Guy Haydon raised and trained Midnight from the time she was a foal. The two had such a strong bond that when World War I broke out, Lieutenant Haydon slipped away from the frontlines of Gallipoli on an Egypt-bound ship to reunite with his horse. There, in the city of Beersheba, on October 31, 1917, two regiments of the Australian Light Horse Brigade took part in one of the last great cavalry charges in history. Among the first to leap the enemy trenches was Lieutenant Guy Haydon, riding Midnight—who succumbed to a bullet that might have otherwise killed her rider. In a new story from an award-winning duo, luminous illustrations and lyrical narration bring a sad moment in history to life. 5-9 years
Winnie’s Great War
by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Here is a heartwarming imagining of the real journey undertaken by the extraordinary bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. From her early days with her mama in the Canadian forest, to her remarkable travels with the Veterinary Corps across the country and overseas, and all the way to the London Zoo where she met Christopher Robin Milne (and inspired the creation of the world’s most famous bear,) Winnie is on a great war adventure.
This story is a blending of deep research and magnificent imagination. Infused with Sophie Blackall’s renderings of an endearing bear, the book is also woven through with entries from Captain Harry Colebourn’s real wartime diaries and contains a selection of artifacts from the Colebourn Family Archives. The result is a one-of-a-kind exploration into the realities of war, the meaning of courage, and the indelible power of friendship, all told through the historic adventures of one extraordinary bear. 8-11 years
Stubby The Dog Soldier: World War I Hero
By Blake Hoena, Illustrated by Oliver Ian Hurst
A stray dog named Stubby braves the World War I battlefields alongside Private J. Robert Conroy. See the story unfold as this brave little canine makes a big difference in the lives of many World War I soldiers. 5-7 years
Knit Your Bit! A World War I Story
By Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia
Mikey’s dad has left home to fight overseas during World War I, and Mikey wants to do something BIG to help. When his teacher suggests that the class participate in a knitting bee in Central Park to knit clothing for the troops, Mikey and his friends roll their eyes—knitting is for girls! But when the girls turn it into a competition, the boys just have to meet the challenge.
Based on a real “Knit-In” event at Central Park in 1918, Knit Your Bit shows readers that making a lasting contribution is as easy as trying something new! 5-8 years
Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Most Famous Dog
By Ann Bausum
Move over, Rin Tin Tin. Here comes Sgt. Stubby! That German shepherd, Rin Tin Tin, star of the silver screen may have been born behind enemy lines during World War I, but Stubby, the stump-tailed terrier, worked behind enemy lines, and gained military honors along the way.
Private Robert Conroy casually adopted the orphan pup while attending basic training on the campus of Yale University in 1917. The Connecticut volunteer never imagined that his stray dog would become a war hero. He just liked the little guy. When Conroy’s unit shipped out for France, he smuggled his new friend aboard. By the time Stubby encountered Conroy’s commanding officer, the dog had perfected his right-paw salute. Charmed, the CO awarded Stubby mascot status and sent him along with Conroy’s unit to the Western Front. 10-13 years
DK Findout! World War I
By Brian Williams
Did you know that the Allied powers used 33,000 camels in desert warfare? Or that more than 500,000 pigeons carried messages to the war’s front lines? Find out why!
Perfect for young history buffs and fans of the Axis & Allies board games, DK findout! World War I is a highly visual world-history book sure to inspire the next amazing school project or report. Inside, author Brian Williams breaks down why the war began, how it was fought, and what brought it to an end. 6-9 years
Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood
By Nathan Hale
World War I set the tone for the 20th century and introduced a new type of warfare: global, mechanical, and brutal. Nathan Hale has gathered some of the most fascinating true-life tales from the war and given them his inimitable Hazardous Tales twist. Easy to understand, funny, informative, and lively, this series is the best way to be introduced to some of the most well-known battles (and little-known secrets) of the infamous war. 8-12
Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
By Chris Barton, Illustrated by Victo Ngai
During World War I, British and American ships were painted with bold colors and crazy patterns from bow to stern. Why would anyone put such eye-catching designs on ships?
Desperate to protect ships from German torpedo attacks, British lieutenant-commander Norman Wilkinson proposed what became known as dazzle. These stunning patterns and colors were meant to confuse the enemy about a ship’s speed and direction. By the end of the war, more than four thousand ships had been painted with these mesmerizing designs.
Author Chris Barton and illustrator Victo Ngai bring to life this little-known story of how the unlikely and the improbable became just plain dazzling. 7-11 years
Where Poppies Grow: A World War I Companion
By Linda Granfield
When World War I began in 1914, no one knew that millions of young people would die in the agonizing years ahead. No one imagined the effect it would have on family life, or that whole villages would disappear, or that entire nations would be changed forever. They believed their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers would be home by Christmas. They were tragically mistaken.
With photos, memorabilia, and anecdotes, Linda Granfield brings us face-to-face with people from all walks of life who risked everything for their country. These painstakingly-gathered bits and pieces are remnants of conflict on a scale never before witnessed. Hastily-penned letters, notes written in code, and prayers for deliverance form an eloquent portrait of humanity, and a startling comment on the devastation of war. 11 and up
World War I For Kids: A History with 21 Activities
By R. Kent Rasmussen
One hundred years after the start of the “Great War,” World War I for Kids provides an intriguing and comprehensive look at this defining conflict that involved all of the world’s superpowers. Why and how did the war come about? What was daily life like for soldiers in the trenches? What roles did zeppelins, barbed wire, and the passenger ship Lusitania play in the war? Who were Kaiser Wilhelm, the Red Baron, and Edith Cavell? Young history buffs will learn the answers these questions and many others, including why the western front bogged down into a long stalemate; how the war ushered in an era of rapid military, technological, and societal advances; and how the United States’ entry helped end the war.
Far from a dry catalog of names, dates, and battles, this richly illustrated book goes in depth into such fascinating topics as turn-of-the-20th-century weaponry and the important roles animals played in the war, and explains connections among events and how the war changed the course of history. Hands-on activities illuminate both the war and the times.
Kids can: Make a periscope, teach a dog to carry messages, make a parachute, learn a popular World War I song, cook Maconochie Stew and much more. 9 and up
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author!
Christopher Robin Milne, the son of A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, first met London Zoo’s famous bear Winnie when he was three or four years old. According to his father, Christopher Robin ran right up to Winnie and said, “Oh, Bear!” while hugging her. “The bear hugged Christopher Robin,” his father said. “They had a glorious time together rolling about and pulling ears and all sorts of things.”
Christopher Robin and the Real Winnie
Winnie was a very tame bear. She played with London’s children by giving them rides on her back. The children fed her oranges and a “Winnie cocktail” — sweet milk mixed with golden syrup. Winnie rocked back and forth to say thank you. Winnie even had her own “signed” publicity photo.
Sometime after meeting Winnie, Christopher Robin decided to rename his teddy bear, from Edward Bear (similar to the generic Teddy Bear) to Winnie-the-Pooh. He combined the name Pooh, the name he had given to a swan, with Winnie, the bear’s name, to create the original name Winnie-the-Pooh, a name known throughout the world.
Winnie, an American black bear, was found at a train station by Lt. Harry Colebourn, a Canadian Veterinary soldier, when she was about seven months old. He traveled to England for training in WWI and when sent to the front in France, temporarily gave Winnie to London Zoo. In December 1919, he decided to donate Winnie to the zoo in gratitude for the excellent care she received.
If you like this article, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Books For Kids:
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
By Lindsay Mattick, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Winnie:
The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh
By Sally M. Walker, Illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss
