WW2 Books For Children

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Owen, Nov 1, 2008.

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  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Tail End Charlie by Manning & Granstrom.
    My wife bought this book for my lads the other day whilst we were visiting the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington.
    It tells the story of the authors Father in WW2, as a teenager at the outbreak, joining the RAF as an airgunner , serving with 28 OTU in Wellingtons on a 'Window' dropping mission , then onto 180 Sqn in Mitchells ending with his wounding during the Battle of The Bulge & hospital.
    Excellent children's book with lots of detail and facts.
    The boys love it.
    I was also impressed with my Mrs for finding it for them, as I was elsewhere at the time.

    I'd like to fill out the story a bit.
    The rest of the crew mentioned in the book are Bill, Com & Paddy.
    Bill Anderson RNZAF being the Skipper.
    Anyone have a record of the date Charlie Manning was wounded?
    The markings on his plane say EV N.
    EV being 180 Sqn.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/books-movies/10146d1225533284-tail-end-charlie-manning-granstrom-tailend-charlie-jpg
     

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  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Owen,

    A little more on 'Tail End Charlie' I was pointed in the right direction by Dennis Burke.

    As a ten-year-old boy, Mick Manning would listen in wonder as his father recounted his daring exploits as a teenage tail gunner during bombing raids over Nazi positions in the Netherlands. Now the award-winning author and illustrator, whose bedroom ceiling was once adorned with dozens of model aeroplanes, has brought those tales to life with his new children's book, Tail-End Charlie.

    True courage that colours the tail-gunner's story - Times Online
     
    Owen likes this.
  3. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    What an excellent looking book for children.
     
  4. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

  5. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Looks good Owen - I can see me getting that for my daughter for Christmas... will give me an excuse to read it anyhow!
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    We've had this book since a visit to Dover Castle in 2005.
    I see it hasn't been mentioned before but as I've just read it to the boys for their bedtime story I just thought I'd bring it to your attention if you haven't already seen it.
    I think it is a good introduction to the Dunkirk evacuation for children.
    When we went to Dunkirk in 2006 we took this with us on that trip so the children could see where the story was set.

    [​IMG]

    The Little Ships: Amazon.co.uk: Louise Borden, Michael Foreman: Books
     
  7. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Thanks Owen. I might have got a copy if it wasn't so expensive

    This looks good too.

    George is fascinated by World War Two - bombers, Nazis, doodlebugs. But he discovers the reality is very different from how he had imagined it when a school trip to a World War Two museum leads to a timeslip - and George is in London at the time of the Blitz! He joins up with a group of other homeless children, struggling to survive. And then they suspect someone they know of being a German spy...


    [​IMG]
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  9. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    [​IMG]

    Here's one more book that is just fantastic, Owen. You might remember it.
    The Silver Sword: Amazon.co.uk: Ian Serraillier: Books

    The night the Nazis come to take their mother away, three children escape in a terrifying scramble across the rooftops. Alone in the chaos of Warsaw, they have to learn to survive on their own.
    Then they meet Jan, a ragged boy with a paperknife - the silver sword - that they recognize as belonging to their long-lost father. The sword becomes their symbol of hope as, with Jan, they begin the hazardous journey across war-torn Europe to find their parents.
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Silver Sword, of course, read it a few times at school.
    Cheers, forgot that one.
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  12. militarycross

    militarycross Very Senior Member

  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Phil, try the Canadian or US Amazon site and type in 'Tail End Charlie' under the book section :)
     
  14. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

  15. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    The Machine Gunners
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Lofty1

    Lofty1 Senior Member

    An illustrated book, which is factually correct and the artwork great, perfect for youngsters, first of a series of four. ISBN;978-94-90000-04-2
    lofty
     

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  17. Goodygixxer

    Goodygixxer Senior Member

    The Machine Gunners
    [​IMG]

    I loved that book when i was a kid, so much so that i bought it for my Son last year and got hold of a copy of the TV series as well. It's every boys dream to find a machine gun!
     
  18. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    The Machine Gunners
    [​IMG]

    I can still remember "Where you going now' home John willie." Great series and much of which, more than likely portrayed how things were for many kids in ww2.
     
  19. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  20. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    I always remember reading and watching 'Carrie's War' back in the 1970's. It's about two children's experiences whilst evacuees rather than being about the war itself.
     

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