Heroes of World War II: A World War II Book for Kids: 50 Inspiring Stories of Bravery (People and Events in History)

I love that this book doesn't go for the big names, or stories we've heard a thousand times. Instead it mixes big names with World War II stories you may not know, like Audie Murphy and Charlie Chaplin, with stories that are inspiring because of their creativity and strategy, like that of the Ghost Army. Add in more obscure, but equally compelling and emotional stories, like Africans being pressed into military service because they were living in a British or French colony, or stories of women and children who went into harms way in an era when our culture said that shouldn't happen... From the first page to the last, this hits the mark it aimed from, inspiring.

Books like these should be read by all elementary school kids. However, I am not sure dates are truly accurate.

Purchased this for my 10 year old grandson. He started reading within minutes of opening it.

I was excited to see this collection of 50 biographies the feature brave heroes from around the world. As a middle school teacher, I feel that a certain amount of background knowledge and context will need to already be known by the reader for these short bios to make sense. In general, the writing is easy to understand but it just doesn’t always make sense if you don’t understand some of the references. I can’t understand the organization of the people. These are not in alphabetical order or grouped by any certain type of category so I don’t understand the progression from one person to the next, it jumps from someone born in the USA to someone in another country and bounces around. It seems about half of the people in the book are female. This book does not only represent soldiers or white people. Rating 4 stars = Like It. Kids need to hear more hero stories!

I love this series! There were a lot of names that I'd never heard of.So great for kids--and adults! A+

HEROES OF WORLD WAR II (Rockridge Press, 2021) by Kelly Milner Halls gives young readers (ages 8-12) fifty portraits of courage and selflessness in the contex of World War II. Halls admirably draws from not just military experiences, but the “ordinary” lives of people around the globe who risked their own safety to help or save others. The actions of each heroic figure is presented in two pages of large-font text and accompanied by a full page comic-style portrait by illustrator Anastasia Magloire Willims, along with a quote from the subject and a suggestion of books, web sites, and other media for further exploration. This book pairs well with another Kelly Milner Halls book, 500 FACTS: WORLD WAR II HISTORY FOR KIDS (Rockridge Press, 2021). HEROES OF WORLD WAR II provides individual stories that humanize the larger sweep of events described in 500 FACTS: WORLD WAR II HISTORY FOR KIDS.

Earlier this year I read and reviewed two related titles from this series, both by Kelly Milner Halls, VOICES OF ORDINARY HEROES and VOICES OF YOUNG HEROES.Now some of those same historic and heroic characters have been joined by entirely new names in this grouping of a full-color, oversized paperback collection that has similar structural assets and compelling narration in readily consumable passages.The table of contents makes this a helpful research tool, and the consistent pattern of each featured hero’s section is an open invitation to readers to turn the page and read just one more. And then one more.Four-page layouts begin with a color, comic book-style portrait illustration, followed by two pages of text, with wide spacing, wide-borders, and easy-to-read font. The fourth page of the layout displays a showcase quotation in the hero’s own words, followed by a short “Explore More” recommendation of an original source, a link to related museums or websites, or other novel or nonfiction titles portraying similar heroes. This bite-sized and easy-on-the-eyes approach makes substantial content both appealing and digestible for the young reader target audience, but also makes this an ideal offering for older readers with interest in WWII who will appreciate the reader-friendly and well-researched format of this collection of profiles.What I particularly appreciated, among many things, is the diversity of individuals featured, ranging in ethnicity, nationality, geographic arena of action, age, and range of “heroism” portrayed. In some cases, those heroic choices were known to very few, or even remained hidden from public knowledge for decades, like Mariya Borisovna Bruskina. Others, like Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel, have been the subjects of books, documentaries, and movies. Even so, their larger-than-life stature on the stage of WWII resistance and heroism can overshadow the intimate look at their lives that these summary profiles provide.Some may surprise you with their inclusion, like Mae Krier, a “Rosie” working on the homefront, or Wojtek, the bear, who was fostered, adopted, and then “enlisted” in an Italian military group to bolster the spirits of young men facing likely death or disaster. In every case, Halls makes a clear case for the ways in which heroism can be found in each of them. Without didactic suggestion, their lives and choices remind readers that the potential for heroism lies in each of us.The selected quotations would make a wonderful weekly calendar turn, with nearly enough for a full year: For example:“I WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING I AM GOING TO DO. I AM CONSOLED BY MY STRONG FAITH THAT GOOD DEEDS CAN NEVR BE WRONG.”Those words to live by are the selected quotation by Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz. Not sure who that is? Get the book and find out! While you’re at it, suggest it to your library and recommend it to teachers you know. Then add it to your shopping list for gifting to middle-grade readers, and maybe even some older folks you know to have an interest in World War II.I received a copy of this book from the publisher with no promise of a review.

Wow, this book is full of little nuggets that fascinate and make you want to learn more about the history of WWII. And I am not generally interested in war history as typically told -- leaders, tactics, battles -- meh. But this is the *GOOD* stuff -- the riveting stories of "secondary" players who are actually primary. The very first profile is stark -- female spy caught and tortured. If your child isn't familiar with the horrors of WWII, this book will be eye opening, so make sure your child is mature enough for it. I do think it helps to know the basics of WWII history before diving into this book, but if you didn't, the book would make you go learn the basics so you could understand the bigger picture in which these stories fit. Each profile is followed by a suggested book for further reading -- really great books like Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac. Have you ever heard of the Ghost Army? I hadn't -- read the 3rd profile in the book and you'll be hooked. I already requested the follow-up book suggestion from the public library. I highly recommend this book for any teen reader, and it would make a great addition to any classroom library. Kids will vie for time with this book once they discover it.