Wednesday, 15 October 2014

World War Two - picture books

I have only listed picture books here. Chapter books will follow later.

My uncle’s Dunkirk by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, 2011. An accessible account of Dunkirk.
Rose Blanche by Ian McEwan, 2004. Rose is a young German who is aware of what is happening and finally gets her chance to help. A very moving book about the concentration camps.
Star of fear, star of hope by Jo Hoestlandt, 2000. An elderly lady retells a story from her childhood about her friend, who first had to wear a star and then disappeared. Very moving.
Taff in the Waff by Mick Manning and Brita Grnstrom, 2013. Manning’s mother joined the Waaf and this is her story.
Tail-end Charlie by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, 2009. The stories told by Manning’s father from when he was in the RAF.
The lion and the unicorn by Shirley Hughes, 2000. A young boy who is evacuated has has to learn how to be brave.
The Little ships: a story of the heroic rescue at Dunkirk by Louise Borden and Michael Foreman, 1997. Concentrating on one fishing boat this is the story of Dunkirk.
War boy: a wartime childhood by Michael Foreman. A Suffolk childhood set during the war.

World War One - picture books

I have only listed picture books here. Chapter books will follow later.

Archie’s war by Marcia Williams, 1914. A child is given a scrapbook in April 1914 and instead of comics and jokes fills it up with the war from his perspective. An unusal story told from the point of view of a child in 1914.
Charlie’s war illustrated by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, 2013. The story of Manning’s grandfather who served throughout the war.
Fly, Cher Ami, fly by Robert Burleigh, 2008. How one pigeon saved a battalion. Based on a true story.
One boy’s war by Lynn Huggins-Cooper and Ian B Haywood, 2008. The story of one young man’s war old through Sydney’s letters home and his private journal.
Stubby, the dog soldier:world war one hero by Blake Hoena and Oliver Husrt, 2014. A true story of one dog’s participation in the war.
The amazing tale of Ali Pasha by Michael Foreman, 2013. Henry is a 21 year sailor ferrying the wounded off Gallipoli when he makes an unusual friend – a tortoise.
The best Christmas present in the world by Michael Morpugo and Michael Foreman. A letter found in an old desk tells the story of one young man’s war.
The Christmas truce: the place where peace was found by Hilary Robinson and Martin Impey 2014. Ben and Ray (from Where the poppies now grow) get involved with the Christmas truce of 1914.
The little hen and the great war by Jennifer Beck, 2014. A soldier adopts a hen.
War game: village green to no man’s land by Michael Foreman 2006. A group of boys from a Suffolk village all join up together. Includes the Christmas day truce of 1914.
Where the poppies now grow by Hilary Robinson and Martin Impey, 2014. The story of two friends, this has glowing reviews on Amazon.

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Pre-conquest America


Mayan

Me Oh Maya by Joe Scieszka 2003. (Time warp trio) . The three boys travel to Chichen Itza in 1000AD
Why there is no arguing in Heaven: a Mayan myth by Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Aztecs

Age of the Aztecs by Arantxa Barcenas (The Time Chronicles), 2014. Jurna and Austin find themselves in the last years of the Aztec empire on a search for an Aztec codex.
Aztec attack by Chris Blake, 2014 (Time Hunters series). An easy reader. Tom has to face the rain god Tlaloc and get back a missing treasure.The Flame of peace: a tale of the Aztecs by Deborah Nourse Lattimore
Aztec courage: a story about the Spanish conquest of Mexico by Al M Rocco, 2011. Told through the eyes of 14 year old Diego who sails with Cortez to Mexico.
The Comet of doom: a thrilling tale from the time of Moctezuma by Karen Wallace, 2009.  An easy reader set in the time just before the arrival of the Spanish.
The Sad Night: the story of an Aztec victory and a Spanish loss by Sally Schofer Matthews, 2001. Illustrated in the style of an Aztec codex, this tells the story of the Spanish conquest of Central America and one of the rare Aztec victories.
The time travelling cat and the Aztec sacrifice by Julia Jarman, Can Topher save Ka the cat from El Sol, rescue a girl from being sacrificed and escape from the floating city before it is destroyed.

Incas

Hualachi and the magic sandals by Juliet Heslewood, 1995. The story of the fastest runner of the Incas who lets his King down to perform an act of kindness.



Other locations

Lady of Palenque, flower of Bacal (Royal diaries) Mesoamerica 749
The Glass Knife by John Tully, 1974. Tio has been brought up to become the human sacrifice and what haens when he begins to susect the horrifying truth about the ceremony? Unspecified civilisation but possibly based on the Chimu.


Saturday, 5 July 2014

The Stuart era 1603-1714


Shakespeare

The Fool’s Girl by Celia Rees. Violetta and Feste have come to London to rescue the holy relics taken from the church in Illyria by the evil Malvolio. Their journey has been long and their adventures many, but it is not until they meet the playwright William Shakespeare that they get to tell the entire story from beginning to end.
The Player's Boy by Antonia Forest.Young boy leaves home and ends up in Shakespeare's company
Shakespeare's apprentice by Veronica BennettLove story between an actor and the niece of the Earl of Essex
The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard by Gregory RogersPicture book without words. A boy on a trip to the globe goes back in time and meets everyone else in the title.

James I

Curse on the sea by Geoffrey Trease. Based on a true story this is the tale of Rob, a boy actor who visits Scotland during the reign of James I and meets a witch.

