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    The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War
    Unavailable
    The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War
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    The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War
    Audiobook6 hours

    The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War

    Written by David Almond, John Boyne, A. L. Kennedy and

    Narrated by Nico Evers-Swindell, JD Jackson, Gerard Doyle and

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In a powerful collection, eleven internationally acclaimed fiction writers draw on personal objects to bring the First World War to life for listeners of all ages.

    A toy soldier. A butter dish. A compass. Mundane objects, perhaps, but to the remarkable authors in this collection, artifacts such as these have inspired stories that go to the heart of the human experience of World War I. Each author was invited to choose an object that had a connection to the war-a writing kit for David Almond, a helmet for Michael Morpurgo-and use it as the inspiration for an original short story. What results is an extraordinary collection, illustrated throughout by the award-winning Jim Kay and featuring photographs of the objects with accounts of their history and the authors' reasons for selecting them. A blend of fiction and real-life events, this unique anthology provides young readers with a personal window into the Great War and the people affected by it, and serves as an invaulable resource for families and teachers alike.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateApr 14, 2015
    ISBN9781501221682
    Unavailable
    The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War
    Author

    David Almond

    David Almond is an experienced author who specializes in paranormal fiction. The recipient of a Hans Christian Andersen Award, a Carnegie Medal, and a Michael L. Printz Award, he currently resides in England.

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    Reviews for The Great War

