The Blitzed Brits

Horrible Histories #23

by Terry Deary, Kate Sheppard (Illustrator)

Learn all about the BLITZED BRITS, with all the nasty bits left in. Find out what really happened in Dad's Army, see how to make a rude noise with a gas mask and Learn why the Brits ate chicken-fruit, sinkers and nutty! Includes a grisly quiz to test your knowledge. These bestselling titles are sure to be a huge hit with yet another generation of Terry Deary fans.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Historical, Humor, Comedy, British Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

A former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29. Most famously, he is one of the authors of the Horrible Histories series of books popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated.

A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.

The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.

Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).

He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book from the family home. I loved finding all these on the bookshelf. I remember quite vividly getting these on consecutive occasions when I'd been 'good', and I'd quite often trace the pictures in them for my homework.

The Blitzed Brits is a great introduction into an area of history I never really explored in primary school, with the usual wit associated with Terry Deary. It wasn't my favourite, but it wasn't my least favourite either.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fun way to learn history. And even if you like me, a historian, think you know everything about the subject, you don't. The author has dug up funny stories, absurd things and practices that probably are news to a lot of people that did not live in those days. Give this book to anyone that says "history is boring"! I certainly will.

[Amanda Artist Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Horrible History series, this book in particular I've read dozens of times. The information is invaluable to me when I'm writing historical fiction!

[Chloe Reads Books]

All done with the box set!! Just in time to get these wrapped up for the kids for Christmas!

[O'Keeffe A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different illustrator than the rest of the series

[A.D. Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 'Horrible Histories' series of books are, without doubt, one of the most imaginative ways to introduce KS2 to history. The combination of easy to read text and cartoon style graphics is ideal for the younger reader, enabling the easy absorption of important historic information in a fun and entertaining way.

Horrible Histories - The Blitzed Brits is an excellent summation of day to day life in London and elsewhere doing the aerial bombardment of the early years of the war, and the experiences of London during the days and nights of the V1 doodlebugs. The book's style is light hearted but thoroughly engaging and gives the reader an understanding of life from the perspective of ordinary civilians, rather than the fighting soldier on the front line. Illustrator Kate Sheppard’s art perfectly matches Terry Deary’s text making the book both enlightening and easy to follow.
The book contains a wide variety of facts and figures to aid a child’s understanding of daily life, but also a range of stories of real life experiences, including the lives of the young evacuees, the effect of rationing, the blackouts and a rather interesting section on rhymes and poetry of the time. The book includes short quizzes, memory prompts and small ‘knowledge tests’ throughout the book. All in all an excellent read.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is the end, i have finally finished all of the horrible histories books. It's been one hell of an hilarious and gruesome journey through time!

It was just a shame that it had to end on such a steep slope. There was many things wrong, the biggest of them all is the illustrator is different and as a big fan of the book and art it was just disconnecting, it took me out wanting to learn as it was the comic cartoons that drew me in. As for the book, well the facts are as always spot on, but most of it i already knew, and some just felt like a rehash of woeful second world war! I hate to say this but it just didn't feel like horrible histories, it felt more like someone read a couple of the books and thought "hay i can do that" and did there research and made this book. It just didn't feel right to me, and as the last book in the collection i am really disappointed i had such high hopes, for only my balloon to pop. I'd say this book is more of a companion piece to the last book and it doesn't need to be read unless you want to learn a little more, and for me saying don't read a horrible histories book is criminal, and i can't believe im writing this now but honestly, you can skip this one, im just going to walk the streets for a while now, don't send help I'll be fine.

3/5 Stars on GoodReads 🌟🌟🌟

10/100 GingerPoints 🔥

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

some fun facts i learned

- library service in underground shelters
- barrage balloons to stop dive bombers - id seen these balloons in dr who lol but didn’t realise what they were / thought they were fake future etc
- just how much life was affected sacrificed can’t even imagine
- 38,000 children unclaimed after the war

[Olivia Ment · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun book. It presents history in a different and exciting way. The book contains so many fun facts and absurd stories that anyone who reads it is sure to learn something new. For children this would be a great book to get them interested in history. With the comic style writing it is brilliant for engaging those children who may struggle with reading.

[Jorge Rosas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny and easy to understand book about the Blitz and with the humorous style of the horrible histories it makes a great History book for the young and the adults.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a different way to learn historical facts. Some of them are unbelievable and some heartbreaking 💔
The illustrations are hilarious.

