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Children's reading lists

The best children’s books about the Second World War

A photo of a young girl with her back to the camera, standing in a sports hall with a football under her arm. There are other children in the background

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14 books for sports-obsessed kids

Maybe

It's 1946. The war is over and Europe lies in ruins. Fourteen year old Felix dreams of finding happiness elsewhere. When he's offered the chance to go to Australia, he seizes the opportunity. So does someone very dear to him, even though she wasn't actually invited. Felix and Anya have high hopes for a new life in Australia, but before they can accept the love and friendship of their new land they must confront the murderous urge for revenge that still hangs over them. 
Felix knows he hasn't faced anything like this before. He may not survive, but he's hoping he will. Maybe. 
 
This powerfully moving addition to Morris Gleitzman's bestselling series takes place in 1945, following directly on from the story told in Soon. This intensely affecting story will move readers of all ages. It will be welcomed by the many Holocaust educators who use Once and the sequels to teach upper primary and lower secondary children and embraced by any reader who loves passionate, moving and brilliant stories.

Morris Gleitzman was born in Lincolnshire and moved to Australia in his teens. He worked as a paperboy, a shelf-stacker, a frozen chicken de-froster, an assistant to a fashion designer and more before taking a degree in Professional Writing at Canberra College and becoming a writer. He has written for TV, stage, newspapers and magazines but is best-known for his hugely succesful children's books including Two Weeks with the Queen, Bumface and Once.

It's 1946. The war is over and Europe lies in ruins. Fourteen year old Felix dreams of finding happiness elsewhere. When he's offered the chance to go to Australia, he seizes the opportunity. So does someone very dear to him, even though she wasn't actually invited. Felix and Anya have high hopes for a new life in Australia, but before they can accept the love and friendship of their new land they must confront the murderous urge for revenge that still hangs over them. 
Felix knows he hasn't faced anything like this before. He may not survive, but he's hoping he will. Maybe. 
 
This powerfully moving addition to Morris Gleitzman's bestselling series takes place in 1945, following directly on from the story told in SOON.This intensely affecting story will move readers of all ages. It will be welcomed by the many Holocaust educators who use Once and the sequels to teach upper primary and lower secondary children and embraced by any reader who loves passionate, moving and brilliant stories.

and other funny stories

Snot Chocolate

A collection of short stories in the popular style of Morris Gleitzman's Give Peas a Chance and Pizza Cake - except, of course, even funnier! In the title story, a kid struggles to save the career and reputation of a parent afflicted with chronic unconscious nose-picking.

A collection of hilarious short stories that middle-school readers will love. 
 
Stop your mum picking her nose, read the secret diary of a dog, catch a bus and then let it go, discover how one slice of toast can make you the most popular person in school, start wearing a crown and give up eating pig-nostril gruel, use a wrecking ball to defeat a bully, show your big sister the scary secret in your wardrobe, unleash the awesome power of chips, live in a house that gets wiped clean more often than a bottom.

Soon

Soon is the 4th powerfully moving addition to Morris Gleitzman's bestselling Second World War series about Felix and Zelda. 
 
The war has officially ended, but the streets are still a battleground - for food, for shelter, for protection. Felix is in hiding to stay safe, but has been left holding the baby - literally. Felix vows protect the infant, just as a few incredible people saved him from the Holocaust. 
 
This immensely affecting story will move readers of all ages and will be welcomed by the many Holocaust educators who use Once and the sequels with upper primary and lower secondary children. 
 
The other books in the sequence, Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe and Now are also available from Puffin.

Haunting . . . dangerous and desperate, but also full of courage and hope

Nail-biting . . . prepare for shock and tears

The Second World War has officially ended, but the streets are still a battleground - for food, for shelter, for protection . . . 
 
Felix is in hiding to stay safe, but finds he has been left holding the baby - literally. An orphaned infant has been left in his care and he will do everything he can to protect the child, in the way a few incredible people did for him during the Holocaust. 
 
This powerfully moving addition to Morris Gleitzman's bestselling series about Felix and Zelda takes place in 1945, following the story told in After. This intensely affecting story will move readers of all ages. It will be welcomed by the many Holocaust educators who use Once, and the sequels to teach upper primary and lower secondary children and embraced by any reader who loves passionate, moving and brilliant stories.

Two Weeks with the Queen

'I need to see the Queen about my sick brother.' 
Colin Mudford is on a quest. His brother Luke has cancer and the doctors in Australia don't seem to be able to cure him. Sent to London to stay with relatives, Colin is desperate to do something to help Luke. He wants to find the best the doctor in the world. Where better to start than by going to the top? Colin is determined to ask the Queen for her advice. 
In Morris Gleitzman's trademark style, this very moving story illuminates deeply serious issues about illness and loss with bright moments of humour.

'I need to see the Queen about my sick brother.' 
 
Colin Mudford is on a quest. His brother Luke has cancer and the doctors in Australia don't seem to be able to cure him. Sent to London to stay with relatives, Colin is desperate to do something to help Luke. He wants to find the best the doctor in the world. Where better to start than by going to the top? Colin is determined to ask the Queen for her advice. 
 
In Morris Gleitzman's trademark style, this very moving story illuminates deeply serious issues about illness and loss with bright moments of humour.

Loyal Creatures

Loyal Creatures is the deeply moving story of war horse Daisy and her 16-year-old owner Will, sent from the Australian outback to the gruelling Middle Eastern campaign of the First World War. Their skill in finding water is vital to their regiment in the desert, but their devotion to each other is what keeps them alive in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. Is their unwavering loyalty enough to determine their destiny? 
 
The story was inspired by Michael Morpurgo's international bestseller War Horse and is closely based on historical record. Morris Gleitzman is the author of the highly acclaimed war novels Once, Then, Now and After..

Tender and terrible; beautiful, brave and brutal, Morris Gleitzman has written a most remarkable story of men and horses in war, uncompromising and unflinching in its portrayal of the agonies of the First World War for men and horses alike. Sparely and supremely well written, this is quite simply one of very best novels I have read. MICHAEL MORPURGO.

Loyal Creatures is the deeply moving story of war horse Daisy and her 15-year-old owner Will, sent from the Australian outback to the gruelling Middle Eastern campaign of the First World War. Their skill in finding water is vital to their regiment in the desert, but their devotion to each other is what keeps them alive in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. Is their unwavering loyalty enough to determine their destiny? 
 
This superbly affecting and fascinating story was inspired by Michael Morpurgo's international bestseller War Horse. Morris Gleitzman is the author of the highly acclaimed war novels Once, Then, Now and After.

Bumface

Angus dreams of being bold, brave, wild and free, like Bumface the pirate in the stories he tells his younger siblings. Instead he's his mum's Mr Dependable, always looking after the younger ones and cleaning up. He's desperate to stop his mum adding another baby to the family so comes up with a plan to prevent her getting pregnant. With a bit of help from his new friend, Rindi, he might just do it . . .

The funniest and most refreshing read of the year

Morris Gleitzman

The much-anticipated final journey in the story of Felix, hero of Morris Gleitzman's multi-award-winning Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe and Now. 
 It's fifteen years since readers were first introduced to Felix in Once and across six celebrated books, our brave young hero has survived many unforgettable and emotional journeys. Now comes the seventh and final part of Felix's story, bringing to a powerful climax a series that countless young readers around the world will remember - Always.

Morris Gleitzman

Always

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