    4/5

    32 ratings15 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a collection of original short stories inspired by artifacts from the First World War. Authors include Michael Morpurgo, Tracy Chevalier, and Marcus Sedgwick. The stories all feature children or teens. Some are more successful than others. The story that appealed most to me was “Our Jacko” by Michael Morpurgo, about a 21st century teenager for whom the First World War became personal with the discovery of a great-grandfather who lost his life in the war. The audio version uses several narrators, and each reader’s voice suits the story he or she reads. Candlewick Press seems to consistently publish high quality children’s and young adult books, and this anthology is no exception.
    • 3/5
      This story collection has different authors, all given the task to write a story around an item from World War I.I honestly have little to say about this book--I recall a few of the stories. I listened to it over the summer, as it was part of the Audiobook Sync downloads. Don’t expect happy stories; these are stories of what happens to each person during the war. Authors all took different approaches. One story involves students having to write about the history of their family. The father recalls a box with faint recollections of its contents. The story reveals the few items of an almost forgotten family member and his sacrifice for Britain. Another story talks about boys who tend to do the “wrong” thing. They continue this trend even though the sister tells them it’s going to happen and steal a package meant for the troops. There’s a twist at the end. There are perhaps around 10 stories in this anthology.Overall, it’s a nice memorial to those who died in an almost forgotten war that ended 100 years ago. It was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. Of course, those soldier’s children were involved in World War II. I think I would have enjoyed reading the stories more than listening.
    • 4/5
      As with all anthologies, this was a mix of good, bad, and mediocre. I was a bit terrified of how this would be when I heard the first reader's voice. And then she read the second story as well. She was HORRIBLE. But thankfully, there were other readers as well. Maud's story and the one with the cigarette were my favorites.
    • 5/5
      I rarely read short stories, but requested an Advance Copy of this book, because I am trying to include books about World War I in my book selections this year. So glad I did! This book is one of my best reads so far in 2015 and is the kind of book that lingers with you long after the last page is finished. The objects and the authors' choices of perspective gave the collection a great deal of variety, and yet the book was bound together by strong emotion and by recognition of the sacrifices required by soldiers and families during the war. Illustrations by Jim Kay evoke the shattering desolation of the battlefield. This book would be terrific to use in middle school or high school classes for either Language Arts or History! I'll close with one of my favorite passages, from David Almond's story about a soldier's writing case, "A World That Has No War in It":"Do that, children. Use John's pencil. Use your pens. Write a world that has no war in it. You're young. Be brave. Be proper heroes. Write a world that's better than the world before."Read this book!
    • 4/5
      The stories in this collection seem to vary widely in reader appeal, and it's a safe bet that a half-dozen readers would rank the stories in at least as many different ways. The book would serve as a worthy supplement to a high-school history course, but I don't think many younger students have enough background cultural knowledge to understand or enjoy most these stories. As an adult, I enjoyed the collection as a whole, even though the tone of the stories was dark. The inclusion of photographs of the objects that inspired the stories was fascinating, and I soon found myself reading about each item before reading the corresponding story. Doing so did not "give away" or otherwise spoil the stories. Readers who are searching for a glimpse into the WWI era as told through stories should enjoy this collection, but each reader will certainly find that some stories hold more appeal to them than others.
    • 5/5
      This book is meant for Young Adult readers but I found it very thought-provoking even though it has been a long time since I was young. Various writers were asked to write a short story inspired by items from World War I which started in 1914, over 100 years ago. I think this is such a great idea to acquaint young people with the sacrifices and horror and heroism of war.One of the items was a small tin that was filled with items such as cigarettes or candy which was sent to each soldier for Christmas 1914. Seventeen-year-old Princess Mary set up a fund for these boxes. Tracy Chevalier wrote a wonderful story about one particular box that made its way to the front lines. This story really resonated with me because I have one of these boxes. A friend gave it to me when I had my first real job after finishing university. I used it to hold my business cards when I was working and now that I am retired I keep postage stamps in it. I never open it without thinking about the hands that must have opened it in 1914. I presume since it ended up in Winnipeg that the soldier must have made it back home safely but Chevalier's story does say that lots of men sent them back to their families while they were still at the front. So I will never know its history but it is a constant reminder to me of "The Great War".My only quibble with this book is that it contains no stories about Canada even though Canadian troops fought in all the major battles in France and Belgium including Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele and over 65,000 Canadians died. There are stories about English, Irish, Australians, French and even the Americans who didn't come into the war until 1917. I know we have lots of great writers in Canada so that can't be the reason for the omission. For anyone interested in the Canadian viewpoint I can recommend Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery. I also saw recommendations online for Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Iain Lawrence and Charlie Wilcox and Charlie Wilcox's Great War by Sharon E. McKay. Finally I give you the famous poem by Canadian John McCrae, In Flanders Fields:In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.
    • 4/5
