Book suggestions for a 13 year-old?

[Guest KevinEndon]

My son read Tommy at Gommecourt when he was 13 and couldn't put it down once he started to read it. The way the true story goes plants thousands of images in your head and non of it too horrible.

I can confirm that your nephew will get total value for money if you get him this book.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

HP WILLMOTT, 'World War 1' Published by Dorling Kingsley covers all fronts and has good time lines.

[David Seymour]

Anthony Livesey, Great Battles of the First World War. This has double, sometimes fold-out, artwork pictures of moments during great battles, and it is these pictures which might well be fascinating for a youngster. Worth seeing if it is in your local library.

On the naval side I found, when twelve/thirteen, D. Macintyre, Jutland, and G Bennett, Coronel and the Falklands inspirational.

With best wishes,

David

[southerncross116]

This is going to be a little bit dated - as you won't find these except at used book stores. Anyway - Ballantines Illustrated (published in the UK iirc under Parnell's) during the late 1960's to mid 1970's.

This was a series of 152 titles (although mainly on WWII, did have about 20 or so titles on WW I ). These books are jam packed with photos, and maps (although the print standards were a little rougher than they are now - some photos seem to overwhelm the text -as tese were printed during the pre-Photoshop days.

This series had a big influence on me as a kid.

There is also an American Heritage Illustrated History of WW I which is probably a fairly solid starter book. Not too simplistic, but probably not overwhelming either, lots of period paintings (for some reason these always got my attention at that age).

[Kitty55]

Dealing with the 3rd/4th year at High School recently for a local history project I had to go and find my copy of the following book as several were pawing over it.

firstly I must say I agree with H. P Willmott's World War I as a choice

but add to it

another also by D.K but totally different in it's content -

"World War I The Definitive Visual Guide (from Sarajevo to Versailles) by R.G. Grant", it's a big heavy book but delightful inside with a beautiful layout even showing what the uniforms were made up of for each army (French, English, German etc) - the girls seemed very interested in that.

It was by far the one that drew the children's attention - why - perhaps because of its different sections through the years.

Not only does it cover the battles and political events but also features the following: -

Each Chapter has a map at the beginning of it, followed by a timeline, then the general events within the war and included on these pages is a list of before and after events.

Then amongst them every so often is

1). a feature picture page i.e. The Retreat of Mons;

2). features of items such as rifles, Machine guns, wartime posters, trench fighting equipment etc.

3). features on Commanders - Paul von Hindenburg, Joseph Joffre, etc.

and finally

4). features on subject such as Reconnaissance and Communications, In the Service of the Empire, Anzac Troops, Chemical Warfare etc. all with their own time frame at the right-hand side.

Everything is featured within a double page and deals with something different (so easy to read and absorb) - the choice is amazing.

Although you can't look inside the WWI book on amazon you can see what the layout's like by viewing the WWII book - it's very similar.

Don't let your child be put off like I was with boring unillustrated books - this is a very special present - I know several parents took its details when they came into look at my display on picking up their child from school.

thanks and take care, Kitty

[Khaki]

It's hard to imagine what will capture his attention especially if he is not a dedicated reader. If it was my choice I would seek out a video that has a story line and is compelling visually, the Australian mini series "Anzacs" was especially good and it was easy to identify with the characters as well as covering Gallipoli to France. Watching it in episodes may make it easier for him to follow the sequence of events.

khaki

[eairicbloodaxe]

Small point... looking at the post dates, the 13 y o mentioned in the first post is now a 20 year old!

Wonder if the reading list worked its wonders?

Regards

Ian

[Khaki]

well spotted, I never noticed the OP date, however hopefully the advice will be used by others in need.

khaki

[Kitty55]

Yep, I posted thinking he would now have gone through his teens.

However, I then wondered how many other parents with children aged 13 would be looking at this and that they might be interested in some of the newer books that either came out last year or this year. Several of the parents of the high school children were I gave my talk recently commented there were so many books out there now that they hadn't got a clue where to start looking having never been interested themselves. So rather than discourage anyone I thought it best to update this posting.

