Today on OOM we are celebrating Veterans Day. This holiday honors those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and it is very special to me as both of my grandfathers served in World War II. My grandfathers were both in the Navy and shared some exciting as well as incredibly sad stories with me growing up about their experiences during this time period. I was extremely lucky to be able to hear their stories directly from them. One way in which we can honor veterans is to read about different kinds of war and war experiences. See below for some of our newest war related books for readers of all ages.
Scholastic Discover More Reader Level 2: Military Vehicles
By Jon Campell (Ages 6-8)
Discover the coolest military vehicles from the air, land, and sea. Featuring some well-known vehicles and some you’ve never heard of at all, full-color action photos will engage the reader. Simple text, fascinating information, and large color photos throughout make this the perfect book for reluctant readers!
Tides of War #1: Blood in the Water
By C. Alexander London (Ages 10-14)
In Tides of War #1: Blood in the Water, Cory McNab wanted to be a Navy SEAL, but he washed out of the program. So he is now a member of the Navy’s Marine Mammals Program, where he is partnered with a search-and-recovery dolphin named Kaj. Together, Cory and Kaj are the Navy’s best hope when an American spy submarine is lost in enemy waters. With the help of Kaj's bio-sonar, they should be able to locate the submarine before its secrets fall into the wrong hands. But the mission gets complicated when a team of Navy SEALs runs into trouble. Can Cory succeed where his heroes have failed or is he in too deep?
Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 Stories of Survival
By Marcel Prins and Peter Henk Steenhuis
Hidden Like Anne Frank tells the stories of fourteen young people who were hidden throughout the Netherlands during the war. Some were only three or four years old when they went into hiding; some were teenagers. But they all have amazing stories to tell, stories of the brave people who kept them safe; of the pain of separation from their families, their homes, even their own names; of the coincidences that made all the difference. These riveting first-person accounts add a new layer to our understanding of the Holocaust. They help create a wider portrait of what it meant to be Jewish in Europe during World War II. And they leave us with an unforgettable sense of what it took to survive.
If You’re Reading This
By Trent Reedy (Ages 12 and up)
Mike was seven when his father was killed in mysterious circumstances in Afghanistan. Years later, the family still hasn’t recovered: Mike’s mom is overworked and overprotective; his younger sister Mary feels no connection to the father she barely remembers; and in his quest to be “the man of the family,” Mike knows he’s missing out on everyday high school life. Then, out of the blue, Mike receives a letter from his father—the first of a series his dad wrote in Afghanistan, just in case he didn’t come home—meant to share some wisdom with his son on the eve of Mike’s sixteenth birthday. As the letters come in, Mike revels in spending time with his dad again, and takes his encouragement to try new things—to go out for the football team, and ask out his friend Isma. But who’s been keeping the letters all these years? And how did his dad actually die? As the answers to these mysteries are revealed, Mike and his family find a way to heal and move forward.
