War Boy

Title: War Boy

Author: Michael Foreman

Biography #3

 War Boy was one of the more unusual books I have read this semester. Told by English artist and children’s book illustrator, Michael Foreman, he recounts his experiences during childhood growing up in a small village in England during the war. Frequently under attack, Michael and his family are literally living on a battlefield! The remainder of the book details his experiences including rationing and raids. I personally learned a great deal from reading this memoir and feel that children can especially relate to this book because it is told through the eyes of a child.  

The text is pretty simple and fairly easy to read and understand but it is the pictures that truly make the story! They are detailed and absolutely beautiful to look at. One can learn a lot just from looking at what the illustrations have to offer. I particularly enjoyed the diagrams because they helped me understand what he was talking about better. I also liked the authentic looking historical documents he drew, there are several letters and notices that help the reader get a better feel of the story and the time. In the end, though I must admit this story wasn’t my favorite, I would still recommend it for students in 3-6 grade and think it has tremendous educational merit.