As a kid I was lucky or unlucky depending on how you look at it that nearly every relation I had was a teacher, headmaster/mistress, dean, proctor, head of department etc. When doing my O' & A'levels there was always a lot of advice as to what to do - sometimes too much. Added to which the old dry political history books put me off study the C19/20th until a few years ago - ancient history was far more exciting.

So I put my posting for any parent who is lost in the maze of books that are now available - purely because this book drew the most attention from over sixty teenagers at the school - male and female alike - so it must have something a little special to it - personally I think it does but that's just my opinion - others must form their own.

thanks and take care, Kitty

Edited 18 June , 2014 by Kitty55

[David Filsell]

Some great suggestions here - maybe some a little too advanced for one of that age. It's such a massive, complex and controversial subject that where to begin is a Huge proble. Force feeding can produce quite the opposite effect to that expected. The full Charley's War run is expensive, but a great easy intro and Horrible Histories of merit as a soft launch C. war us also a terrific graphic novel introduction. I am a well established critic of War Horse and the author's inaccurate blatherings, but Private Peaceful is good, even if one needs at time to apply correctives. The key I think is to keep it general, not go for battle specific books. If he enjoys the subject he is sure to develop specific area of interest toward which you should direct him.

[Guest]

This is quite an interesting topic.

Being 20 I remember what my first WW1 books were at 12/13.

I started of reading Private Peaceful which was bought for me as a Christmas present and actually kicked my interest off in reading.

Following this I got a book from a series call my stories with this particular book being called The Trenches.

Following this I read Generals Die in Bed. For a 13 year old they were easy to read and I quickly finished them off. Although I did spend a vast amount of time reading books on WW2 and various military history/ fact based topics.

I found some of the Richard Van Emden books quite easy to read from around the age of 15. And also the Andy Robertshaw 24 Hour Trench is a great book with lots of pictures too.

Although to a certain degree I am only just entering this period of reading books mainly on WW1.

[seaforths]

For a 13 year old reluctant reader I would go with PP, Remembrance and Charley's War. One that is often overlooked is Iain Lawrence 'Lord of the Nutcracker Men' with tons of discussion points about the war. There is a brief summary from Wiki:

'The part of the story taking place in England where Johnny's father has enlisted is told mainly through letters sent back home to his family. Through the letters it is possible to tell that the November 25 until December 26, 1914. At the beginning of the book Johnny and his family live in London, however Johnny is sent to live with his Aunt Ivy in the town of Cliffe soon after his father enlists. His mother moves to the town of Woolwich, also sending letters to Johnny every chapter, to help support the war by getting a job making weaponry in a factory.

A main theme of the book is the pointlessness and irrationality of war. After the protagonist, Johnny Briggs, misses school for two days in order to have more time to build his Guy Fawkes, he is forced to spend every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon at his teacher's house. There, his teacher, Mr. Tuttle, tutors him on classic literature, mainly the Iliad. They both draw direct parallels between the events of World War I and the events of Homer's novel.

It is during the beginning of the book that he is bullied, but when saved by Sarah is entirely ungrateful and says "a girl for a friend is like no friend at all." This is why he leaves the school. When she saves him from being thrown in the fire he starts to see her as a friend.

At the beginning of the book, Johnny's father appears enthusiastic about going to war, so much that at the beginning he is frustrated that he lacks the half-inch of height required to enlist. After the required height is lowered, he joins the war and is moved to the front line afterward. As the war continues, it takes its toll on Johnny's father's health, physique, and mentality. Johnny's father sends his son a newly whittled and painted soldier with every letter, but his creations appear increasingly grotesque throughout the book. This is reflected in the model of himself that he had sent. The brown paint of his clothes turns a moldy green, the wide grin on its face fades to a grim, mournful expression, a hairline crack comes down his chest, and a knothole begins to form in its chest.

The book comes to a close when Johnny stops playing with his nutcracker soldiers, and brings them together for the Christmas Truce of 1914. The war continues without Johnny's interference, and his father returns four years later in 1918. Johnny's mother dies from sulfur poisoning in 1923, demonstrating that some of the most valiant sacrifices of World War I came not from the front lines, but from the work force at home'