WWII nonfiction for children and adults

I am not sure why, since they often break my heart, but I have been drawn to (fiction and non-fiction) WWII stories since I was nine years old. They touch on something deep in my heart. 

Amelia Lost... This middle grade biography is far more about Amelia Earhart than WWII, but I consider her mystery to be a WWII story so she makes it onto the list. This book was fascinating and well-written but parents should be aware that Amelia had an affair and this book (tastefully) tells the reader. 

Born Survivors... This was a nonfiction about three women who gave birth in Holocaust concentration camps. I’m sure there were many others, but these three women, along with their babies, all survived and were able to tell their stories to an interviewer. It feels strange saying it was one of my favorites since it was so wrought with horror and despair, but it was also an amazing portrayal of human resilience and it was very inspiring. It’s definitely extremely disturbing at times but if you are interested in Holocaust memoirs or biographies I for sure recommend this one. (But. Not while you are pregnant. Yikes)

Boxes for Katje... This picture book, found through TGTB's book list, reads like a fiction but is a true story about a girl in Holland receiving boxes of help from a new American pen pal right after the war. 

The Boy on the Wooden ... This memoir (also on the TGTB book list) is one man's account of his Holocaust experience and his rescue by Schindler. I just finished this the other day and now I want to watch Schindler's List. 

Candy Bomber... Also found via TGTB's book list...  This is the story of Gail Halverson, the candy bomber who dropped chocolate out of his plane as he flew over restricted areas after the war. This is a very uplifting read unlike so many WWII stories. There are also some great picture books on this subject but I adored this middle grade nonfiction and hope anyone who likes WWII stories will give it a whirl. 

The Diary of a Young... I first read Anne Frank's diary in sixth grade and did appreciate it, but it was when I had to re-read it in ninth grade that I was able to really appreciate their plight. 

Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport... This middle grade read talks about the children who were sent away on trains for protection. Many endured abuse or never reunited with their parents so this was an informative but devastating read. 

The Faithful Spy... I adored this graphic novel about Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and involvement in WWII. Highly recommend for middle school or even early high school. 

God is my Hiding *... I was deeply moved by Corrie ten Boom's book The Hiding Place so jumped at the chance to read this book of 40 devotions put together with her writing. They did not disappoint! She was one faithful, inspiring woman and this is one faith-filled, inspiring book! 

The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History... I just listened to this middle grade as an audio book last week and was fascinated by the story of the Monuments Men, a part of WWII I had never learned about before. There were two (at least) graphic descriptions of bodies discovered so I put it in my kids' 9th or 10th grade reading list. 

Man's Search for Meaning... Victor Frankl was a psychiatrist before being imprisoned in a concentration camp so his memoir tackles psychology elements I had never considered before and was rich with insight. Still, many have called this one depressing so be prepared for a darker memoir if you go this route. 

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot... This younger version of the candy bomber story was a big hit with my son!  

Unbroken... This story about POW Louis Zamperini is engaging and fascinating, but still, reader beware. I found it to be too much for me on multiple occasions.  

* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Middle Grade March: Nonfiction

I'm back today with 15 of my favorite nonfiction middle grade books for you to enjoy during Middle Grade March! 

All Thirteen... I just talked about this book here but I really can't stress enough how much I loved this book! This is the story of the rescue of the Thailand boys soccer team trapped in a flooded cave for two weeks. It is so well-written and moving.

Amelia Lost... I I requested this middle grade nonfiction as a library book by mistake. I was looking for a grown-up book on Amelia Earhart and this one came in instead. I almost returned it without reading it but decided to give it a try and was so glad that I did! You should be aware that Amelia Earhart had an affair and that is talked about in this book but it was still so well-done and I really enjoyed it.