[Anneliese Bandrabur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny, interesting

[Guguk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Menceritakan apa yang terjadi di Inggris selama Perang Dunia II~ di mana lokasi perangnya kebanyakan di daratan Eropa, tapi London kebanjiran pesawat pengebom dari Jerman.

Seperti biasa, tragedi bersejarah ini diceritakan dengan jenaka, dengan tetap membawa pesan: Perang itu nggak nyari siapa yang menang, tapi cuma mengorek dari puing-puing, mencari siapa yang hancurnya lebih sedikit.

[Kunal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the Brits and how much bombs and missiles effected them. It is a very fun way of presenting boring non-fiction facts as interesting messages and stories.

There are no main characters in this book but instead there are different stories, dates and facts about things both I WWI and WWII.
There are also some quizzes on different things throughout the book and a medium sized one at the end.

Terry Deary, the author has a set of wonderful tricks to make anyone else happy to read his books. His several relations he makes between the past and present make it entertaining to read. His insane puns make a fine layer to top of his writing. Illustrations from Martin Brown and Kate Sheppard create comical and interesting scenes, sometimes jokes and puns or clever conversations.

I definitely recommend this book to people who like history in a gruesome eye gouging form. I also suggest reading the whole series of Horrible Histories as they are all just as good as this one. This book is a danger packed and non-fiction book that will get anyone amazed.

[Ummu Auni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd been aiming for this series since it first showed up at Book Xcess. Now, when I went to BBW, I'd the chance to browse through the books and I bought the whole set. I finished the first book last night, it was entertaining despite the gruesome facts, but Terry wrote with such wittiness and enthusiasm which made the histories much more interesting. If the history books were revamped and wrote like this one, definitely children and adults alike would love reading histories. Hurrah for the series! I'm enjoying it. History is not so boring after reading this book. It provided a different fresh perspective. The illustrations are witty, cute and made it more enjoyable. I wouldn't mind someone calling me a geek because I read this horrible histories books, hahaha!

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child history was one of my favourite school subjects thus making Horrible Histories the perfect books for me.

Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.

Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.

[Nayantara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is really no better way to get kids interested in history than by giving them a Terry Deary Horrible Histories! I loved these books as a kid and I love to collect them now. Deary's take on history is hilarious and interesting. It may not all be true but you definitely learn something!

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think these were the only history books I read until I was 20 years old. It sufficed!

Obviously it's not good for your only exposure to history to be the 100 most dramatic moments, the 100 most elite and unrepresentative people. (For each page of a regular history book I should imagine the lives of a thousand peasants.) But very few people have any grasp of history beyond this superficial roll call, so it didn't hurt me much to delay it.

Our need for "people's history" is great: it at least has a chance of being an accurate picture of the past. (Many particular instances of people's history are fatally false or misleading though, because the contrarianism and ideological heat of the topic draws parasites and shills.)

[Saiyara · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative insight into the British life during the Second World War.
Before reading this book war always meant the life on the front but now I know about another kind of war. The war that involves rationing and making air raid shelters. The kind of war where you ensure you have your gas mask with you at all times and always keep an ear out for the air raid shuttle. The constant fear of being bombed out at night. The pain of thousands of city kids at being separated from their parents to live in the country. And then the numerous deaths from the bombing, the destruction of countless buildings which serves as someone's home.
I found the peoples' attempt to carry on with their normal lives quite brave and endearing.
This book reminds you that war affects everyone, even the ones left behind in the relative safety of their homes. It reminds you that while war is a battle between countries, it is ultimately the innocents who suffer.

[Eowynselixure_book Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Horrible Histories - The Blitzed Brits - Terry Deary

I love Horrible Histories and ever since I read Girls in Tin Hats, a story based on the Birmingham Blitz earlier this year I have wanted to know more about the real life conditions of living during the Blitz.

Unfortunately this isn't really a focus on the Blitz alone but filled with lots of general information about WW2 but it was fascinating nevertheless.

For instance; did you know that about 38,000 children were unclaimed after the war? Part of the reason being that children coming home after evacuation found that either their family had died during the Blitz or their parents had simply moved!

