Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #4

by Nathan Hale

World War I set the tone for the 20th century and introduced a new type of warfare: global, mechanical, and brutal. Nathan Hale has gathered some of the most fascinating true-life tales from the war and given them his inimitable Hazardous Tales twist. Easy to understand, funny, informative, and lively, this series is the best way to be introduced to some of the most well-known battles (and little-known secrets) of the infamous war.

Genres: Graphic Novels, History, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Historical, War, Comics

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 2014

About the author

Nathan Hale is the New York Times best-selling author/illustrator of the Hazardous Tales series, as well as many picture books including Yellowbelly and Plum go to School, the Twelve Bots of Christmas and The Devil You Know.

He is the illustrator of the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel, Calamity Jack. He also illustrated Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody, The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas, Animal House and many others.

(He is not the author of Extinction Earth or the other apocalyptic titles listed. That's a different Nathan Hale. If someone with "librarian" status would disambiguate those titles for me, I'd appreciate it.)

Learn more at www.spacestationnathan.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making a graphic novel that covers the entire span of WW I is an ambitious undertaking. Nathan Hale not only does this quite effectively, but also adds in a dash of humor and even incorporates animals. One very effective storytelling choice was to show the god Ares growing more and more out of control as the war progresses. This is a very dense graphic novel, but I was happy to spend the time working through the pages to gather the information provided in this compact volume. My favorite page is the one of the author at the WW I Museum in KC where I live. We are very proud of our museum and this graphic novel is a partner in helping the world remember what the Great War was all about.

Check out the new fiction title from Jennifer A. Nielsen covering the entire war through the eyes of five young people: Lines of Courage.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using animals to represent the different nations involved in World War I, Nathan Hale manages to give a comprehensive overview of the war that makes more sense than anything I ever learned in school. I knew that it started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, I knew roughly the years it took place in and the countries involved, but most teachers used WWI as a quick prologue to WWII. This book was a heartbreaking look at that great tragedy, actually bringing me to tears at the end. And as usual, the combination of humor and pictures as well as facts, charts, and quotes make this a great book for kids, much more accessible than a textbook or biography.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Hale entertained people during an "Author Klatch" at the American Library Association conference this summer. The man never took a breath. Holding his iPad like an auctioneer, he showed the different helmets from this book giving funny facts and holding the attention of the ten people at the table. He had about three minutes to promote his book before a bell rang and he moved on to the next table. His pacing in real life is reflected in his Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series. The latest novel, book 4, is a breathless overview of the complexities of World War I and all the players. Hale knows how to simplify facts, add humor, and provide visual aides that help not only students, but adults learn history. I always snag some weird fact from his graphic novels; this one had "Cher Ami" the hero pigeon. The countries are represented by animals adding terrific humor to a sober tale. His portrayal of the ever-growing mythical god, Ares, shows him normal sized and angry to gigantic and maniacal by the end, illustrating the insanity of the war. That said, the topic is so big and so overwhelming, I didn't like this book as well as the other three. Of course, I read it on a 25 hour start-to-finish trip to another country, so perhaps my jet lag was mirroring the war weariness of WWI. Hale's books are brilliant. I just wouldn't recommend starting with this one.

Nathan Hale (the character) tells Hangman and Provost about WWI using formal language that parodies so many dry historical textbooks students slog through in school. Provost loves it and Hangman is horrified. He wants something funny. Something exciting. He wants cute little animals. Hale obliges Hangman and the countries argue when they want similar animals. The Americans end up being bunnies and British bulldogs in a funny argument between the Provost and Hale. The animals help put some emotional distance between the reader and bloody war; however, the mind-blowing scale of death and destruction with the advent of trench warfare and new weaponry is still conveyed. The war ended more on weariness than one concluding victory.

I always learn more details from Hale (the author) than I ever did in my history classes. He adds little quirky facts that are memorable such as the assassination of Duke Ferdinand. I didn't know about the foiled first attempt and the Duke not seeking safety. Nor did I know about the cyanide pill that didn't work for the assassin. Hale shows the use of gas masks and the gas being changed during the war from chlorine to the deadlier phosgene. He shows how nationalism affected the war and how the Russian Revolution was an outgrowth of the conflicts. He covers so much ground and makes it fairly easy to understand. An amazing series.

[Karyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time in school that I took US History, we'd get just past the Civil War and Reconstruction, and maybe make it to the turn of the 20th century, but then we'd start running out of time. So the causes of WWI were never really made clear to me. I was told that it was due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but how did the death of one man cause so much death and destruction and chaos?

Well, thanks to graphic artist Nathan Hale, now I know. He does an amazing job describing the nationalism and militarism that gave rise to the War to End All Wars. I especially liked his image of Ares, the God of war, who became ever larger and more mechanized as the war dragged on. I am just blown away that so many men died in this conflict that didn't have much of a cause and resolved even less.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in history and filling in the gaps in one's knowledge.

