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The
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt -
Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne
Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world classic -- a powerful reminder
of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her
family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two
years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another
family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annex" of an old office building. Cut off
from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of
living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.
In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during
this period.
By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a
fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling
self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was
tragically cut short.
Paper, 304 pages. Teen-adult.
#6983 $5.99 $3.99
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The
Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank, edited by
Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler. - More than fifty years after its first
publication, this definitive edition of Anne Frank's famous diary generated an
extraordinary amount of excitement when it was published in the early 1990's. It
contains a great deal of material not included in the original publication,
which deepends and broadens our sense of the remarkable young woman who composed
it.
Anne Frank's father, Otto Frank, survived the Holocaust and - after
long deliberation - decided to publish her diary. He selected material to
keep the book short so it would fit into a series put out by its Dutch
publisher. In addition, several sections dealing with Anne's sexuality were left
out, as well as some unflattering comments about his wife and other occupants of
the Secret Annex. This made the book suitable for young adults. Otto Frank's
legal heir later decided to have this new, expanded edition of the diary
published for general readers. It contains approximatley 30% more material than
the original edition.
Paper, 353 pages. P
#0334X $12.95 $8.99
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A Childhood Under Hitler and Stalin: Memoirs of a
"Certified Jew" by Michael Wieck - A bestseller in Germany,
Michael Wieck's account of his childhood in Konigsberg recalls a German city
obliterated by fire-bombing during the Second World War. As the child of a
Jewish mother and Gentile father, Wieck was persecuted first as a "certified
Jew" by the Nazis, then as a German by the Russian occupiers, including
horrific internment in the Rothenstein concentration camp. In the midst of
privation, savagery, and death, there were moments of absurdity, and Wieck
powerfully depicts them in this unforgettable memoir.
The story of
how baking baisers offered the author's family a ray of hope in their hour
of desperate need is an example of the everyday struggles that drew me into
this book. The occupation of the Russians in the Eastern region of Prussia,
and the effect on this family and others,was an aspect of this time period
that was new to me. The resilience of the human spirit is astounding.
Paper, 328 pages. 9x6.3x.8.
#5443
$19.95 $14.99
Hey, Mac!: A Combat Infantryman's Story by
William F. McMurdie - If a WWII battle was to be won, it was finally up to
the Infantry to do the job. Serving with the A Co., 394th Infantry Regiment,
99th Infantry Division, the author writes his experiences--from induction
till discharge--in training, in combat, and as an occupation soldier. It
includes the Battle of the Bulge, the advance to the Rhine, the Remagen
Bridgehead, and more.
Paper, 207 pages. 9x6x.5"
#2416
$14.95 $12.99
The Patton Papers: 1940-1945 by Martin Blumenson - One of World War II's
most brilliant and controversial generals, George S. Patton (1885-1945) fought
in North Africa and Sicily, as commander of the Third Army, and spearheaded the
Allies' spectacular 1944-1945 sweep through France, Belgium, and Germany. Martin
Blumenson is the only historian to enjoy unlimited access to the vast Patton
papers.
Paper, 914 pages. 8"x5.5"x2".
#7176 $37.50 $26.99
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Aranka Siegal Holocaust Memoir (2 Books):
Upon
the Head of the Goat: a Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944 by
Aranka Siegal -
The author, who is called Piri
in the narrative, describes her experiences as a Jewish girl in Hungary during
World War II. Although Piri's mother attempts to hold the family together and
preserve their religious traditions, Piri experiences the slow but ever
increasing persecution of the Jewish people in her town of Beregszasz. Unable to
escape Hungary, the family witnesses the Nazi invasion of Beregszasz after which
they are stripped of all rights and forced to live in a Jewish ghetto. The book
concludes in 1944 when Piri and her family are transported to Auschwitz.
These memoirs of a Hungarian girl liberated from Bergen-Belsen are among
"the most powerful accounts yet written by a survivor of the Third Reich. -
Publisher's Weekly
A 1982 Newbery Honor Book.
Hardcover, 225 pages. 8.6"x5.9"x.9". Ages 10 and up.
Grace
in the Wilderness: After the Liberation 1945-1948 by
Aranka Siegal -
Learn
what happened to Aranka and her sister after she and her sister were released
from the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen at the end of World War II.
....Every bit as beautifully told, as profoundly moving as its predecessor, a
Newberry Honor winner, Piri's story stands as an eloquent testament to the
resiliency of the human spirit. - Kirkus Reviews
A powerful
document....It captures, perhaps for the first time in young adult literature,
the complexity of what it was like to be a teenage survivor in the first years
after liberation. - Booklist
Paper, 230 pages. 7.4"x5.1"x.7". Ages 10 and up. Out of
print.
