Prepare to discover the most utterly unbelievable REAL facts about WWII . . . Did you know that onions were given as birthday presents in WWII? Or that exploding camel dung was used as a weapon? Could a leaky toilet force a submarine crew to abandon ship?

This is history like you've never known it before! Ask yourself . . .

Would you eat squirrel tail soup, cow's udders, or a carrot on a stick? Could you share 12.7cm of bathwater with your WHOLE family - for your weekly wash? If you were a spy, which gadgets and inventions would you choose?

From flying tanks to Operation Toenail, read about the daring, tragic and heroic events that shaped one of the most influential conflicts in modern times. With a bold design and colourful illustrations, picture the most amazing, and unbelievable, facts from this world-changing time.

Puffin and IWM (Imperial War Museums) are proud to be working together to educate and inspire young readers with tales from the past. Puffin know that stories can take you anywhere. As one of the most beloved children's publishers, we aim to fire every young imagination. Uncovering people's experiences during wartime, from the First World War to the present day, IWM is a family of five museums (IWM London, Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast, IWM North, and IWM Duxford).

During the Middle Ages, tournaments and jousting were both an occasion for public festivities and a way of training knights. Describing various types of combat with the use of primary source material and magnificent illuminated manuscripts, this book provides a look into the jousts and tournaments that entertained the people and trained knights for war. Though considered mock combat, many knights lost their lives during these jousts and melees.

This book describes the ways that World War II affected production and daily life in the United States, as well as government programs for rationing, censorship, and propaganda. In addition to historic photos, this book includes a table of contents, two infographics, critical thinking questions, two "A Closer Look" special features, a reading comprehension quiz, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. This Focus Readers title is at the Voyager level, aligned to reading levels of grades 5-6 and interest levels of grades 5-9.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US Marine Corps, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

Project yourself back in time with this exciting interactive fiction book. Your name is Thomas Benton. The time is October 1835. You are fourteen year-old and about to take part in one of the most exciting episodes in American History With only a long dirk knife and $4 in coins, you run away from your father's farm. Navigating your dugout canoe through alligator-infested waters, you make your way through Indian Territory to New Orleans. Your final destination: Texas. Your mission: to fight in the Texas Revolution. You are the star of the story. It is up to you to decide to join Davy Crockett at the Alamo, or to fight at the Siege of Bexar or one of the other exciting battlers in the Texas Revolution. Ambushes, firing squads, harsh winters, fearsome battles, and snipers await you. But you are the master of your fate; and your wit, daring, and bravery can lead you to a heroic victory.

Japanese legend holds that if a person who is ill makes a 1,000 paper cranes, the gods will grant that person's wish to be well again. Beautiful illustrations by Caldecott-medalist Ed Young enhance the story of Sadako, a young girl dying of leukemia as a result of the atom bombing of Hiroshima.

'Hi! My name is Nigel Hook. I race powerboats.' Join the crew for a P1 Evolution powerboat Grand Prix. It's an 80 mile race at more than 110 miles an hour. The boat is three times more powerful than a Ferrari. Have you got what it takes? This is life at the edge. This new edition of Powerboat Race, now introduces more difficult words and fuller sentences to make it ideal for children reading at the Purple Book Band level. Powerboat Race is part of the 321 Go! series, a non-fiction series which cover heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences! Using real-life photographs and comic-format speech bubbles, the book is narrated by a powerboat racing world champion. You couldn't get closer to the action! This is the perfect read for beginning and struggling readers who want something much more visual to develop their literacy skills.

A young reader's edition of The Volunteer - Jack Fairweather's Costa Book of the Year 2020. An extraordinary, eye-opening account of the Holocaust. Occupied Warsaw, Summer 1940: Witold Pilecki, a Polish underground operative, accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands interned at a new concentration camp, report on Nazi crimes, raise a secret army and stage an uprising. The name of the camp - Auschwitz. Over the next two and half years, and under the cruellest of conditions, Pilecki's underground sabotaged facilities, assassinated Nazi officers and gathered evidence of terrifying abuse and mass murder. But as he pieced together the horrifying Nazi plans to exterminate Europe's Jews, Pilecki realized he would have to risk his men, his life and his family to warn the West before all was lost. To do so meant attempting the impossible - but first he would have to escape from Auschwitz itself... For children aged 12 and up. Written from exclusive access to previously hidden diaries, family and camp survivor accounts, and recently declassified files. Critically acclaimed and award-winning journalist Jack Fairweather brilliantly portrays the remarkable man who volunteered to face the unknown. This extraordinary and eye-opening account of the Holocaust invites us all to bear witness.

