Children's books about WW2

[Helenagrace]

DD (nearly 11) wants to do a project on WW2 over the summer. I have suggested she reads something set in the period. Goodnight Mr Tom is the obvious classic book but can anyone suggest anything else?

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
The Diary of Anne Frank

I absolutely adore Carrie's War by Nina Bawden. I read it and re-read it as a child and I have read it a few times as an adult. I'm planning on re-reading it again very soon.

Michael Morpurgo has written a couple of WW2 books for children I've not read them (yet) but he is fabulous.

The book thief by Markus Zukas, is brilliant. The age given for readers is young adult (I'm an older adult!) it is a moving book and for me captured the war. It is written from the perspective of a young German girl who is fostered during the war.

Robert Westall - Blitzcat
Ian Serailler - The Silver Sword
Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Michelle Magorian - Back Home
Terry Pratchett - Johnny and the Bomb

I have to second "back home" I remember it more than 2 decades later.

Oh wow thanks for all these suggestions. Just working my way through the reviews now. Some great books here! Might read a few myself.

Summer of my german soldier by Bette Green
I LOVED this book as a girl (had to push through the first couple of chapters IIRC) and on googling to remember the author's name am delighted to learn there is a sequel

The Lion and the Unicorn by Shirley Hughes is probably a bit young but lovely nonetheless. Definately worth a look.

All the above - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, The Machine-Gunners, Bliztcat, Carrie's War, The Silver Sword, The Book Thief. Obviously some are more UK-based, some focus on the Holocaust, or the evacuee experience, or about resistance fighters.

Also -

Anna Holm - I Am David
Mal Peet - Tamar
Sandi Toksvig - Hitler's Canary
Aidan Chambers - Postcards from No-Man's Land (though this is for an older teen)
Phil Robins - War Children (this is factual accounts by children during WW2 published in association with the Imperial War Museum - www.amazon.co.uk/War-Children-Phil-Robins/dp/043996315X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340096854&sr=1-2 )
Barry Turner - One Small Suitcase

Also, Morris Gleitzman's series - Once, Then, Now & After (last one not yet published)
John Boyne - The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

There are a couple of books in the "My Story" historical account series set in WW2

Anne Frank. Dd2 loved it; she asked if there was a sequel and I had to explain the sudden stop in the book.

Ds is very interested in WWII so we have a number, although a fair number are factual. Usborne has some good factual ones.

He's got a number out from the library in a set called "War at Home/war at sea/war on the land/war in the air" by Anthony Masters. They are very blunt though, no softening of the facts, they are I think true stories.

On gentler ones, you get the Chalet school ones set during the war: "In exile"-when they have to flee the Nazi's from Austria, "at war" and "Highland twins"-you get things like rationing, air raids, and blackouts mentioned.

Noel Streatfield has a few "Curtain up" is really end/just after the war, but "The Children of Primrose lane" is a spy story during the war and "When the Siren wailed" is a really good war story, again evacuees, but a really well rounded story about children during the war.

We had a book called (I think) Riddleton Roundabout, about 2 children evacuated to the country, just doing normal things for the war effort. Don't expect it's in print though.

And Party Frock (again Noel Streatfeild) covers the end of the war with VE day and VJ day.

Isn't summer of my german soldier WWI?

NUp, I am wrong - mixed up with summer of the Zeppelin...

Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter. It tells the tale of two young boys growing up in Germany as the Nazis take over, one is Jewish and his plight is placed in direct contrast to the other boy's rise as a "pure blooded German".

Well worth a read to have an understanding of what Jewish families faced in Nazi occupied Germany.

'Once' and 'Then' by Morris Gleitzman. Wonderful books which have been tried and tested on my Year 5 and 6 reading groups. Can't recommend them highly enough.

I think these have been mentioned: The Silver Sword by Ian Seraillier and Pied Piper by Neville Shute. I think he's a bit young for A Town Like Alice.

I would second all the Noel Streatfeilds (apart from Primrose Lane, which I haven't read! )

My daughter enjoyed Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo, it's set in WW2. She might be a little young for this, my son read it when we was 12, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

new Shirley Hughes - the boy on the bicycle

There is an easier version of Anne Franks diary which might be worth looking at.
2nd Hitlers Canary - Sandy T

If you can still get hold of "The Dolphin Crossing" by Jill Paton Walsh, it's very good (Dunkirk evacuation).

On the subject of German Jews, I second "Friedrich" by Hans Peter Richter - it deserves to be better known and is far superior (in my opinion) to "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas". In addition, there is an excellent picture book by Tomi Ungerer, "Otto: The Autobiography of a Teddy Bear" - I'm not sure exactly what age it's pitched at, but I'd say it's a picture book for older children 8+ as the subject matter is harrowing and some of the pictures quite graphic - but it ends on a lovely hopeful note.

Another vote here for The Silver Sword. Its impact has never left me.