audience of children aged from six to nine. However, the qualities of the book are such that it will charm people from nine to ninety! And for adults whose knowledge of the Great War is sketchy or next to nothing this book will serve as a brilliant primer. The history in it is accurate, and the message is one of remembrance. Refreshingly there is no hidden moral message about the futility of the war.

The book tells the story of friends who join up together and go through the war together, and along the way the reader is introduced to various aspects of the war: recruiting and training, the Channel crossing and arrival in France, the pigeons, the parcels from home, mining and going over the top, casualties, aircraft, tanks and gas, Americans, French, Germans, and Imperial forces, and coming home and remembrance.

Tommy Atkins in the Great War by Robin Ollington and Albany Wiseman, ISBN 0953645215, £9.99 + £1 p&p may be ordered from Tommy Atkins Productions Ltd., 1B Avenue Studios, Sydney Close, London, SW3 6HN. All enquiries: 020 7584 9947.

The authors will give part of the proceeds from the sale of this book to the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s Appeal for £35m. to modernise the accommodation and the hospital for the Chelsea Pensioners.

[keithfazzani]

Having a daughter with dyslexia I realise the uphill struggle you have - we found that tapes were a success especially if we played them on a long car journey and could enjoy them together - I presume CD's would be today's answer - not sure if there any appropriate recordings around I am sure other pals can advise

[Desmond7]

To be honest, I caught the reading bug through good old fashioned comics.

Can I suggest you look out for the reprints of 'Charley's War' (search forum for various threads).

Some will argue that 'Charley's War' is historically iffy in many respects but it is a damn fine comic about the subject. The drawings are first class and the wording is easy to understand without being condescending.

[gary_pearcy]

"Private Peaceful" by Michael Morpurgo is an excellent children's book about the Great War. I'm an English teacher in a secondary school, and we're encouraged by primary schools to teach year 7 students a Michael Morpurgo text when they first arrive, as he's very popular in primary schools. This seems to be a common strategy in the midlands - I've worked in Birmingham and Warwickshire LEAs and they both do this "transition" stuff. I've read the book myself and thought it was excellent.

[saberhagen427]

Not everyone thinks so highly of Private Peaceful. See this critique for example. I haven't read the book myself, but George usually knows what he's talking about.

[Mark Hone]

I confess that I haven't read the book but I did go to see the one-man theatre production of it , with a script by Michael Morpurgo himself, with some of my pupils. While the actor (whose name I shamefully can't recall) gave a bravura performance and the production was very moving, I admit that I also had qualms. The chronology of the story was historically absurd, but even allowing for this , I too felt that it gave a one-dimensional and probably anachronistic picture of attitudes to the war at the time, based more on modern views of the conflict. Still, anyone who chooses 'The Burning Mill at Messines' as one of his Desert Island Discs , even though Sue Lawley couldn't pronounce it properly, can't be all bad.

[gary_pearcy]

I would like to point out that this discussion began with a request for decent books for a 9 year old kid to read who suffers with dyslexia. Furthermore, it seems rather ridiculous to criticise a book when you haven't even read it!!

[saberhagen427]

I would like to point out that this discussion began with a request for decent books for a 9 year old kid to read who suffers with dyslexia. Furthermore, it seems rather ridiculous to criticise a book when you haven't even read it!!

As far as I can tell, no-one in this thread has criticised a book they haven't read.

The review of Private Peaceful that I linked to points out that children can cope with the moral complexity of Harry Potter. I don't think dyslexia affects understanding of moral complexity. It would be entirely possible to present a completely different view of the war using vocabulary that a dyslexic 9 year old could understand, but maybe no-one has yet.

[kebabking]

I have 4 kids now going through the grand kids stage

To thrust an interest upon them if they are not interested is pointless.

Someone earlier suggested museums etc as a catalyst.

It hasent worked for me.

Kids like going places and things.

I can remember going to the Tower of London with my mum and dad aged about 8 or 9. They trapsed me round pikes here, armour there, oh I was bored.

Out we come onto the embankment, what joy,sat on the cannons,walked on them, stuffed paper into them, great, my dad "Time to go now".