Colonising America

Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper. Bodley Head, 2014. Set at the time the English first arrived in America, told equally from the point of view of the Indians as well as the English. Teenage read                 Mayflower: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, 1620 by Kathryn Lasky (1996) (My story)

Civil war 1642 - 1649

Alice in love and war by Ann Turnball. Alice falls in love with a soldier and follows the army.
Civil War: Thomas Adamson, England, 1644 by Vince Cross (2002) (My story)
For the King by Ronald Welch. It is 1642 and Neil Carey becomes involved in the Civil War.
Hunt Royal by David Scott Daniell, Puffin, 1962. Looking at the cover I suspect this is the story of Charles II’s escape to France after the battle of Worcester.
Kate Rider by Hester Burton. An English girl tries to cope with the complexities of the Civil War. Ends with the siege of Colchester
Children of the new forest by Frederick Marryat. The orphaned children of a Cavalier have to hide to avoid Cromwell’s men.
Place Mill by Barbara Softly. I can find no details for this book but for some reason I had it listed in my civil war books.
Rider of the white horse by Rosemary Sutcliff . Story of Thomas Fairfax, a parliamentarian.
Simon by Rosemary Sutcliff (1953) Set in the West Country Simon is for parliament, Amias is for the crown. How the war split up friends.
Thomas by Hester Burton. Begins in the civil war and ends with the great plague of 1665.

The Protectorate

The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth. Set during the Protectorate, a family of gypsies are put in jail but two cousins manage to escape and have to rescue their family.
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (Partly a fantasy but also set at the end of the Protectorship
News from the dead by Mary Hooper. Based on the true story of Anne Green who was hanged for infanticide in 1650. Teenage novel. 

Restoration

Witch Child by Celia Rees. After her grandmother is hanged for witchcraft Mary is taking to the new colonies in America. A teenage read.
The remarkable life and times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper. Eliza meets Nell Gwyn and gets involved in court politics
No shame, no fear by Ann Turnball (Quaker trilogy 1). It is 1662 and Will is attracted to the Quakers. There he meets Susanna. Beautifully written with credible characters.
Through the fire by Hester Burton. Story of Quakers and their appalling treatment under the restoration. (Antelope series for readers 6-9)


The Plague and the great Fire of London

A Parcel of patterns by Jill Paton Walsh.  The village of Eyam closes itself off when the plague comes.
The Great Plague: The Diary of Alice Paynton, London, 1665-1666 by Pamela Oldfield (2001) (My story)
Children of Winter by Berlie Doherty. Catherine and her siblings are out for a walk when they take shelter from a sudden storm in a barn but then find themselves in 1665 and the plague is raging. For younger children.
At the sign of the sugared plum by Mary Hooper. Set at the time of the plague
Forged in the fire by Ann Turnball (Quaker trilogy 2). This story covers the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London
London’s burning (Sparks). Great fire of London. Story for beginner readers.
Petals in the ashes by Mary Hooper. Sequel to At the sign of the sugared plum.


Late 17th C

Highway Girl An English Girl’s Diary, 1670 by Valerie Wilding (2008) (My story)
Trumpets in the West by Geoffrey Trease. Jack is apprenticed to a musician and is inspired to compose himself after hearing the trumpets on the battlefield of Monmouth. Probably set in the reign of William and Mary.
Seeking Eden by Ann Turnball (Quaker trilogy 3). Will and Susanna are now in Pennsylvania and deals with slavery and the issues of their growing family.


Scotland

Bonnie Dundee by Rosemary Sutcliff . Set in Scotland during the time of the Covenanters (those wanting freedom from English rule).
Dream of danger (Sparks). Massacre at Glencoe in 1692.Story for beginner readers
Stranger in the Glen (Sparks). The story of Rob Roy, a Jacobite supporter. Story for beginner readers

Saturday, 22 March 2014

Russian history

I have listed these books in historical order. The ones without much detail where were I could only track down the title.


The Cossacks by B Bartos-Hoppner.1959 (translated from German) Mitya, a 14 year old boy accompanies Yermak Timofeyev on his campaign to claim the land of Siberia for Ivan the Terrible.
Abraham Hannibal and the battle for the throne by Frances Somers Cocks.Sequel to Abraham Hannibal and the raiders of the sand. Abraham arrives at the court of Peter the Great as a slave.
Catherine, the Great Journey (Royal diary) Russia 1743
Masha by Mara Kay. Masha is a dancer in the time of Catherine the Great and becomes a pupil at her school for girls.
The Youngest Lady in waiting by Mara Kay. Sequel to Masha. Masha is now working in Catherine’s court.
Crimea: The Story of Michael Pope, 110th Regiment, 1853-1857 by Bryan Perrett (2004) (My story)
Little Katia by E M Almedingen. Set before the revolution.
Toyon a dog of the North and his native people by Nicholas Kalashnikoff Set in Siberia during Czarist times, deals with the faith and practices of the native people.
Jumper: the life of a Siberian horse by Nicholas Kalashnikoff. A Russian War Horse, this is the story of a horse taken away to fight in the first world war and the Russian revolution.
The defender by Nicholas Kalashnikoff. Set in Siberia and about a man and the herd of wild rams in his care. Great reviews on amazon.
My friend Yakub by Nicholas Kalashnikoff
They that take the sword by Nicholas Kalashnikoff
White nights of St Petersburg by Geoffrey Trease Set during the time of the Russian revolution.
Frossia a novel of Russia by E M Almedingen. Set in post 1917 Ukraine and loosely based on the life of the author.
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig. A family’s story of their survival of exile to Siberia.

A Desert in Bohemia by Jill Paton Walsh Set in a fictional communist country covering the period 1945-1990