Two-Book Set: #FUN99 $21.95 $17.99
One set available.
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Resistance:
A Woman's Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France
by Agnès Humbert - The author was an art historian in Paris during the
German occupation in 1940. Though she might well have weathered the
oppressive regime, Humbert was stirred to action by the atrocities she
witnessed. In an act of astonishing bravery, she joined forces with several
colleagues to form an organized resistance—very likely the first such group
to fight back against the occupation. (In fact, their newsletter,
Résistance, gave the French Resistance its name.)
In the throes of
their struggle for freedom, the members of Humbert’s group were betrayed to
the Gestapo; Humbert herself was imprisoned. In immediate, electrifying
detail, Humbert describes her time in prison, her deportation to Germany,
where for more than two years she endured a string of brutal labor camps,
and the horror of discovering that seven of her friends were executed by a
firing squad. But through the direst of conditions, and ill health in the
labor camps, Humbert retains hope for herself, for her friends, and for
humanity.
Originally published in France in 1946, the book was soon
forgotten; this is the first English translation of the book.
Résistance is more than a firsthand account of wartime France: it is the
work of a brave, witty, and forceful woman, a true believer who refused to
go quietly.
#5596 $26.00 $15.99
Set of Two
World War Books:
True
Stories of the First World War by Paul Dowswell - With its
aircraft, submarines, machine guns, and tanks, World War I was the first modern
war. But the generals who fought it came from an age of cavalry charges and
dashing red uniforms. THe result was slaughter on a massive scale - making it
one of the most troubling wars in history.
Paper, 137 pages.
7.6"x5.1"x.5". Ages 10+
True Stories of the Second World War by
Paul Dowswell -
Epic naval encounters between
titanic warships, monumental battles involving hundreds of thousands of men, and
suspenseful duels between lone snipers--these are just some of the dramatic
tales in this collection of stories from World War II. For those who survived,
it remains the most intense and vivid experience of their lives.
Paper, 169 pages.
7.6"x5.1"x.6". Ages 10+
#FUN101 $9.90
Out of print, one set of books available.
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V
is for Victory: America Remembers World War II (A World War II Scrapbook for the
Whole Family to Share) by
Kathleen Krull -
An album of photos, posters, letters, and other
memorabilia of World War II. The text discusses the events leading up to the war
as well as life on the homefront, military service, the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor,
and the lasting effects of the war.
Paper, 128 pages. Lots of photographs and illustrations. 10.4"x9"x.3". Ages
4-12.
#6003 $14.95
Out of print; one copy available.
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World War II for Kids: A History with
21 Activities by Richard Panchyk. Stage a radio adventure program, make
a ration kit, grow a victory garden, break a military code, play a
latitude-longitude tracking game and try 16 other activities while learning
about this important event in world history.
The book begins with a timeline of the conflict and covers major events, from
Hitler's rise to power in 1933 to the surrender of the Japanese to the Allies in
1945. The book is packed with interesting personal information: first-hand
accounts by soldiers, holocaust survivors, and other people affected by the war;
wartime letters; and quotes from beginning to end. The hands-on activities are
presented in large sidebars throughout the book and relate to the text they
accompany.
The author covers both the war and the U.S. homefront, an important part of the
story. The photos, advertisements, cartoons and other illustrations of the time
period, and well as the accessible writing and hands-on activities, will aid
readers in their understanding of the time period. A glossary and a list of
resources wrap up this excellent book.
Ages 9+. Paper, 164 pages.
#4552 $14.95 $11.95
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The
Yanks are Coming: The United States in the First World War - by
Albert Marrin. World I is a bit harder to
understand than World War II, perhaps because the lines between good and evil
were not as clear-cut. There are many lessons to be learned from WWI, including
how it led up to WWII.
Marrin tells the story about how U.S. soldiers (Yanks or Doughboys), came to the
aid of allies to help turn the tide of the war. You are drawn into the stories
of their bravery as they fought on both the ground and in the air.
Our family started raising pigeons this year, and we were particularly
fascinated with the story of Cher Ami, the hero pigeon of WWI. She helped save a
battalion of men and went on to become a celebrity, winning the French Croix de
Guerre and the best medical treatment for her injuries (including a beautiful
wooden leg to replace the one that had been shot away). We have since found out
that WWII had its own hero pigeon named G.I. Joe. It's these kind of stories
that make history interesting.
