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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Parenting, Military / War, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Louise Murphy’s The True Story of Hansel and Gretel is a work of historical fiction originally published in 2003. Loosely based upon the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, the novel reimagines Hansel and Gretel’s story as a World War II narrative. The San Francisco Chronicle selected it as a “Best Book of the Year,” and it received a starred review from Kirkus. This guide references the 2003 paperback edition.Plot SummaryIt is the winter... Read The True Story of Hansel and Gretel Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Satire, Lyric Poem, Politics / Government, WWII / World War II, Education, Education
Publication year 1972
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
The Upstairs Room (1972) is a novel based on the experiences of author Johanna Reiss as a Jewish girl during World War II. The novel follows protagonist Annie de Leeuw and her sister Sini as they hide from the Nazis during the German occupation of Holland. Annie’s story, which is told from her first-person perspective, celebrates human resilience and compassion while exploring themes concerning the loss of childhood innocence, the sacrifices people make during wartime... Read The Upstairs Room Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
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