World War I for Kids

Overview

An educational and interactive children’s guide to the Great War

In time for the 2014 centennial of the start of the Great War, this activity book provides an intriguing and comprehensive look at World War I, which involved all of the world’s superpowers during a time of great technological and societal change. Emphasizing connections among events as well as the war’s influence on later historical developments, it leads young readers to fully understand the most important aspects of the war, including how the war came about, how changing military technology caused the western front to bog down into a long stalemate, how the war fostered an era of rapid technological advances, and how the entry of the United States helped end the war. The book explores topics of particular interest to kids, such as turn-of-the-20th-century weaponry, air and naval warfare, and the important roles animals played in the war. Relevant crosscurricular activities expand on concepts introduced and illuminate the era of the early 1900s, including making a periscope, teaching a dog to carry messages, making a parachute, learning a popular World War I song, and more.

Reviews

“Makes a useful addition to many collections...Even students who are unenthusiastic about warfare will find themselves intrigued by chapters such as “Animals Go to War ..."  —Booklist

“[World War I for Kids] explains the war without talking down to kids.” —Austin American-Statesman

“The inclusion of accompanying activities would make this a particularly useful volume for teachers looking to incorporate such activities into their lessons. This would be an essential purchase for most public libraries.” —YA Books Central

“Every so often a really outstanding book comes along for younger readers. When a book like World War I for Kids comes along, it offers an opportunity that a parent should embrace.” —Bookreviews by Alan Caruba

“Organized, thorough, and accessible. An engaging start for students learning about World War I.” —School Library Journal

“This is a great resource to have for your history library. It’s engaging and not too text-bookish. As an unschooling family it was right up our alley, even as high schoolers. I wish I had all the books in this series.” —Mama Kautz

“Highly recommended, especially for middle grade school library and children’s public library collections.” —The Midwest Book Review

Author Biography

R. Kent Rasmussen holds a Ph.D. in history from UCLA and is the author or editor of more than 20 books, including several award-winning titles on history, including The United States at War. He is best known for his many books on Mark Twain, including Mark Twain A to Z, Mark Twain for Kids, and Dear Mark Twain: Letters from His Readers.