From the Lusitania sinking to Armistice day, Marrin tells the story of “the war
to end all wars.”
Paper, 249 pages
#3110 $13.95
DAMAGED copy of The Yanks are Coming - One corner of the book has a slight
bend.
#D-3110 $13.95 $11.99
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Stalin:
Russia's Man of Steel by Albert Marrin.
A ruthless dictator who killed tens of millions of his own people, Stalin used
political power for his own deranged ends. The horrors he perpetuated were
staggering. I vaguely knew that he had killed many of his own people but did not
really understand the magnitude until I read this book. I also don't understand
why I did not learn more about Stalin when I was in school -stunned, actually -
because of how important this information is to know. His shadow is still felt
among people of the former USSR.
Marrin traces Stalin's roots all the way back to his childhood, his work as a
revolutionary leader, and then to his final role as dictator of the Soviet
Union. As the publisher says, “The magnitude and scope of the destruction
presented in this book is unsettling, disturbing and sometimes difficult to
comprehend.”
The book also gives you a look at communism, which Stalin used for his own
purposes.
Paper, 242 pages. Black and white photos throughout. School Library
Journal Book of the Year.
#3099 $13.95
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Victory in the Pacific - Albert
Marrin. The focus of this book is the Pacific Theatre of World War II.
Covering the events from Pearl Harbor to Japan's surrender, Marrin tells the
story of the Americans who fought in places like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.
Follow the struggles of the Navy and Marines as they fought from island to
island in the Pacific on their way to Japan.
Paper, 212 pages.
#3153 $13.95
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Marrin World
War I/II Quartet get all four books listed above (The Yanks are Coming,
Hitler, Stalin, Victory in the Pacific) at a special price.
#FUN37 $55.80 $47.95
World War II: The Rest of the Story and How It Affects You
Today (Book 11, Uncle Eric series) by
Richard Maybury. Spans 1935 to September 11, 2001. “Mr. Maybury focuses on
events in the Second World War and how our misunderstanding of this war led to
America's subsequent wars, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the
Iraq-Kuwait War, and the ‘war on terrorism' that began September 11, 2001.”
Quality paper, 349 pages. Revised edition.Mr. Maybury's book can be used for
studies in: World and U.S. History, Government, Economics, Business, and
Finance. Table of Contents
#7436 $19.95 $17.95
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Aloha
Means Come Back: The Story of a World War II Girl by Dorothy and Thomas
Hoobler - Laura and her mother join her Navy father in Hawaii in 1941, where
suspicion against the Japanese American residents runs high in an atmosphere of
expectation that the United States and Japan will go to war.
Includes instructions for making a lei at the back of the book.
Hardcover, 61 pages. The cover has some mild edge wear. Out of print, one copy
available.
#1568 $12.95
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Number
the Stars by Lois Lowry -
During the 1943 German occupation of
Denmark, 10-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her family take great risks to give
shelter to Annemarie's best friend, a Jewish girl named Ellen Rosen. Ellen
assumes the identity of Annemarie's sister, but the Nazis are suspicious of this
dark-haired girl in a family of blondes. As the Nazis move closer to discovering
Ellen's true identity, Annemarie must find the courage to go on a dangerous
mission that will help Ellen escape from Denmark.
An excellent story.
Winner of the 1990 Newbery Medal.
Paper, 137 pages. Ages 9-14.
#3278 $5.99 $3.99
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Twenty and Ten was one of my favorite books
as a child, and I was so excited to discover it again as an adult. Based on a
true story, it is about 20 French schoolchildren who retreat to the mountains
for safety during the Nazi occupation of France. While there, they take in 10
Jewish refugee children to hide them from the Nazis. All the children show
courage and compassion during a time of adversity, though it's a struggle for a
few. Reading about how the children handle the visits from the Nazis, with their
interrogations and threats, is great way to learn about human character.
What grabbed my attention as a child was the fact that chocolate was in such short
supply and highly valued. It might seem like a minor difficulty during such a
terrible time, but the way one of the children hides a piece of chocolate and
licks it to make it last a long time, really brought home to me the everyday
sacrifices everyone had to make during that time, even children (I remembered it
for decades). That's what
makes this a great book for children; the author writes in a way that they can
relate to the characters.
I would say that ages 8-11 would enjoy this book, though a younger child who
has an interest in the time period would enjoy having it read to them. The book
was written in 1952 and deals with the topic without being too scary.
#0762 $5.99
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