Best Friends Forever... this book does fall on the lower end of this age spectrum but I just loved it so much! All of the stories in it were interesting but the story of Koko the gorilla was so fascinating to me and got me on a very strong Koko kick. I have since red several other stories about this fascinating gorilla and I'm so excited for my kids to read this one too.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind... This is such a cool story about a young man in Africa who fought through starvation and other tribulations to change his family's and village's lives forever. William Kambkwamba created a windmill out of scraps found in the junkyard and used that to power his village which brought his family income and saved the villagers in several ways. This book is filled with so much inspiring STEM information without meaning to and the perseverance, loyalty, and friendship displayed here were all so moving. I was so impressed with this book.

Brown Girl Dreaming... Jacqueline Woodson tells her story here of what life was like for her as an African American child in the '60s and '70s. The civil rights era is a time period I am always very interested in reading about so this one was a really great read for me. It is written in verse but I have found that that doesn't bother me at all anymore.

Candy Bomber... What would a Sara Bell list be without at least one WWII story, right? This is the story of Gail Halverson, the candy bomber who dropped chocolate out of his plane as he flew over restricted areas after the war. This is a very uplifting read unlike so many WWII stories. There are also some great picture books on this subject but I adored this middle grade nonfiction and hope anyone who likes WWII stories will give it a whirl. 

CS Lewis: Master Storyteller... This biography by Geoff and Janet Benge is apparently written in a very different style from their others in this series, but I have not read those so can't compare yet. I really enjoyed learning more about CS Lewis and his fascinating life/work.

Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport... Oh, look! Another WWII book! This was my first time hearing about the kindertransport and I was very fascinated by the concept. This one does not have the same cheerful and heart-warming feel that candy bomber does so I mostly only recommend this one to those who can handle sad subject matter well and are extra fascinated by WWII stories.

The Griffin and the Dinosaur... This is a really cool story for would-be paleontologists. This is a story about an exploration of dinosaur bones in years past and an attempt at understanding if certain mythical creatures like the griffin were actually imagined because of found fossils before dinosaurs were known as dinosaurs.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine... When I read this fascinating account of a young boy scout who got separated from his troop and was lost on a mountain in Maine I was so impressed and moved. I immediately handed this short book to my husband who also read it in one sitting and then said "that is one tough kid."

Love Does for Kids... I love this middle grade devotional, or maybe collection of essays is a better description, so much! My whole family loves this book and I talked about it on episode 1 of The Christian Bookworm Podcast as well. I just saw two days ago that Everybody Always for Kids is either out or coming out and I am so excited to try that one too! 

A Pioneer Sampler... I was torn between listing this book as a fiction or a nonfiction because it is both! This is a nonfiction account of pioneer life-- what it was like, how things were made, how things were done-- with a fictionalized pioneer family and their stories added in to bring it all to life. This is the classic definition of a "living book" in that I learned so much and I'm bringing so much of this knowledge to our own little homestead but also had a blast doing it.

Soul Surfer... This is probably best for the higher end of the age spectrum. This is the story of Bethany Hamilton, professional surfer who was attacked by a shark while surfing as a 12 or 13 year old. She lost her arm and had of course quite the struggle but went on to do great things and inspire many. I really loved Bethany's sweet spirit and inspiring outlook, and I loved her stories of perseverance and faith. This book was also a cool look at Hawaiian culture too.

I Survived: Five Epic Disasters... The I survived series is fictionalized accounts of disasters and wars and I actually do like quite a few of them (though not all of them,) but this is the nonfiction version of those stories. This is essentially the author's compilation of research used before writing the fictionalized accounts and I think they are all so fascinating. This author has a really great way of bringing hope and light into these sad / scary stories and I am very impressed. These nonfiction accounts, while still dealing with upsetting subject matter, are not quite as sad / scary as some of the fictionalized versions are.

Where is the Bermuda Triangle... The Bermuda Triangle is one of those weird subjects I kind of geek out about so I was super excited when I saw this book had released. I read it during one nap time and really enjoyed it. This is a cool look at multiple stories of Bermuda Triangle disappearances from multiple angles and there was a lot of history and science mixed in here in a way that was still fascinating and engaging.

Middle Grade March: Fiction

I just learned yesterday that March is apparently known in the reading community as Middle Grade March. 

What does this mean? It means readers everywhere set their focus in March on reading primarily middle grade fiction, i.e. books published with the 8 - 12 year old crowd in mind.

