What do you think?
Rate this book
You Wouldn't Want to Be ...
You Wouldn't Want to Be in the Trenches in World War One!
It's August 1914. You are 16-year-old Tommy Atkins, living in London. Set against a backdrop of the war just broken out in Europe, find out what your life was like after joining up and being sent to the trenches. From sharing your bed with rats and lice to a diet of bully beef, bread and biscuits, discover why you really wouldn't want to be a soldier living in a trench during World War One. Handy hints include how to protect your feet from trenchfoot, how to use pigeons as spies, and how to detect enemy tunnelling beneath your trench.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 16, 2018
4.0 This book does a nice job covering the basics of World War I trench warfare. I really enjoyed it, but these books always just make me feel like there is too much missing and that the overall product would be vastly improved if the number of pages were doubled.
August 25, 2015
While reading this book, I stopped to ask my husband (a WWI and II buff) if the facts were really true. He confirmed the accuracy of the book and became interested in the book himself.
August 4, 2018
Comically illustrated collection of interesting facts about WWI in the trenches. A good history book for the older child.
November 10, 2020
This is a picture book that puts you in the damp and muddy boots of a WWI soldier. It seems like a fiction text but it is packed full of facts about the life of the men that were fighting on the battlefields of the First World War.
The book takes you back to August 1914. You have to imagine being the character Tommy Atkins, a 16 year old from London who has decided to fight for his country. It explains the signing up process, army training and the terrible conditions in the trenches. The food was awful, there were pears and rats everywhere and you were in constant danger. For the first year, soldiers didn’t even have helmets and there was filthy water and mud everywhere!
The text is written in a way that is easy due kids to understand and the pictures make it more fun. It is illustrated on a colourful cartoon style. These are really serious facts about things that real men had to experience but the book helps you learn about it without it being to scary or upsetting for younger readers. I liked the quick facts and Handy Hint boxes.
I was also interested in the section about animals who took part in the war because I’ve just read Flo of the Somme (about a casualty dog in WWI).
By the end of the book I was glad that I don’t have to be in the trenches!
If you enjoy Horroble Histories, you’ll like this. It’s especially good for younger readers or people who prefer picture books because of the shorter text, clear facts and helpful drawings. There are lots more books in the series about other times in history too!
The book takes you back to August 1914. You have to imagine being the character Tommy Atkins, a 16 year old from London who has decided to fight for his country. It explains the signing up process, army training and the terrible conditions in the trenches. The food was awful, there were pears and rats everywhere and you were in constant danger. For the first year, soldiers didn’t even have helmets and there was filthy water and mud everywhere!
The text is written in a way that is easy due kids to understand and the pictures make it more fun. It is illustrated on a colourful cartoon style. These are really serious facts about things that real men had to experience but the book helps you learn about it without it being to scary or upsetting for younger readers. I liked the quick facts and Handy Hint boxes.
I was also interested in the section about animals who took part in the war because I’ve just read Flo of the Somme (about a casualty dog in WWI).
By the end of the book I was glad that I don’t have to be in the trenches!
If you enjoy Horroble Histories, you’ll like this. It’s especially good for younger readers or people who prefer picture books because of the shorter text, clear facts and helpful drawings. There are lots more books in the series about other times in history too!
January 1, 2021
The book « You wouldn’t want to be in the trenches in World War one » was written by Alex woolf, illustrated by David Antram and created and designed by David Salaries.
This book, document us on history and the life of soldiers during “the World War one” the way of how the soldiers were recruited until trenches, Noman’s-land, and traumatism of War. The author [book:You Wouldn't Want to Be in the Trenches in World War One! The author explains us the way funny how the soldiers were trained, the life in the trenches and the end of the War.
This book is a real goal to document on the World War one. I have personally really appreciated the part of trenches, we can discover how the front was arranged, and the others parts like : the artilleries with machine gun at the long cannons which were placed behind the trenches.
It's a very good book and I recommend it !!!
This book, document us on history and the life of soldiers during “the World War one” the way of how the soldiers were recruited until trenches, Noman’s-land, and traumatism of War. The author [book:You Wouldn't Want to Be in the Trenches in World War One! The author explains us the way funny how the soldiers were trained, the life in the trenches and the end of the War.
This book is a real goal to document on the World War one. I have personally really appreciated the part of trenches, we can discover how the front was arranged, and the others parts like : the artilleries with machine gun at the long cannons which were placed behind the trenches.
It's a very good book and I recommend it !!!
May 9, 2019
The good points are that this book is attainable for all language levels because it is generally easy to read.
Thanks to the images, it can be really understandable because the pictures summarize the text.
However, the only negative point is that there is no story (with main character and adventures) in this book because it is only an adapted documentary.
Thanks to the images, it can be really understandable because the pictures summarize the text.
However, the only negative point is that there is no story (with main character and adventures) in this book because it is only an adapted documentary.
November 23, 2020
This book is gonna SURPRISE you !!
Alex Woolf was born in London in 1964. He has worked as a writer and editor for over 20 years and has published over 40 works of fiction and non-fiction.
This book isn't his first book
This is the story of a soldier and he gives the reader many clues on how to live in the trenches.
Alex Woolf was born in London in 1964. He has worked as a writer and editor for over 20 years and has published over 40 works of fiction and non-fiction.
This book isn't his first book
This is the story of a soldier and he gives the reader many clues on how to live in the trenches.
Want to read
January 13, 2022This book was written by Alex woolf in August 1914. Against the backdrop of the war that has just broken out in Europe, find out what life was like after you enlisted and were sent to the trenches.
Each chapter is more exciting than the last one, my favourite part is when Tommy is in the trenches.
In my opinion this book should be read by children and teenagers.
Each chapter is more exciting than the last one, my favourite part is when Tommy is in the trenches.
In my opinion this book should be read by children and teenagers.
August 24, 2023
nice M1 garand with knife bayonet
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews