History curriculum: different perspectives of WW2 in junior fiction

Until the Road Ends by Phil Earle

Told from Beau the dog's perspective, this is a heartwarming tale of friendship, bravery and resilience. Just like Phil's previous book, When the Sky Falls, it's also a fantastic choice for a class read.

"World War II has long been a staple of the curriculum, with classics like Michelle Magorian’s Goodnight Mr Tom the go-to novel to support their teachings. I started receiving tweets and emails from educators, telling me they’d jettisoned Mr Tom for Joseph and Adonis from When the Sky Falls. The messages kept coming, as did the most phenomenal photos and videos: classes re-enacting key scenes, re-writing chapters from Adonis’ point of view.

"What I LOVE about it being used in classes, is the fact that it is being read aloud to students. It reminds me instantly of how I LOVED being read to in class. It was a golden half hour in our day. So thank you teachers, and librarians, indeed anyone who has read this book aloud. It’s a special thing you’re doing. Please don’t ever stop."

Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan 

A young girl helps in the resistance work by members of the Grand Mosque in Paris, whose bravery saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during World War II.

"Animal-loving, map-obsessed, and at times a little fiery, Safiyyah dreams of being an explorer, but her world collapses once her city falls to the Germans. She gets sucked into the resistance, and ends up playing a more vital role in saving the lives of Jews than she could ever have fathomed. Ultimately, it’s a book about hope when all seems lost, of healing through trauma, and of light in the darkest night.

"Readers have described it as nail-biting-thrilling, from creepy catacombs to animal rescues, undercover Imams to rebellious librarians, there’s adventure, mystery, and plenty of heart (and fluffy cats!). It explores friendship, courage, oppression and freedom, and what it truly means to be human."

Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler 

Jewish sisters Mila and Hannie are sent to live in a different city in Nazi-occupied Holland with new identities, with Hanna eventually joining the Dutch resistance.

“Full disclosure: I got an ‘E’ in my History ‘O’ level. So, for me, getting young people interested in the subject of WW2 isn’t about teaching history. It’s about finding the personal stories.

As an author, I am much more interested in individual characters and their personal journeys and experiences than in historical events. For me, reading about or teaching WW2 is about the people, rather than facts and figures, or dates and incidents. This would always be my starting point.

The other important thing is to make the stories relatable. Find ways to make the links between the events of WW2 and young people’s experiences today, so that you are not just teaching about a period in history, but about what could happen in the future, or might to some extent be happening in the present day. 

My own interest in the subject is very personal. My dad and his parents were a Jewish family living in Austria when Hitler came to power. They only managed to escape to England because of an extraordinary moment of good fortune and the incredible kindness of an English couple. My dad’s story inspired my book, When The World Was Ours. During the research for that book, I came across a story about two sisters, Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, who, as teenage girls, joined the Dutch Resistance. I was so inspired by them that they became the inspiration for my latest book, Code Name Kingfisher. If either of these books can contribute to discussions about WW2 and to helping young people understand the issues more deeply, that is pretty much as good as it gets for an author.”

Rosie Raja: Mission to Cairo by Sufiya Ahmed