I love this idea! I am always and forever working on my book list for my kids, but I also think reading middle grade fiction can help us build more empathy for kids and tweens as it puts us back in their shoes and reminds us what it felt like to live life at that age. 

I thought I would share a list of 20 middle-grade fiction books I have loved and recommend. It was so hard to narrow it down to 20 but I did it!

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T Cook... Such a wonderful secular book to read together and then use to discuss sin, forgiveness, and grace vs mercy! 

Anne of Green Gables... A classic, and for good reason. I adore this book and all of my children enjoy the picture book versions they've come to know and love.

Echo... One of my all-time favorite books, period. A WWII story following three different children and exploring so many good, powerful messages. The physical version is spectacular but the audio version adds in music and takes it to a whole other level 😍

An Elephant in the Garden... Also a WWII book, and one based on a true story. A zookeeper rescues an elephant and saves it from the bombings of her city. Along the way she and her children encounter a fallen soldier from the other side and so much reflection on loyalty and humanity is brought to the surface! 

The Edge of Everywhen... I've talked about this delightful Christian middle grade here in the past and I know I'll talk about it again in the future, too! I just adore this beautiful book about books which is not really fantasy at all but has a very fun fantasy feel to it. 

The Green Ember... Now this book is a fantasy. This is the first in a series about talking rabbits in a battle of good versus evil. It is so well-written and is written by a Christian author who incorporates Christian values and allegory into the story... but it is not strictly Christian and is definitely enjoyed by the secular community as well.

Lemons... It's kind of weird but I have a strange fascination with the idea of Bigfoot / Sasquatch / Yeti. Almost every culture has a legend about this mythical creature and many if not all of those cultures also have alleged "proof" of its existence here and there. This great middle grade book, set at the end of or just after the end of the Vietnam War is about two kids who are on the hunt for Bigfoot while also finding their place in the world and trying to grapple with grief. This book is so excellent.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe... This is the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series and this will always have a special place in my heart as it was one of my childhood favorites. My family just adores this story and we re-live it again and again and again.

Little House and the Big Woods... I have read many reviews on the Little House series that call this first book and also a later book The Long Winter the most boring books of the series. This is very funny to me because these are my two favorites in the series! I love this cozy story of Laura and her family in their little Wisconsin cabin and my family revisits this one time and again as well.

The One and Only Ivan... This book is being made into a movie (or maybe has already been made into a movie) and I can't wait to watch it because I loved this book so much! I talked about this one in my post of favorite circus-themed books as well. I love that element of it and I love the perseverance, loyalty, and friendship shown in this book.

The Princess and the Goblin...  The title makes it sound like a book just for girls but this exciting, adventurous story will enchant boys as well. Princess Irene goes for a walk and ends up staying out past dark which is strictly forbidden. It turns out it's forbidden because the mountain is overrun with goblins and they do not have good intentions! She and a young boy man named Curdie work together in their attempt to escape. 

The Railway Children... Another delightful classic... I just adored this sweet book about siblings working together to help their mother and to set things right for their family as it undergoes a big change.  I don't know why I haven't read this book aloud to my children yet but it is suddenly up at the top of my list for later this year!

Snow and Rose... This sweet fairytale story is good and well-written, but the beautiful full color illustrations bring the whole thing to life. I really love Emily Winfield Martin's exquisite work in this book and I know my daughters will love it as well. I suspect my son just might enjoy it too!

Stella by Starlight... Stella is such a wonderful character and I love seeing her come out of her shell in this fabulous book in which she takes on the KKK through a simple writing project. There is so much wisdom and light in this wonderful book.

Understood Betsy... Also a classic, and one which has a strong Anne of Green Gables feel to it. Betsy is sent to live with some family she has never met before and learns so much about herself, relationship dynamics, prejudices... This is a fabulous book and one I am so happy I got introduced to!

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street... If you are interested in a wholesome and modern story about family look no further! The siblings in this wonderful story not only love each other very well but also work together very well for a cause that will help the whole family. I love the family dynamics in this book and I love the really powerful lessons they learn by the end.

