World War II

This carefully curated selection of titles examines the history, politics, and social impacts of World War II and its indelible mark on the world. The Collection highlights global perspectives through historical fiction, memoirs and biographies, and nonfiction titles that discuss topics including the Holocaust, the atomic bombings of Japan, and the effects of conflict.

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Children's Literature, History: World

The War I Finally Won is a work of historical fiction written by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley. The novel is intended for middle grade readers. It was published in 2017, and has won numerous awards, including qualifying for the New York Times Best Seller list, winning the California Young Reader’s Medal, and being named one of the Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books of the Year. The War I Finally Won is a sequel to Bradley’s highly... Read The War I Finally Won Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

The War That Saved My Life is a work of historical fiction by bestselling author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. The novel is intended for middle-grade readers and was published in 2015. It has won several awards, including the Newbery Honor for being among the most distinguished American children’s book of its year. The Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly listed the book as among the best children’s books in 2015, and it won 14 state book... Read The War That Saved My Life Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: War, Self Discovery

Tags British Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, British Literature, History: World


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Class, History: World, History: The Americas, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Music, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, French Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, History: World, French Literature


Publication year 1942

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past

Tags WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race

Tags History: U.S., Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Social Justice, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography

They Called Us Enemy is a 2019 graphic memoir written by author, actor, and activist George Takei and illustrated by Harmony Becker. The story chronicles Takei’s childhood experience in the Japanese concentration camps created by the United States during World War II. Takei frames the narrative with a modern-day talk delivered at the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who presided over the country during the war and issued Executive Order 9066, which empowered the US... Read They Called Us Enemy Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2007

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: War, Natural World: Animals

Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: European, Animals, Military / War, History: World, Biography

The Zookeeper’s Wife, by Diane AckermanThe Zookeeper’s Wife is a non-fiction narrative recounting the heroic efforts of Antonina Żabińska and her husband, Jan Żabiński, during World War II. When soldiers of the Third Reich invade Poland on September 1, 1939, Jan is the ambitious director of the Warsaw Zoo. Antonina is an amazingly gifted woman who connects emotionally with all the animals in the zoo and the multitudes of human visitors and officials drawn to... Read The Zookeeper's Wife Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Arts / Culture

Thin Wood Walls by David Patneaude was published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 2004. A historical fiction novel for young adult readers, Thin Wood Walls explores the experience of incarceration through the eyes of an 11-year-old Japanese American boy during World War II. The novel depicts themes of hope, family, resilience, and xenophobia, or bigotry against individuals from other countries. Thin Wood Walls is a Washington Reads Selection and a Mark Twain Award nominee. It... Read Thin Wood Walls Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World


Publication year 1992

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., WWII / World War II, Crime / Legal, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, WWII / World War II, Realistic Fiction

Tunes for Bears to Dance To by pioneering young adult writer Robert Cormier (1925-2000) is a young adult novella that explores themes of The Inadequacy of Language, The Everyday Nature of Evil, and The Inescapability of the Past. First published in 1992, the story follows 11-year-old Henry, who, while grappling with the recent loss of his brother, becomes entangled in a sinister plot devised by Mr. Hairston, the manipulative manager of the grocery store where... Read Tunes for Bears to Dance To Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Biography

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is a biography by Laura Hillenbrand that tells the life story of Louie Zamperini, an Italian-American from Torrance, California who lived from 1917 to 2014. Published in 2010, Unbroken was a The New York Times bestseller for over four years.Plot SummaryIn his youth, Louie Zamperini was the town troublemaker, a boy who used his cunning to commit acts of petty theft and public nuisance... Read Unbroken Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Biography, Inspirational, History: World, Sports, Military / War, WWII / World War II


Publication year 1973

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Holocaust, History: European, WWII / World War II, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Content Warning: This study guide and the memoir contain references to antisemitism and violence, as well as descriptions of conditions in a concentration camp during the Nazi holocaust. Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968, a memoir by Heda Margolius Kovály, was first published under this title in 1986. The memoir was originally published in Czech as Na vlastní kůži (On your own skin) in 1973, by 68 Publishers, an independent press operated... Read Under a Cruel Star Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure, Sports