[Stephanie Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, writer and artist Nathan Hale has come up with a clever way to tell a true Hazardous Tale. In this fourth book of the graphic novel series, he tells about World War I, and he makes all of the citizens of each country the same kind of animal; the Germans are eagles, the English are bulldogs, the people of Belgium are lions, the Russians are bears, etc. Much easier than trying to remember them by what they wear!
There’s nothing good about WWI. It was savage, brutal, and unnecessarily deadly for nine million soldiers. There wasn’t enough room to include everything from a war that lasted over four years and I thank Hale for leaving out the worst of the worst, as this series is intended for middle grade students.
Hale’s presentation of the start, the major events, and the armistice signing of this war shows us that this was an atrocity. It was something that never should have happened. Someone assassinated an Archduke and cooler heads did not prevail? This ends up in most of the entire world sending their young men to be slaughtered or freeze to death? Just heartbreaking.
As always, the Hangman offers laughs so it doesn’t get too dark, but still, this volume was a little hard on my emotions.

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Making a graphic novel that covers the entire span of WW I is an ambitious undertaking. Nathan Hale not only does this quite effectively, but also adds in a dash of humor and even incorporates animals. One very effective storytelling choice was to show the god Ares growing more and more out of control as the war progresses. This is a very dense graphic novel, but I was happy to spend the time working through the pages to gather the information provided in this compact volume. My favorite page is the one of the author at the WW I Museum in KC where I live. We are very proud of our museum and this graphic novel is a partner in helping the world remember what the Great War was all about. **Review by Darla from the Red Bridge Branch**

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic way to teach history! Engaging, informative, creative, concise, and funny... and even taught this history teacher learned a thing or two! Also, some of the messages of war and its impact were so simple but beautifully illustrated. Highly recommended!

[Mr. Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hauntingly captivating graphic novel. A kids book shouldn’t be this good.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly this one was boring to me and not as funny, but I still learned some things.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: Not sure why I picked this up again, but just as good second time through. Main new thing I learned (which I guess I missed before): among all the new offensive weapons developed during the war (tanks, machine guns, flamethrowers, etc.), the major defensive development was the introduction of steel helmets in 1915, as a direct result of the endless trench warfare. That is, with snipers picking off anyone who stuck their heads up over the parapets, and with artillery raining all sorts of debris down on soldiers, they quickly realized that the soft British trench caps, French kepis and even German leather pickelhuabe didn't provide any real protection at all.

Since my first reading, this series has added another WWI story—Above the Trenches: A World War I Flying Ace Tale—which I will most definitely read as soon as it becomes available!

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Surprisingly effective and comprehensive summary of an incredibly complex war for "younger readers"—but guess I shouldn't be surprised, as I've enjoyed several other books in this remarkable series, (although I'm done for a while; remaining topics aren't of particular personal interest). All the more unusual as Hale portrays all his characters as animals rather than people—the Germans are eagles, Russians are bears, French are roosters, etc.—but that really does help keep the various armies straight once masses of tiny figures hit the battlefield.



As with the other books, I actually learned a lot here—particularly what was going on is the Balkans during the war. Highly recommended, if only to see how Hale manages to pull this outlandish concept off.

[Tanya Wadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

We absolutely love these amazing history books written in "graphic novel" form. We love them so much that we have read all four books in about 3 weeks and can't wait for his new release about Harriet Tubman in April 2015.

This one is about World War I... I learned a ton... what a sad and pathetic war... WOW... and what a super interesting book that helps you keep the different countries and their roles apart through animal characters.

I will say that my 5,7, and 10 year old children LOVED each of his books... but some parents might feel that the subject matter is too tough for younger kids (war, death, and so forth).

Thanks Nathan Hale!

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice introduction to the general causes and dynamics of the First World War. Granted, and by Hale's own admission, there's a lot that he leaves out, but this is still a good coverage of the action on the Western front...and some of the Eastern, as well. I enjoyed this one more than I did One Dead Spy, perhaps because I enjoy military history, and this book was primarily based on it. Bravo!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, Nathan Hale! I cannot believe that one graphic novel tackled all of WWI in a way that was both easy to follow and fun to read. Recommended for grades 4 - 6.

[Colton]

i like how they did animals instead of people

[Tamara York · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazingly ambitious installment in the series covering an overview of WWI, start to finish, using animals to represent all of the different countries involved. I didn’t understand why WWI started until I was an adult and studied it more in depth. This book does a great job of explaining everything in a way that kids (and adults) can understand and follow. There is even a dash of humor thrown in here and there to lighten up a pretty depressing subject. Well done, but perhaps too big in scope for one book.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I... actually understand WWI now? Never thought I'd see the day.

[Ezekiel Pettit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it.
I learned lots about WW1 that I had not known before, like how tanks were first used in WW1 and how they got their name. I really didn't know much about that war before I read this book.

