Bronasbooks's War Book List

The recent centenary of the start of World War One has been felt and remembered around the world. Reading the stories of war is a perfect way to remember the sacrifices made by those who fought and died. 

There have been many, many books written about war and wars for both children and adults. Recently my friend Brona at Bronasbooks suggested a great list of war books intended for children. I've slightly modified it here.

As always the books I've read are in red.

World War One

A Day To Remember - Jackie French and Mark Wilson (see my review)
A Rose For the ANZAC Boys - Jackie French
A Soldier, a Dog and a Boy - Libby Hathorn
ANZAC Biscuits - Phil Cummings & Owen Swan
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Eric Bogle, Bruce Whatley (illustrator) (see my review)
Anzac Ted - Belinda Landsberry (see my review)
An ANZAC Tale - Ruth Starke & Mark Holfeld (see my review)
Biggles series - Captain WE Johns (see my review of The Camels are Coming)
Digger. The Dog Who Went to War - Mark Wilson (see my review)
Dont Forget Australia - Sally Murphy
Evan's Gallipoli - Kerry Greenwood
Fromelles - Carole Wilkinson
Gallipoli - Alan Tucker
In Flanders Field - Norman Jorgensen
Jack's Bugle - Krista Bell
Light Horse Boy - Dianne Wolfer

Light House Girl - Dianne Wolfer
Line of Fire - Barroux, Sarah Ardizzone (translator) (review coming soon)
Loyal Creatures - Morris Gleitzman (see my review)
Memorial - Gary Crew
My Father's War - Sophie Masson
My Mother's Eyes - Mark Wilson
One Minute's Silence - David Metzenthen & Michael Camilleri (see my review)
Private Peaceful - Michael Morpurgo (see my review)
Simpson and His Donkey - Mark Greenwood & Frané Lessac
Soldier Boy The True Story of Jim Martin the Youngest ANZAC - Anthony Hill
Stay Where You Are and then Leave - John Boyne
Tank Boys - Stephen Dando-Collins
The Red Poppy - David Hill & Fifi Colston
The Beach They Called Gallipoli - Jackie French & Bruce Whatley
The Silver Donkey - Sonya Hartnett
War Games - James Riordan
War Horse - Michael Morpurgo (see my review)
When We Were Two - Robert Newton

World War Two

Angels of Kokoda - David Mulligan

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne 
Carrie's War - Nina Bawden (see my review)
Children of the King - Sonya Hartnett (see my review)

Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank (see my review)

Forgotten Pearl - Belinda Murrell

Goodnight Mister Tom - Michelle Magorian

Hero on a Bicycle - Shirley Hughes

Heroes of Tobruk - David Mulligan

Hitler's Daughter - Jackie French (see my review)

I Am David - Ann Holm

Kokoda - Alan Tucker

Once - Morris Gleitzman (review coming soon)
Then - Morris Gleitzman
Now - Morris Gleitzman
After - Morris Gleitzman
Soon - Morris Gleitzman
Maybe - Morris Gleitzman

Pennies for Hitler - Jackie French
Photographs in the Mud - Dianne Wolfer & Brian Harrison-Lever (see my review)
The Bombing of Darwin - Alan Tucker

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
The Boy at the Top of the Mountain - John Boyne
The Island on Bird Street - Uri Orlov (see my review)

The Silver Sword - Ian Serralier

The Wrong Boy - Suzy Zail

Other Wars

Amina - J L Powers

Caesar The War Dog - Stephen Dando-Collins

Emilio - Sophie Masson

Naveed - John Heffernan

Shahana - Roseanne Hawke

Vietnam Diary - Mark Wilson


Clearly war books is a vast topic, even those written for children. It is hard to keep up. This year the Children's Book Council of Australia published Mud and Blood and Tears. An Annotated List of Children's Books about War and Conflict. 

I expect that this list (which does not attempt to be exhaustive) will inevitably grow with time. Certainly there has been a flurry of books about WWI this year, and they will keep coming with the centenary of Anzac Day next year. I know that Jackie French and Bruce Whatley have a new book coming out in November- The Beach They Called Gallipoli. It's important that we remember their stories, and do not forget.