An accessible and thought-provoking introduction to the First World War and the Second World War, stunningly illustrated with dramatic contemporary photographs, paintings, posters and maps. This beautifully presented hardback book tells the story of both conflicts, from the trenches of the First World War to the battles and Blitz of World War Two. Please note this title is a combined volume containing Introduction to the First World War and Introduction to the Second World War.

The life story of this World War II Navajo Code Talker introduces middle-grade readers to an unforgettable person and offers a close perspective on aspects of Navajo (or Dine) history and culture. Thomas H. Begay was one of the young Navajo men who, during World War II, invented and used a secret, unbreakable communications code based on their native Dine language to help win the war in the Pacific. Although the book includes anecdotes from other code talkers, its central narrative revolves around Begay. It tells his story, from his birth near the Navajo reservation, his childhood spent herding sheep, his adolescence in federally mandated boarding schools, and ultimately, his decision to enlist in the US Marine Corps. Alysa Landry relies heavily on interviews with Begay, who, as of this writing, is in his late nineties and one of only three surviving code talkers. Begay's own voice and sense of humor make this book particularly significant in that it is the only Code Talker biography for young readers told from a soldier's perspective. Begay was involved with the book every step of the way, granting Landry unlimited access to his military documents, personal photos, and oral history. Additionally, Begay's family contributed by reading and fact-checking the manuscript. This truly is a unique collaborative project.

World War II soldier Bill Wynne met Smoky while serving in New Guinea, where the dog, who was smaller than Wynne's army boot, was found trying to scratch her way out of a foxhole. After he adopted her, she served as the squadron mascot and is credited as being the first therapy dog for the emotional support she provided the soldiers. When they weren't fighting, Bill taught Smoky hundreds of tricks to entertain the troops. Smoky became a war hero herself at an airstrip in Luzon, the Philippines, where she helped save forty airplanes and hundreds of soldiers from imminent attack. After the war, Bill worked as a Hollywood animal trainer and then returned to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He and Smoky continued to perform their act, even getting their own TV show, How to Train Your Dog with Bill Wynne and Smoky. Nancy Roe Pimm presents Bill and Smoky's story to middle-grade readers in delightful prose coupled with rich archival illustrations. Children will love learning about World War II from an unusual perspective, witnessing the power of the bond between a soldier and his dog, and seeing how that bond continued through the exciting years following the war.

Explore the fascinating history of America's first World War, meet the greatest military leaders and tacticians, and learn about key battles in this compelling new book in the popular Everything series.
Each book in the National Geographic Kids Everything series has more than 100 pictures, an explorer's corner with from-the-field anecdotes and tips, fun facts throughout, maps and infographics, an illustrated diagram, a photo gallery, cool comparisons, a behind-the-scenes photograph, an interactive glossary, and more.
This book marks the 100th anniversary of WWI and takes a thoughtful, kid-friendly approach to a serious subject.

This book gives an exciting overview of the Navy SEALs, from when this special force first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This book gives an exciting overview of the Green Berets, from when this special force first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This fascinating title sets the world scene in the two decades between the end of World War I and the start of World War II. Readers will get a snapshot of the political and economic situations around the world. Most countries experienced booming economies following WWI. But Germany, punished under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, suffered under great hardship. With the stock market crash in 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, the world found itself moving again toward war. Find out how the humiliation and poverty of the German people led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party - and a second world war.

This compelling book follows the significant battles over the course of World War II. European countries and their colonies and allies, such as the United States and Canada, supplied forces for battles. Readers will learn that fighting took place in five parts of the world: western and eastern Europe, North Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia. New advances in technology since WWI led to fierce fighting on land, at sea, and in the air. Find out how victory was won or lost in such famous conflicts as the Battle of the Atlantic, Germany's Blitzkrieg, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, Paris, Stalingrad, Berlin, Midway, Pearl Harbor, and the dropping of the atomic bombs.