To kindle an interest I suggest something tangible,take him to a store selling memorbillia, let him make the choice of what interests him, you may be very surprised at what does interest him, then buy it for him to take home so he can "play" with it.

Having kindled the flame, work from there.

Of course you could perhaps read to him the "Biggles" books

[cmf]

For me, my interest in (and knowledge of!) WWI began with 'Charley's War' in the old Battle Action Force at the age of 7 back in '83 (is it that long ago ). The combination of Pat Mill's simple yet powerful script, and Joe Colquhoun's detailed illustrations nailed it for me. A new 'graphic novel' compilation of Charley's war has recently been published - I saw a copy at WH Smiths back at Xmas time.

Also, as regards children's novels re WWI, my favourite as a child was 'Tank Commander', by Ronald Welch, about young 2nd Lt Carey and his adventures. The description, and Victor Ambrus' depictions, of the first encounters in 1914, and also, as I recall, the execution of one of Carey's men for desertion, were particularly evocative.

Chris

[Anthony Pigott]

Not everyone thinks so highly of Private Peaceful. See this critique for example. I haven't read the book myself, but George usually knows what he's talking about.

At last I find someone here that didn't like the book. My 12 year old has been reading this and I read it myself one night after he'd gone to bed. Although it was well-written in a 'entertaining for young people' sort of way I found it overly simplistic and full of the usual clichés. I did a search for the title here and to my surprise found almost everyone likes it. I think the blog item refereed to is spot-on. The Great War, like most (all?) history is complex and as the writer of the blog says, children can handle complex issues.

Regards

Anthony

[Pete1052]

The following review has been taken from the A Horse Soldier's Thoughts blog by Lou DiMarco, a retired U.S. Army officer of armor.

Joey the War Horse

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo is a novel of the horse at war, told in the first person from the perspective of the horse. Orginally published in 1982, the book has been republished as the theatrical version has become a major hit on the London stage. Though it is written for children and young adults, it is a moving and emotional story that will appeal to adults as well –especially those who have a special affinity for horses. It is a short book that can be read in an evening, but still conveys a full and satisfying story. Though the book takes place in the midst of World War I, its central theme is that the best of man can be evoked, even in difficult circumstances, by the simple goodness found in horses.

Morpurgo does an outstanding job drawing you into the world as seen by Joey, the part thoroughbred English farm horse who finds himself in the British cavalry in 1914. For the next four years Joey experiences all the roles of the war horse: cavalry mount, ambulance team, and artillery horse. He also meets and befriends people and horses on all sides of the war: Germans, British, and French. One of the secrets of War Horse, I believe, is that Joey is a believable horse. Morpurgo gives Joey just enough awareness and voice to allow him to tell his story, but not so much that he becomes a cartoon of the horse. Though the author gives voice to Joey’s thoughts, those thoughts are mostly about what is important to a horse: food, the weather, water, other horses, fear, excitement, and did I say food? Morpurgo captures the fact that Joey is aware of humans and their world, and can distinguish and values the difference between different people. Thus, the horse knows who is kind, who cares, and who does not –and responds to that treatment.

Michael Morpurgo is one of Great Britain’s top children’s book authors. He has written over 100 books aimed at young readers. He is not a military historian but he relied on detailed interviews with World War I veterans to bring authenticity to Joey’s story. The major military themes in the book are accurate: the difficulty of cavalry attacking wire, the role of artillery teams, the functioning of the veterinary service, and the fate of horses at the end of the war. Morpurgo also demonstrates a solid understanding of horse care, training, and breeds. I was particularly impressed with his mention of the Hanovarians and Haflingers in the German artillery service.

War Horse is an enjoyable and touching afternoon’s read, expertly written for the adult and child. It conveys the essential goodness of animals and horses in particular, and demonstrates how they bring out the best in men even in the middle of the horror of war. Like all good war fiction, War Horse is essentially an anti-war story. It reminds me again of my own conclusion after writing my non-fiction work on war horses: the best thing man has ever done for horses is develop technology to the point that the horse no longer has to participate in war.

War Horse was the runner up for the best children’s book award in Great Britain, the Whitbread Award, and has been turned into a hugely successful play in the London theater. It is scheduled to begin playing in New York in 2011. I highly recommend the book and the play –though the latter is only by reputation.