One Boy's War Book Review & Book Tour Giveaway

I love historical fiction--especially fiction based on real characters and events. This week, I had the opportunity to read and review two historical fiction novels: Boy from Berlin and One Boy's War.  Today, I am sharing my review of One Boy's War--and will have a review of Boy From Berlin tomorrow!  Read my thoughts, learn about the books and the author & enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

Book Title:  One Boy's War by Nancy McDonald
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12),  134 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Publisher:  Iguana Books
Release date:   April, 2020
Content Rating:  G. There is no violence, bad language etc. in this book.

Raves for Boy From Berlin by Nancy McDonald:

"Inspired by a true story, Boy from Berlin shares a unique voice in the Holocaust. Highly recommended!” - Jennifer Roy, author of Yellow Star, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award.
 
“A compelling introduction to themes of war, courage and identity, certain to engage young readers.” - Trilby Kent, author of Stones for my Father, winner of the TD Canadian Children’s Literary Award.

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About the Book

ENGLAND, SUMMER 1940. Following a brush with death in the Irish Sea, 10-year-old Käfer Avigdor unexpectedly finds himself back in London. There, he stumbles upon a sinister Nazi plot that targets hundreds of people in Britain—including the most powerful man in the country. The one person who might be able to defeat Adolf Hitler. With the Germans threatening to invade England at any moment, Käfer musters all his courage and ingenuity in a valiant effort to thwart the Nazis. But will he succeed in time to save the day? One Boy’s War, the sequel to Boy from Berlin, is inspired by real people and historical events.

 

My Review

One Boy's War Transports Readers to Another Time and Place. While the book is a relatively short one in length--the author makes excellent use of every page to tell Käfer's story. Nancy McDonald launches readers immediately into the action on the first page and keeps the storyline moving to the end. With a memoir-like feel, readers are easily transported to Käfer's world--and will experience the War from his perspective. Readers will experience 1940 London through his eyes and words. The author does a beautiful job sharing the story with a blend of childlike innocence and wonders mingled with the realities of darkness, fear, and uncertainty. 

 

One Boy's War Middle-Grade Fiction that Adults will Love Too. I love finding books that families can read together! The author does a fantastic job entertaining and educating readers while sharing a clean, family-friendly, fictional story based on real events suitable for parents and children alike. 

 

Would I Recommend One Boys' War by Nancy McDonald? I loved this book! The stories and "memories" that Käfer shared are so realistic that I felt that I was reading his actual diary! Readers will love the adventures--and the easy to read/easy to understand chapters. I highly recommend this book to families interested in historical fiction based on real-life events! One Boys' War is the second book in a series--but I read it out of order without realizing it! Now that I have read both books, I would recommend reading them in order simply to keep the time frame in an ordered context--but the storytelling of each book allows for a full story in each novel for readers to love!

Buy the Book

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Chapters Indigo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
Abe Books ~ Book Depository ~ Books-A-Million
Add to Goodreads

You May Also Want to Read:

 

Book Title:  Boy from Berlin by Nancy McDonald
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12),  142 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Publisher:  Iguana Books
Release date:   May 7, 2018
Format available for review:  PDF
Tour dates: September 14 to October 2, 2020
Content Rating:  G. There is no violence, bad language etc. in this book.

 

About the Book

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Berlin, April 1938. One night, eight-year-old Käfer Avigdor uses his specialty toilet-paper roll binoculars to spy on his Mama and Aunt Charlotte. The whispered conversation he overhears alerts him to a danger he didn’t know existed and starts him rethinking who he really is and where he belongs. Within hours, Käfer and his family flee their comfortable life. In a desperate race to stay one step ahead of the Nazis, Käfer is called on to be braver and more resourceful than he ever imagined possible. But will it be enough? Boy from Berlin is based on real people and actual events.

 

About the Book 

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca
Chapters Indigo.ca ~ Barnes & Noble ~IndieBound
Abe Books ~ Book Depository ~ Books-A-Million
Add to Goodreads

 

Meet the Author

Nancy McDonald began her career as a journalist on television programs that include W5, Canada AM, and Marketplace before going on to become a sought-after freelance writer, penning everything from documentaries to live-action scripts to comic books. One Boy’s War is the highly anticipated sequel to Boy from Berlin. Nancy lives in Stratford, Ontario, where she revels in Shakespeare, takes theatergoers on tours of the Costume Warehouse, and treads the boards with the Perth County Players. She also works part-time at Fanfare Books, Stratford’s only independent bookseller.

connect with the author:   website ~ twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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