D-Day

A True Book

by Peter Benoit

As the largest, deadliest conflict in history, World War II was one of the defining events of the 20th century. Between 1939 and 1945, this massive conflict affected almost every corner of the globe. Readers will get an up-close look at the battles, weapons, and military forces that drove this landmark war. On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to launch a massive attack on Nazi Germany. Readers will discover how the attack was carefully planned and carried out, from how the location was chosen to which kinds of vehicles and weapons were used. They will also learn about the battle's impact on the rest of the war and find out why it is still remembered as such an important victory today.

Genres: History

48 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2014

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why is D-Day still remembered as such an important victory, even today? Though the event took place over seventy years ago, on June 6, 1944, this massive Allied attack was a turning point for World War II, and required careful planning and deep secrecy to execute. Readers will discover how the Allies managed to coordinate the movements of more than 150,000 troops on the beaches of Normandy, France, in order to launch a massive attack on Nazi Germany. Also included are descriptions of the kinds of vehicles and weapons used.

The carefully researched, well-written text features bold print, captions, and sidebars to provide clarity and assist student researchers in their studies. Liberal use of photographs, maps, and timelines enrich and enhance the text. This is useful springboard for student research, as well as an informative text for history buffs interested in this time period.

[Donald Scoby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book for my own research and writing about a D-day topic. While this book didn't give information on my very specific and unique topic (Bill Millin), it did appear to be excellent for its target audience. I am rather uncomfortable, however, with a history book that says it is a ‘true’ history book.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a fine book and I will add it to our collection, but I think it misses some opportunities. I did not think the composition of the allied forces was well explained. The author never explicitly stated that Russia was an ally. Neither was the concept of a Western front and an Eastern front made clear. I was sorry no mention of the frogmen recon missions were made. These secret missions that collected sand samples to determine which beaches were structurally suited for invasion are a great hook for kids.The loss of life of the parachute troops and glider pilots was not mentioned, I assume to allow for a more upbeat tone.

[Panda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an easy-to-read book explaining to younger readers the overall key events of World War II of which D-Day was a key part obviously. The neat bit about the book is that it puts it into time context.

It is, overall, a very good introduction and describes the overall situation of the war in europe without the horrors of the holocaust.

My only criticism is that the text is far too big and makes it appear baby-ish. A small child would not be reading this book!