When Stars are Scattered... This graphic novel about a refugee true story is so powerful and so inspiring! This book really moved me and while it is not strictly Christian there are so many moments in the book that really moved me and touched my faith.

White Bird... Also a graphic novel, White Bird is a really powerful WWII story told by the author of Wonder. This book does have some slightly graphic illustrations so I personally put it on my kids list for 8th grade rather than keeping it in the 8-12 crowd but if you think your child can handle this and you are comfortable with it this really is a very powerful, moving story I can't recommend enough! Parents should be aware that the ending does tie in elements of World War II with the recent family separation taking place at the border. There was nothing political discussed here, simply a juxtaposition of the way parents and children were separated from each other in both instances. I thought this was handled very well, but I do think this could be really scary for some children so be advised.

Wonder... I have so much love for this beautiful book showing kids what life is like for those who are different from them. Auggie was born with severe cranial facial deformities and we get to see what life is like for someone who cannot at all hide from or escape their differences. I have since read a few reviews portraying this book in a negative light and saying that it is romanticizing and/or victimizing those with deformities, but many parents who do have children with deformities have reviewed this book highly online so I still see it as wonderful. However, The Good and the Beautiful has called this book a no and says there are many problematic elements in it which I haven't taken the time to revisit for myself yet so this would be another good one to review for yourself first before deciding whether or not you'd like to have your child read it. 

Children's Graphic Novels I Love

Waaaay back in the day I had a great love for the Betty and Veronica comic books staring me in the face while my poor mom just tried to pay for the groceries in her cart. My brother went on to become an even bigger aficionado and now my seven-year-old is finding great love for graphic novels.

These are some kid graphic novels I have really enjoyed.

Action Bible- I've talked about this graphic novel bible story here before but I'm still a fan. Some people have reviewed it negatively since it's a bible story book instead of a bible but I love it. You can easily read straight from the Bible and let your kids explore this book to help the story come alive.

Book Love- I adored this fun and funny book of cartoons about book lovers. It's probably meant for adults but since it's perfectly appropriate and just a fun book about loving books (cartoons showing a girl stopping at the bookstore just after leaving the library or devoting an entire suitcase to vacation books, for example) I passed it on to my advanced reader son who loved it just as much as I did.

Boxcar Children- We're big fans of the Boxcar Children in this family and the graphic novels are a fun way to re-explore the same stories we already know and love.

Comics: Easy as ABC- this one is more of a how-to for kids who'd like to make their own comics but it's filled with fun cartoons and recommendations. I think this is probably best for kids with a 4th grade + reading level. A is seven and can read complex things but really skimmed this one despite his burgeoning interest.

Epic Bible and Epic Devotions- I like these just as much as Action Bible but feel like this one is slightly younger... Maybe 4th grade?

Good Rosie- We already liked Kate Dicamillo for her Mercy Watson series but this simple, short-but-sweet story of a lonely dog was A's favorite read this week. I'd recommend it for readers with a 2nd grade reading level.

The Hobbit- I actually won't give this to my kids until they're teens and have read the original but the illustrations in this Hobbit graphic novel are just delightful! Except Gollum 😉

Little Robot by Ben Hatke- This is a wordless graphic novel but that makes it perfect for beginning readers learning to piece a story together with context clues. You could give this one to a kid of any age. I believe A was three the first time we checked it out!

New Kid- This is a fantastic book for 5th or 6th graders. This is just a fun look at all kinds of awkward middle school issues, but we also get to see a few gentle examples of microracism. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the sequel!

White Bird- This is marketed as a middle grade novel and I've heard it recommended for 5th and 6th graders. I positively adored this book but I do NOT recommend it for that age group. I added it to my list for 8th grade. This is a beautiful WWII story, which regular readers know I'm a sucker for, but it touches on many different themes and is just so well-done! 

Aaaaand a few on my list, some I haven't yet read but plan to read: Anne // Benjamin Bear // Class Act // El Deafo // Hansel and Gretel