      I've mentioned before on LT that anthologies usually disappoint me, but this book was a decent change. I will say that I didn't realize that it was a children's book, so in that aspect I was more surprised than disappointed. The stories were well-written and appropriate for the age group which they were written for. My main issue with the stories is that they were all fairly similar in the "war is bad" sort of way. And that they stories were mainly about white Brits and the Allies. I would have liked more racial diversity in that aspect, or at the very least some stories about the Axis powers. Over-all the stories were interesting (though some more than others) and I thought the whole premise of stories based on items was very intriguing. My particular favorite was Captain Rosalie. I appreciate that many of the authors were women but I am highly disappointed that there were no authors of color to be seen, and on top of that a couple stories were about people of color written by white people, which is incredibly upsetting. There are a lot of things I would like to change about this book, but, unfortunately, I can't say I'm surprised.
    • 4/5
      I was very happy to receive this book as part of the Early Reviewer program. World War I has always represented a fascinating time in history for me and I like the concept behind this book--different young adult authors have composed short pieces based on various artifacts from the war. Yes, as some of the previous reviewers have mentioned--the stories are quite dark. However, what else would one expect from stories detailing one of the most brutal periods in humanity? I really enjoyed each story in this collection and think it would be great to use in cross-curricular units in a middle or high school.
    • 3/5
      This would be a good addition to a short story collection. I can't say that I enjoyed the illustrations, but the stories based on actual objects from that time period really gave a snapshot of the times The book concludes with information about each of the objects and about the individual authors.
    • 4/5
      A collection of short stories inspired by World War I artifacts from the Imperial War Museum.
    • 5/5
      As soon as I finished this collection of short stories I wanted to read it again. I actually kept picking it up and glancing through it, sadly wishing I hadn't devoured it so fast. I enjoyed the writing and the concept of writing one story based on a single object from the war was brilliant. I felt as if the book did a good job memorializing those who lost their lives and remembering those who served and returned. Some books you read and then pass on, this book you read and keep so that you can read it again. (It also gave a boost to my creative writing muse, so other writers might also enjoy the collection from that perspective.)
    • 4/5
      This collections of short stories by eleven well-regarded young adult authors conveys the extent of the effects of World War I on those left at home. The main characters of the stories are mostly pre-teens and from the British Empire, with the exception of one soldier in the Harlem Hellfighters. A somber tone unifies the stories, but their styles and impact are as unique as the authors. I did not find the graphic design of this collection appealing, from the black and white illustrations to the diagonal captions. Since each story was centered around a particular World War I memento, it would have been useful to show that item with the story rather than including them all as a kind of glossary at the end of the book. World War I may not be well-understood by middle grade readers, and for those who are motivated to learn about it, this collection my be a good introduction that will be both informative and moving.
    • 1/5
      I read three stories then decided to DNF. You'll see why as follows:1. Our Jacko by Michael Morpurgo - I've really enjoyed the books I've read by this author so was looking forward to this one. It turned me the wrong way though. I found it overly sentimental in a fake emotional way that goes for the heartstrings and is supposed to make the reader all weepy. Frankly, it made me roll my eyes. There was an emphasis on white flowers and the symbolism of them which made me think of the "white poppy" campaign that goes on these days on Remembrance Day, which I am emphatically opposed to. (1/5)2. Another Kind of Missing by A.L. Kennedy - The war is over and a boy tells of visiting his father in the nearby hospital, a converted Duke's manor and estate. Very morose and depressing, though it honours the servicemen adequately. (2/5)3. Don't Call It Glory by Marcus Sedgwick - Ugh! This so depressing and anti-war. Concentrating on a WWI German soldier who died, we are somehow supposed to think that fighting WWII was "futile" and "unjustified"! Tell that to the Jewish and Polish. This story does feature a boy wearing a white poppy on remembrance day and actually targets a man selling red poppies as "righteous" and "unshakable". Offensive to the millions who have died in war both the victims and those who served. (0/5)At this point, I can't stomach to read another story. Obviously the stories are all anti-war, judgemental of the realities of history as it actually happened and propaganda pushing the white poppy. DNF
    • 3/5
      This is a fantastic collection of short stories. The idea of them all relating to an object from WWI allows for a tremendous diversity of stories — time periods, characters, voices, messages — without it feeling disjointed or disorganized.The artwork is gorgeous, dark, and brooding, and somehow gives the book a modern feel without be inappropriate to the time period.I found that some of the stories were a bit hit and miss for me, but hey, it's a short story collection, so that's to be expected. But a lot of them (like the one about the Harlem musician) will be sticking with me for a long time.
    • 4/5
      This is a collection of eleven short stories written by authors of young adult fiction. Following the stories is a section “About the Items”, with each item pictured, and receiving a half-page entry of information, much like a school textbook. The last section is “About the Contributors”, with a paragraph on each author. The book and its cover are illustrated by Jim Kay. I found all the stories to be quite dark, and the illustrations mirror that feeling. My favorite story was “Maud’s Story”, written by Adele Geras, about sisters who paint china in Staffordshire, and the special commission given to that company to produce “The War Time Butter Dish”, with a message about being frugal with food. Also interesting was “A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn” by Tanya Lee Stone (item-sheet music). Written as a musician member of The Clef Club, giving tribute to, and telling the story of, James Reese Europe and his 369th US Infantry “Hell Fighters” Band. Every story has children or young adult characters. The time settings vary a lot, from the time of WWI to the current time. With stories involving children of soldiers, to children in school learning about The Great War. It appears that my favorites were the least dark of the stories. Others dealt with the horrors of war, or death of family members. Many with the changes for those at the home front while their men were at war, and further changes afterwards, if they never came home, or came home different. I don’t know that it was all anti-war, as one reviewer stated. But, overall, it certainly gives YA readers the message that “War is Hell”.