Five Children’s Books Set in World War Two

There is a long tradition of setting children’s books in World War Two, and classics such as Michelle Magorian’s Goodnight Mister Tom are still much enjoyed. Authors continue to make very effective use of this setting, and I discussed Helen Peters’ Friends and Traitors in my ‘Five Good Children’s Mysteries’ list. Here are five other books which have been well-received by readers and critics.

The Valley of Lost Secrets – Lesley Parr

Evacuation obviously offers good opportunities to show children having to adjust to different places and circumstances. This is evident in The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr when Jimmy finds himself feeling lost and unhappy after being evacuated from London to a mining village in Wales. The location is described very well, and I much enjoyed watching Jimmy uncovering a mystery and learning to trust others. It’s a book which shows the difficulties of life, but that ends up being a comfort read. Interest age 9+.

Digging for Victory – Cathy Faulkner

Even if children stayed in the same place, the war still meant that they faced new challenges. Bonnie in Cathy Faulkner’s Digging for Victory, for example, continues to live at home in the countryside, but wants to contribute to the war effort. She slowly discovers that there are many ways in which to do so, and that bravery comes in different forms. Unusually this is a verse novel, and I am aware that some children resist these because they say they don’t like poetry. I thought this form worked very well here, however, with the use of different fonts, and arrangements of words and sentences, sometimes emphasising or clarifying various emotions or thoughts. Interest age 10+.

Until the Road Ends – Phil Earle

If you are looking for a book with animals, a great one is Until the Road Ends by Phil Earle. This focuses on a dog who makes a difficult journey across Britain from London to where his young owner has been evacuated. The dog is helped (and sometimes hindered) by a cat and a carrier pigeon. I thought it was a good page-turner, and Katya Balen described it as a ‘thrilling adventure laced with humour, suspense, and love’. Interest age 9+.

Resist – Tom Palmer

Authors don’t just consider life in Britain as they also look at events elsewhere in the world. In Tom Palmer’s Resist, for example, Edda lives in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, and becomes involved with the Resistance. I thought it did an excellent job of portraying the difficulties of everyday life under occupation without being too bleak. It is inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s life, and there are useful historical notes at the end. Interest age 9+.

We Are Wolves – Katrina Nannestad

We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad shows children having an even harsher time. Interestingly, and unusually, it looks at the experiences of two German girls and their brother who are forced to flee on their own when the Russian army arrives in East Prussia. The terrible costs of war are clearly shown, and brutal events are described, but there are positive elements as well. The children do encounter kindness, and there is a ‘happy’ ending. The first-person narration by the older girl helps to draw the reader in, and to empathise with her experiences. I also felt it worked well in showing that no nationality was inherently good or evil. Interest age 9+.

These are only five of the very many children’s books about the Second World War. If you want fantasy, for example, there is The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery, and two recent mysteries are Robin Stevens’ The Ministry of Unladylike Activity, and Rhian Tracey’s I, Spy: a Bletchley Park Mystery. With all this choice I am sure you can find something that appeals!

Frances