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Topic: World War II

Chapter book

We weren’t supposed to be going to the pictures that night. We weren’t even meant to be outside, not in a blackout, and definitely not when German bombs had been falling on London all month like pennies from a jar.

February, 1941. After months of bombing raids in London, twelve-year-old Olive Bradshaw and her little brother Cliff are evacuated to the Devon coast. The only person with two spare beds is Mr Ephraim, the local lighthouse keeper. But he’s not used to company and he certainly doesn’t want any evacuees.

Desperate to be helpful, Olive becomes his post-girl, carrying secret messages (as she likes to think of the letters) to the villagers. But Olive has a secret of her own. Her older sister Sukie went missing in an air raid, and she’s desperate to discover what happened to her. And then she finds a strange coded note which seems to link Sukie to Devon, and to something dark and impossibly dangerous.

Chapter book

September 1939. When Jimmy is evacuated to a small village in Wales, it couldn’t be more different from London. Green, quiet and full of strangers, he instantly feels out of place. But then he finds a skull hidden in a tree, and suddenly the valley is more frightening than the war. Who can Jimmy trust? His brother is too little; his best friend has changed.

Finding an ally in someone he never expects, they set out together to uncover the secrets that lie with the skull. What they discover will change Jimmy – and the village – forever. A mesmerising mystery about bravery and brotherhood from an outstanding new voice.

Chapter book

England is at war.

Growing up in a lighthouse, Pet’s world has been one of storms, secret tunnels and stories about sea monsters. But now the clifftops are a terrifying battleground, and her family is torn apart.

This is the story of a girl who is small, afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overhead. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone …

The highly-anticipated second novel by Lucy Strange, author of the bestselling The Secret of Nightingale Wood and The Ghost of Gosswater.

A haunting wartime tale about a girl who lives in a lighthouse, woven through with an unforgettable legend.

Non-fiction

A personal, powerful and resonant account of the Holocaust by one of this country’s best-loved children’s authors. By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is the true story of Michael Rosen’s search for his relatives who “went missing” during the Second World War – told through prose, poetry, maps and pictures.

When Michael was growing up, stories often hung in the air about his great-uncles: one was a clock-mender and the other a dentist. They were there before the war , his dad would say, and weren’t after .

Over many years, Michael tried to find out exactly what happened: he interviewed family members, scoured the internet, pored over books and traveled to America and France. The story he uncovered was one of terrible persecution – and it has inspired his poetry for years since.

Here, poems old and new are balanced against an immensely readable narrative; both an extraordinary account and a powerful tool for talking to children about the Holocaust.

Chapter book

An exciting World War II adventure from acclaimed author Ally Sherrick – blending her trademark rip-roaring historical storytelling with mythology and magic!

It’s World War II and Britain is on the brink of invasion. Londoner George has been sent to live in the countryside while his brother and guardian, Charlie, trains to be a pilot – but he’s very far from safe.

An ancient burial ground nearby contains a priceless treasure, a magical Anglo-Saxon crown Hitler is desperate to possess.

Alongside Kitty, the granddaughter of a Jewish archaeologist, George must find and protect the crown from the Nazi invaders before it’s too late …

From the award-winning author of Black Powder and The Queen’s Fool, this is a rip-roaring World War 2 adventure combining adventure and magic – perfect for readers aged 9 and up.

Best children’s books about World War 2 

World War 2 was a global conflict that involved numerous countries fighting against each other – including the UK. Lasting between 1939-1945, life during the Second World War was often very difficult, both on the battlefields and the home front.

We’ve picked out a handful of recommended children’s books that explore different aspects of life during World War 2. Look out for frozen expeditions, evacuee adventures, pioneering pilots and evocative descriptions of experiences of the Blitz in our hand-picked selection of the best children’s books about WW2…

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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