Rose Under Fire

Elizabeth Wein

This gripping sequel to Code Name Verity tells the story of a young American pilot named Rose Justice. When a risky flight manoeuvre results in Rose’s capture by the Germans, she finds herself in Ravensbrück– one of the notorious Nazi concentration camps. There, Rose is befriended by a group of political prisoners who have survived unimaginable atrocities. Together, they will use the power of stories, poetry and friendship to overcome the horror and despair of their situation.

violence; emotionally disturbing

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth Wein

Two young British women, both of them trapped in Nazi-occupied France in 1943. Two friends, one a pilot and the other a spy. Nazi interrogation will force one girl to give up her secrets, but how much of her story is truth – and how much lies? This compelling story of friendship and bravery combines a wealth of historical research with a thrilling plot.

violence; emotionally disturbing

What I Saw and How I Lied

Judy Blundell

When Evie's step-father returns home from the war, it seems like the family's troubles are over. But nothing is quite what it seems, and Evie is being set up for painful disillusionment.

The New Recruit (Liam Scott, #1)

Andy McNab

When a tragic accident results in his best friend’s death, 18 yearold Liam Scott decides to join the Army. Liam is looking for a fresh start, but the past follows him in an unexpected way. Full of realistic detail, this fast-paced story takes the reader through basic training in England to a remote outpost in Afghanistan. There, Liam must learn to cope with harsh conditions, the Taliban and his fellow soldiers – one of whom would rather see him dead than alive.

violence; strong language

Stay Where You Are and Then Leave

John Boyne

This recently published war novel gives young readers a perspective of World War I from the home front. Just as he did in his best-selling classic, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Boyne makes effective use of a naïve narrator in the form of Alfie, a young Londoner. Through Alfie’s increasingly less innocent eyes, Boyne examines some complex war-related themes – from xenophobia and poverty, to conscientious objectors and shellshocked soldiers. This thoughtful and sensitive book seems particularly relevant as we commemorate the First World War Centenary.

Flygirl

Sherri L. Smith

Ida Mae Jones dreams of flying airplanes, and when the United States enters World War II she grabs at the chance to be a WASP – one of the select few Women Airforce Service Pilots. During her training in Texas, Ida Mae begins to realise just how much prejudice there is towards female pilots. The job will demand all the courage she can muster, particularly since Ida Mae has a dangerous secret – she is an African-American “passing” as a white woman. If she wants to fly for her country, Ida Mae will have to conceal the truth from even her closest friends.

Birdsong

Sebastian Faulks

Mature adolescent readers will be intellectually challenged and emotionally moved by this beloved war novel. The structure of the novel encompasses many narratives, from the illicit pre-war romance between Stephen and Isabelle to Stephen’s experiences in the trenches of the Marne, Verdun and the Somme. From comradeship to romance, Faulks shows how unlikely alliances are amongst the most enduring legacies of war.

sexuality; violence; emotionally disturbing

Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys

On June 14, 1941, Soviet troops arrest 15 year-old Lina Vilkas and her family and deport them from their Lithuanian home all the way to a brutal Siberian work-camp. Many will die or be killed along the way, but Lina clings to life with a strong will, luck and the help of friends. A gifted artist, Lina carefully documents the struggles of her people even as the Stalinist regime would erase their existence entirely. This fictional account of one of the lesserknown genocides of World War II has been drawn from true accounts and the author’s own family history.

violence; emotionally disturbing

All Quiet on the Western Front

Erich Maria Remarque

This classic war novel describes life in the trenches of World War I from the viewpoint of a young German soldier. Controversial from when it was first published in 1929, the books was banned under the Nazi regime. Rather than describing war from the point-of-view of the victor, and in terms of patriotism and bravery, it presented a realistic portrait of a soldier’s mental and physical struggles. Highly readable, with moments of black humour, this is a classic with continuing appeal for adolescent readers.

violence; emotionally disturbing

Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, #1)

Lian Hearn

n this historical fantasy, political intrigue and romance play out against the fascinating backdrop of the Japanese feudal past. After being rescued from his village’s massacre by Lord Otori Shiguru, the young Takeo devotes his life and mysterious talents to his adopted father. But neither honour nor treachery are straightforward in a war of conflicting loyalties. This beautifully written novel is the first of a critically praised trilogy.