As usual this Horrible History was filled with strange true stories and facts and it really highlighted the measures and laws brought in to restrict everyday lives, some of which seem absolutely absurd and some of which make sense.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro esta escrito para que los niños ingleses se identifiquen con niños de su edad pero en una época distinta durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial y que noten los cambios que ha habido en sus ciudades, como por ejemplo en el uso del sistema del Metro como refugio antiaéreo lo cual es muy bien método para hacer presente la historia




Además de contar con algunas anécdotas graciosas o curiosas de la época con tal de mostrar cómo la gente común lidiaba con el horror de la guerra; támbien tiene datos duros sobre los tiempos difíciles que se vivieron.



Pero eso si, acaban en una nota gloriosa con Churchill con la V de victoria; ya que al final de todo es una serie de libros sobre la historia de Inglaterra.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazingly, we’re not taught a great deal about actually living during the Blitz and what that would have been like while we’re in school. So it leads to a lot of assumptions about that time that we then see being used by people like politicians to show the spirit of the British people. But, as with anything, you will see the best of people and the worst of people.

There’s not really anything you can do about that unfortunately. The best you can do to try and guard against that is to do your own research and manage your own learnings which is where books like this can come in handy. It breaks down a huge part of British history in a way that is accessible and makes it fun, as well as stressing how important this time was.

Always worth a quick re read.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book.
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This book was pretty good but very long and had hardly any oragnization.
I guess its supposed to be fun for younger kids but it was about as long as a chapter book, good book but didn't come to what I was hoping.
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I love and hate how its organized, kind of messy and kind of organized, I also liked how it packed everything into a small book and explained everything.
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I love how it didn't leave anything out and basically put everything that happened during WWII to the brits during air raids, gas masks, shelters, everything.

I like this book.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book telling the hardships of the British people in WW2 in a fun way. My mother had told me of her experiences as a child during the war and the chapter about the evacuees particularly resonated. We have all faced restrictions due to the Covid 19 pandemic but what our recent ancestors went through for six years doesn't bear thinking about. No wonder street parties followed when war officially ended. I recommend this series of books entitled Horrible Histories as they make young and old think about what happened in the past as our history should never be forgotten.

[Xanthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was familiar with some of the content of this book though not all, so it was still worth a read. Although not invaded per se, the British civilian was still in peril thanks to German air bombings, and many did indeed die, were injured, and had their homes destroyed or damaged, as a result. Then there was the rationing, children being sent out to foster care in the countryside, suspicion and paranoia amongst the population etc. It all gets covered - briefly, as this book is aimed at children after all - and a fair amount of other relevant aspects of British life during WW2.

[Alyssa Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading history books has never been funny and entertaining. Terry Deary used his skills on telling amusing tales and facts about how British people survived and won the war. As the author himself had said that although the Britz and their allies have beaten the Nazis, they never won the war. Countless damages not just on soldiers but on those ordinary citizens, the women, and the children have lost their lives while on their homes. History is truly horrible sometimes.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm thoroughly enjoying rereading these Horrible Histories books that I haven’t read in over a decade! There is plenty of information included that you might not find in more 'traditional' history books.

The cartoons are brilliant and still make me giggle even after all these years and Terry Deary's writing is still as engaging as it was all those years ago.

Even if you're an adult historian you will still enjoy reading these, whether reading them for the first time or rediscovering them!

[Dawn's book diary · Rating 5 out of 5]

این کتاب مجموعه‌ی «تاریخ ترسناک» درباره‌ی بمباران‌های شهرهای بریتانیاست در زمان جنگ جهانی دوم که بهشون بلیتز هم می‌گن. کتاب سعی داره برای مخاطبان کودک به ساده‌ترین و طنازترین شکل ممکن از زندگی روزمره‌ی مردم اون زمان توی بمباران بگه.
با خوندن این کتاب به چند تا نکته‌ی جالب پی بردم که قبلاً نمی‌دونستم و طنز بیمزه‌ی بریتانیاییش رو به کاریکاتورهای جالب و همین نکته‌ها بخشیدم.😁

پ.ن: کاش ما هم برای تاریخ خودمون و یا کشور خودمون وسط برهه‌های تاریخی همچین کتابایی برای مخاطب کودک/نوجوان داشتیم. داریم؟

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I still don't quite get the point of Horrible Histories where no sources are cited or bibliographies included, so you can't go on to research more and could never reference any of this in, say, a history exam, regardless I loved the series as a kid and this is a particularly interesting instalment.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love horrible histories so I got this book . It covers the time before ww2 and during ww2 . I think if you like history will love this book . I also think that this book is very funny and also a very easy read.