[Claire Askew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me reading In Memoriam: "God, WW1 really was just an absolute mess of misery and despair"

Me reading The Warm Hands of Ghosts: "God, WW1 really was just an absolute mess of misery and despair"

Me reading this: "God, WW1 really was just an absolute mess of misery and despair"

It really, really was! This was one of my favorites of the Hazardous Tales so far. It made a very complicated conflict feel comprehensible without being oversimplified. It was simultaneously entertaining and respectful of the incredible death and destruction. Moving, informative, as fun as a story of staggering hubris and pointless war can be.

[Jason M]

this is a good book for all those historians

[RaspberryRoses · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me realize like... how little I knew about WW1. I knew some very broad strokes, but I had some major gaps in my knowledge that I'm glad I was able to fill.

It's a daunting task to try and summarize all of WW1 as a middle grade graphic novel, but I think it was achieved pretty well. I think the Ares stuff was a bit too pretentious, IMO - you already have the frame narrative of telling this information to people from the revolutionary war + the animal metaphors for the nations, and I just think it's one layer too far. Characters in the book would even point out how out of place it felt.

[TWAL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute best of the Nathan Hales Hazardous Tales series! It shows the entire story of World War One while skimming over a few things, such as the air war, which is explained more in depth in Above The Trenches. I like how it simplifies the war, by symbolizing the country’s as animals related to the country. A definite read for people who like graphic novels, and history.

[stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made learning history kinda fun (besides all the deaths and stuff).

[nicole]

oh this was GOOD. thank you claire for putting this in my hands- my first nathan hale book and it really didnt disappoint! i'm amazed at how hale was able to make such a staggering topic accessible and informative and even play around in the comic medium while doing so. i'm grateful kids have these books to make history more engaging- i know i would have devoured this series!!

[Erica-Nate Gosser-Marrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great books
Keeps historical fiction interesting. Keeps my son reading for hours.

[Meaghan Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m currently teaching a unit on World War I to my fourth grade class and a student brought me this book to read. It is a surprisingly thorough and accurate account of WWI, told in a way that students connect with, while still understanding the horror and destruction of the war. I’m curious to check out other books in the series. I think my class would like them.

[Olamide Olakunle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informational. I would have preferred more visuals. I enjoyed this book and I learned a lot. I Specifically enjoyed how the book depicted the leaders of the country as animals. The book did a lot of things very well. One more part of the book I liked was how the three characters we followed always had an information tib bit about what was going on

Now some things I didn't enjoy. During some parts of the book, I'm am lost. The book tended to many introduce charaters on the same page. Even though all the counties were depicted as animals. I mentioned this before but I wished there were more visuals in the book. there were not "too many words" per se but I would have enjoyed a more interactive adventure.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun time learning about wars.

Would read again

(ela project)

[orangerful · Rating 5 out of 5]

World War I was hard to understand even when people were living through it. You sort of gloss over it in history classes because there is no clear-cut "bad guy" like in World War II. World War I was a mess, not only when it came to who was allied with who, but also because of all the new technology that was emerging so we had lots of different ways to kill each other.

Nathan Hale has managed to condense it all down to 124 pages and it works! I came into this book only knowing WWI from watching Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as a kid and basic high school history lessons. Even though it feels like he is being goofy, assigning different animals to each country really helped keep the players clear.

This is a fantastic introduction to The Great War, for kids, teens, or adults. I know I learned so much.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!! One might think that a graphic novel that is under 150 pages and covers an entire war would be so broad in scope that it would fail to tell a compelling tale or do justice to the years of carnage that were Word War I. Fortunately this book was able to do the exact opposite. The author was able to give the overall basic ideas behind World War I and yet still tell a dramatic tale with instances of great detail. Obviously, there had to be some omissions and generalities, but the author did an admirable job of mixing it up. The touch of humor that was appropriately mixed in and the complex ideas that were made easier through skillful writing make this book a must for anyone who is interested in learning about World War I in a fun and meaningful way.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a much more ambitious story than any of the others so far, and Hale points out several times throughout the book that he's just skimming the surface, and has left out huge portions of the war to focus on what happened in Europe. Much less humor as well, though it's certainly still there - when hundreds of thousands or millions of people are dying on each page, there's a little less room for jokes. I prefer the more personal stories in the series that I've read so far (the Donner Party and Harriet Tubman), but this book was still pretty amazing!

For another amazing graphic novel (for a slightly older crowd) which deals more with the experiences of the soldiers, check out "Above the Dreamless Dead: World War I in Poetry and Comics," edited by Chris Duffy.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was amaaaaaazing! I could not put it down, despite the grim subject. The countries involved in WWI were depicted as animals, which brought to mind Animal Farm in the best ways.

The writing is top notch, the descriptions/explanations of the action and the technology were easy to understand and well presented, and the jokes were funny and slyly worked in. I will read any and all books in this series because they are as fascinating as they are factual.

Recommended for grades 5-8+.