Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Can anyone recommend war fiction books for 14 yo

52 replies

Lupyto · 01/05/2023 14:04

My ds was always a big reader. He loved all the Harry potters and all the Jurassic parks. Also enjoyed the dark is rising series. Recently he is really enjoying listening to history podcasts. He also loves horrible histories books. He likes learning about the 1st and 2nd world war. So I wondered if I might try to recommend books that are set in the war. Although nothing too depressing - if that is possible. Can anyone recommend any?

OP posts:
Nameinventedforthrowawaypurposes · 04/05/2023 04:27

Escape from Colditz by P R Reid is pretty good, ISTR.

sashh · 04/05/2023 05:32

The silver sword.

Carrie's war.

When Hitler stole pink rabbit - the first book might be a bit young but the sequels would be fine.

Goodnight Mr Tom.

Some of the 'Just WIlliam' books are set in the war.

We couldn't leave Dinah, set on a fictional channel island.

sashh · 04/05/2023 05:38

Britinme · 03/05/2023 22:39

If he doesn't mind older wars, Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series is a rattling good series of reads set during the Napoleonic wars. I don't recall anything too challenging for an enthusiastic 14 year old.

A few sex scenes in it though.

Toomanybooks22 · 04/05/2023 06:04

Some lovely memories of reading the books mentioned on this thread. I particularly liked these: Theresa Breslin's Remembrance, Carrie's War, and the When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. I especially liked the third book in the WHSPR series.

I also recommend the Daisy Chain War series by Joan O'Neill which is set during and then after WW2.

There was another two part series about a girl on the home front I think during and after WW1 it focused a lot about social attitudes. Really enjoyed it but annoyed I can't remember the name of the books.

Whiteroomjoy · 04/05/2023 06:08

DisplayPurposesOnly · 01/05/2023 14:10

The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier

This

Whiteroomjoy · 04/05/2023 06:11

junebirthdaygirl · 03/05/2023 22:52

I am David is about about a boy who escaped a concentration camp.

It’s a good read but sh said nothing too depressing…it’s a very sad read

Whiteroomjoy · 04/05/2023 06:27

The Endless Steppe was my favourite war book…a bit different as set in Siberia

The summer of my german soldier - but maybe better for girls as more relationship from female perspective
flambards series - but again main protagonist is a girl

diary of Ann frank not listed - surely that’s an over sight

there’s also a children’s book on life of Alan Turing which could be well worth investigating - listed on puffin site

Whiteroomjoy · 04/05/2023 06:29

All the light we cannot see? Not specifically a children’s book but suitable and a good read

QuintanaRoo · 04/05/2023 06:31

Tomorrow When The War Began, series of about 6 books……..set in Australia and about Australia getting invaded in a made up war. Really good.

BottleBottoms · 04/05/2023 06:53

Has he ever enjoyed Roald Dahl when younger? He might get on with the second part of his autobiography, Going Solo, a fair bit of which is about Dahl's work as a pilot during WWII. And if Wikipedia it's anything to go by, it practically counts as fiction anyway.

CeliaNorth · 04/05/2023 13:38

I especially liked the third book in the WHSPR series.

But it's not about the war, and suicide/attempted suicide is one of the themes. And I wouldn't think the second one would greatly appeal to a 14yo boy.

sashh · 05/05/2023 05:47

diary of Ann frank not listed - surely that’s an over sight

The OP asked for fiction. But it is worth a read. I've read it twice, once as a child and then as an adult but I think lockdown gave me a whole new perspective of living in a small space for years.

Meduse · 06/05/2023 20:03

Ruta Sepytys is a young adult writer who has written about WW2 and the lesser known but true stories .Salt to the sea is so powerful and is a graphic novel as well. Highly recommended

Sagittariusrising · 11/05/2023 08:16

If he'd like to see things from the German perspective then Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series might be worth a read. Simon Scarrow's Horst Schenke novels are also great. From a woman's point of view there are the Clara Vine series of books by Jane Thynne also set in Germany.

I've recently read The Unwanted Dead set in Nazi occupied Paris and thoroughly recommend it. Looking forward to reading the follow up.

For UK detective spy fiction there's Rory Clements' Tom Wilde series and Jim Kelly's Nighthawk series, both set in Cambridge which are good reads as well as Mark Ellis' Frank Merlin series set in London.

I'd also recommend Persephone Books who publish a lot of fiction set during both wars that mainly cover the Home Front but he may find some of them interesting. You can search their website by genre or period.

BertieBotts · 11/05/2023 08:23

Definitely agree with Pink Rabbit and Robert Swindells.

Trying to think about which others I've liked - I always loved this period too.

A lot of the older "classics" have wartime as a background, like The Railway Children.

Original poster
Lupyto · 11/05/2023 08:52

So many great suggestions. I think it’s an era that has been written about a lot, which means lots to choose from.

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 11/05/2023 08:59

At that age my brothers and I enjoyed Spike Milligan’s war memoirs which begin with ‘Adolf Hitler: My part in his downfall.’ Inappropriate but very funny.

I don’t think Machine Gunners is too young but it also has a sequel, Fathom Five, in which everyone is a few years older.

Another great recent one is Codename Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

SweetSakura · 11/05/2023 18:40

Yes Spike Milligan's war books are a good suggestion

Original poster
Lupyto · 11/05/2023 18:59

I ordered about 15 books from library now. Will pick them up and see which ones he takes a liking too. Spike Milligan sounds great as he lovely funny stuff

OP posts:
mickeymight · 15/05/2023 14:25

Bernard Cornwell wrote an excellent 4 or 5 book series set in the American Civil War. ( 1861) The first is Rebel, Copperhead is the next.
They come very close to portraying a realistic idea of the way soldiers live.
Not full of sex or bad language, but they are there.

mickeymight · 15/05/2023 14:35

The war in Crimea (1851) is the setting for a series by GD Killworth about Sergeant Fancy Jack Crossman.
Very readable.

ThreeFeetTall · 15/05/2023 14:36

I read Testament of Youth at about that age, maybe 15. Not fiction though.

MaryBoggintonTrotterSmyke · 15/05/2023 14:51

I remember reading a lot of these (War Horse, Goodnight Mr Tom, Robert Swindells etc) when I was around 10 or 11 so they may be a bit young for him? Not that there's anything wrong with that if he enjoys them! But some of Michelle Magorian's other books are a bit better for older teenagers - he might like Cuckoo in the Nest and Just Henry, which are set just after WWII.

It's a bit left-field but he also might like The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe - it's a stonking adventure story set in Roman Britain, the main character is a soldier who goes in search of a missing legion north of Hadrian's Wall. And he has a pet wolf! I only discovered it as an adult and was amazed by how good it is.

Choconutty · 15/05/2023 15:03

My son's into history - also esp WW2 and he's all over books by Robert Harris right now.

He described one to me as 'alternate history' and made me read it, but rather than the Sci-Fi, Man in the High Castle vibe I was expecting, it was just a historical thriller - but whatever floats his boat.

The one I read was fiction aimed at adults, but didn't have 'adult' scenes - although there was swearing, so I think they're fairly safe for young teens.

Original poster
Lupyto · 15/05/2023 15:52

The eagle of the ninth sounds good will check it out. Choconutty does yous ds have a favourite Robert Harris?

OP posts: