For a 7th grader which WW2 novel would you do?

[Kfamily]

I had planned on dd reading Number the Stars or The Endless Steppe which are both set during WW2 but realized she would be old enough to do The Dairy of Anne Frank. Which one would you do? I've only read Anne Frank so I'm undecided.

Thanks!

[mcconnellboys]

Oh, there are so many, LOL! I do like Anne Frank, but Number the Stars is a very different take on the war. It would be nice to see them juxtaposed against each other. Could you do one as a read aloud, perhaps? I don't know the other book, but I'll add another take on WWII from an American perspective, regarding internment of Japanese Americans here during the war: My Friend, the Enemy. It was good!

[Shari]

I've not read the two books you mentioned, so I cannot comment on them, but if you decide NOT to read Anne Frank, there is a fantastic documentary available about her you could watch along side your other reading. It is called Anne Frank Remembered narrated by Kenneth Branagh.

http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Frank-Remembered-Kenneth-Branagh/dp/B0001977JM/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1237204062&sr=8-3

[plansrme]

I haven't read the others, either, but my 11 yo just finished The Hiding Place. I also read it when I was about that age, and it made quite an impact on me as well. It is distinctly Christian, of course, but since the narrator survives, it does address the state of Europe and its survivors after the war.

Terri

[FloridaLisa]

There are so many good WWII novels. My favorites for that time period two biographies: The Hiding Place possibly followed by the movie, and The Diary of Anne Frank.

HTH,
Lisa

[Kfamily]

Oh no!:001_smile::lol:
More choices....


Hmmmm, maybe we could read Number the Stars and The Endless Steppe (Ambleside recommends this book and raves about it) and then watch the docum. Shari mentioned about Anne Frank and the movie for The Hiding Place. That way we could do them all!:D

Thanks for pointing out some things I had fogotten (The Hiding Place)and some things I didn't know(docum. on Anne Frank).

[unsinkable]

It is not a novel but what about Band of Brothers (the book)? It is wonderful, IMO. It has some soldier's lang. but nothing truly raunchy.

Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest (Paperback)
by Stephen E. Ambrose

From Publishers Weekly
Ambrose ( Pegasus Bridge ) narrates in vivid detail the adventures, misadventures, triumphs and tragedies of a single U.S. Army infantry company over its span of organizational life. Formed in July 1944 and deactivated in November 1945, E Company was one of the most successful light infantry units in the European theater. Its troops saw their first action on D-Day behind the Normandy beachhead, took part in Operation Market Garden in Holland, held the perimeter around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and were the first to reach Hitler's Bavarian outpost at Berchtesgaden. The book is enlivened with pertinent comments by veterans of "Easy Company," who recall not only the combat action but their relations with their officers (one company commander was a petty tyrant of the worst type, but his oppressive ways had much to do with the unit's impressive esprit de corps ) and their impressions of the countries through which they campaigned (hated the French, loved the Germans). This is a terrific read for WW II actions buffs. Photos. Military Book Club main selection; Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

And couple it with: The Good Fight : How World War II Was Won (Hardcover)
by Stephen E. Ambrose (Author) which is an overview for younger readers.

[MamaT]

We are doing WWII right now also! My 6th grader is reading The Diary of Anne Frank, my 3rd grader is reading Number the Stars, my 5th grader is reading The Boy's War, and my 9th grader is reading The Hiding Place! They are all good books, but I would think The Diary of Anne Frank would be more on grade level for your 7th grader.

[TeacherZee]

Personally I read both when I was around your DDs age and I LOVED Number the Stars but hated Anne Franks Diary. (Please no rotten tomatoes :D) but at that age I found Anne to be whiny and self obsessed. Looking at it with more adult eyes maybe I wouldn't have felt the same way but I know that at your DDs age I really preferred Number the Stars. At that point the reading level of both books were easy for me but I just found Number the Stars more compelling. Maybe because it was set in Scandinavia where I grew up.

I do think that learning about Anne Frank is a good idea but maybe if there is a good movie that is a better option:001_smile:

Just another perspective.

[Ellie]

What about "The Summer of my German Soldier"? Or "The Chestry Oak."

[Kfamily]

more good ideas...:001_smile:

I'm still considering this... I may pick a couple and let dd choose another from a list of the rest...

I'll look up The Chestry Oak.

Thank you all!

I also found another book I'd forgotten about on my bookshelf-Letters from Rifka

I really need to get this down to two req. books, a book of choice and maybe the movie and docum.. I think with all we have going on next year this is all we can handle. These are fun decisions though!

[blessedmother]

The Hiding Place is one of my all time favorite books!!! Corrie Ten Boom is an amazing woman. I plan on my daughter reading it along with Number the Stars when we get to WWII and then maybe watch a documentary on Anne Frank.

[Lori D.]

"Number the Stars" was good; simple and short. "Twenty and Ten" is another short one about French school children who hid Jewish school children from the Nazis. Both are for grades 4-8, I'd guess (written on the younger end, but the more mature theme makes them usable with middle school)

We just finished reading Anne Frank today ( 9th and 10th gr. boys) as we finish up going through WW2! Because we're doing it aloud together, I chose to skip over several entries about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through in which she writes very frankly about her growing feelings of sexuality/sexual passion. Just wanted to let you know that theme is present in the book, and may be something to consider in making your selection.

FWIW, The Hiding Place is such a powerful and victorious testament that we *still* refer to Betsy and Corrie TenBoom and their choices and attitudes often, even though we read it aloud together about 4 years ago! Wonderful book!

Another good one is Escape From Warsaw, based on real people. Three Polish siblings in Warsaw are separated from their parents and have to survive in the bombed out rubble, and then try to find their parents in Switzerland after the war.

BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmly, Lori D.

[Kfamily]

Thank you, Lori. That was helpful because I did have this faint feeling about Anne Frank but couldn't remember since it was high school myself when I read it.

I think we will do this:

Read Number the Stars and The Hiding Place
Watch The Hiding Place movie (after reading it first)
Watch the docum. on Anne Frank (we may prewatch it first)
Let her choose another independent read from a list of a few others we have and have been suggested

This has been fun:001_smile: