War Stories

by Gordon Korman

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Restart, a story of telling truth from lies -- and finding out what being a hero really means.
There are two things Trevor loves more than anything else: playing war-based video games and his great-grandfather Jacob, who is a true-blue, bona fide war hero. At the height of the war, Jacob helped liberate a small French village, and was given a hero's welcome upon his return to America.

Now it's decades later, and Jacob wants to retrace the steps he took during the war -- from training to invasion to the village he is said to have saved. Trevor thinks this is the coolest idea ever. But as they get to the village, Trevor discovers there's more to the story than what he's heard his whole life, causing him to wonder about his great-grandfather's heroism, the truth about the battle he fought, and importance of genuine valor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, War, World War II, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

240 pages, Hardcover

First published July 21, 2020

About the author

Gordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Reviews

[Darla]

This personal review is also being shared on the Mid-Contintent Library account.

Worried about the young person in your life who is obsessed with WW II? Do they play too many war video games, in your opinion? This is the perfect book to share with them. Trevor Firestone idolizes his great-grandfather who helped liberate France during WW II. When a trip to France is planned to coincide with the 75th Anniversary of V-E Day, Trevor is thrilled to help retrace his G. G.'s journey from Ft. Benning, across the Atlantic to Great Britain, then across the English Channel to Normandy, to Paris, and finally to Sainte-Regine for a medal ceremony to honor G. G. Also taking the trip is Trevor's father, David, the grandson of Jacob Firestone (our war hero). Korman juxtaposes the modern day trip against Jacob Firestone's experiences from 1944-1945. Social media plays an integral role as a mysterious group seems determined to discourage the Firestones in their progress through France. This lurking presence adds peril to the present day storyline. Throughout the realities of war are exposed alongside the necessity of fighting when there is a threat to freedom. Humorous, heartwarming, and so helpful in bringing understanding to a difficult subject. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Scholastic Inc. and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald]

A young boy travels with his great-grandfather, a WW2 veteran, to Europe to help him “retrace” his experiences, and to watch him receive a medal. On the trip, Trevor comes to the realization that the “war” video games he frequently plays bear little resemblance to the actual thing.
I think this would be an excellent book for middle-grade and even Y.A. teachers to use in their classrooms. Many of the battle scenes are quite graphic in description, and some heavy issues are discussed about choices that must be made in times of war. Adult guidance would be necessary.

Memorable Quotes:
(Pg. 93)-“Their priority was to keep the Germans pinned down so they couldn’t take aim. But one look at the bullet holes perforating the surrounding trees was enough to convince Jacob that the reason he was still alive was sheer random chance. Or perhaps fate. Maybe today just wasn’t his day to die.”
(Pg. 205)-“Chaos was the word G.G. had once used to describe war. It looked cool on a movie screen or in a video game. But when real lives were being lost, snuffed out by sheer random chance, there was no glory.”

[BooksNCrannies]

A thought-provoking depiction of the harsh realities of war.

✏️ Review ✏️

War is a terrible and awful thing. It is violent. It is tragic. It is devastating and destructive. An experience that does not deserve to be glamorized. And War Stories realistically depicts these harsh realities of war in a story that examines war's impact on both current and future generations, while maintaining an appropriate tone for a middle grade audience.

Korman employs a dual-POV narrative to tell this story. One recounts a soldier's life-changing experience during the climax of World War Two, the other follows the soldier's great-grandson as he explores his great-grandfather's path through the war and comes to grapple with the truth that war isn't so neat and orderly like many forms of media portray it to be. This past-present dual-POV is an effective approach for emphasizing the generational affects of war. While I always have enjoyed Korman's multiple-POV deliveries, the POV delivery in War Stories felt a bit jarring at times, most likely due to the time separation. It does, though, depict a thought-provoking example on how war and its devastating affects aren't limited to one generation; they can bring sorrow, bitterness, and change for decades to come.

Although I didn't enjoy War Stories as much as I did many of Korman's other stories, it nonetheless provides a realistic look at the horribleness of war — a hard truth which many individuals, especially of the rising generations, should be taught, as to avoid their constructing a misconceptualized version of war as a cool videogame or fun chess game. Because war isn't glamorous, neat, or impersonal. It's violent and gruesome, destroying and ending the lives of many individuals: loved ones who will never return home. These are difficult yet important realities which War Stories effectively illustrates in an appropriate manner for middle grade readers.

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The portrayal of the harsh realities of war in manner appropriate for middle grade audiences while still being realistic.
• The way that the dual-POV's illustrates war's generational impacts.
• The characters — a well-picked selection representing those impacted by war.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Some of the switching back and forth between the two POVs — felt somewhat jarring probably because of the time difference between them (mid-1940s and 2020).

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*

— To whom? To those who enjoy middle grade stories that feature a contemporary and historical dual-POV narrative highlighting war's tragic affects.

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3.5/5 [rounded down to 3 on Goodreads])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 3.5/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• One use of "j**z" and two uses of "heck."

— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5

• Several scenes (some are prolonged) of mildly graphic war violence, including brief mentions of injuries (as well as blood); also includes a few minimally detailed, though potentially disturbing scenes involving death.

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• Content note: War Stories contains a noticeable level of violence not found in Korman's other stories. Although the violence is only minimally detailed, please keep this in mind when deciding which younger readers this book would be best suited for.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

• (None)

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Happy D-Day! Worried about the young person in your life who is obsessed with WW II? Do they play too many war video games, in your opinion? This is the perfect book to share with them. Trevor Firestone idolizes his great-grandfather who helped liberate France during WW II. When a trip to France is planned to coincide with the 75th Anniversary of V-E Day, Trevor is thrilled to help retrace his G. G.'s journey from Ft. Benning, across the Atlantic to Great Britain, then across the English Channel to Normandy, to Paris, and finally to Sainte-Regine for a medal ceremony to honor G. G. Also taking the trip is Trevor's father, David, the grandson of Jacob Firestone (our war hero). Korman juxtaposes the modern day trip against Jacob Firestone's experiences from 1944-1945. Social media plays an integral role as a mysterious group seems determined to discourage the Firestones in their progress through France. This lurking presence adds peril to the present day storyline. Throughout the realities of war are exposed alongside the necessity of fighting when there is a threat to freedom. Humorous, heartwarming, and so helpful in bringing understanding to a difficult subject. Highly recommended! *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*

[Pam Page]

Fans of Gordon Korman will find a more serious book with War Stories, yet it holds the same appeal as his lighter books for middle grade readers. Korman uniquely travels back and forth in time, telling alternating stories of Trevor's great-grandfather's WWII experiences. I read this all in one sitting, as I do many of Korman's books. The arc shares that Korman's grandfather fought in WWII so I think this book may be more personal!

[Paul (Life In The Slow Lane)]

When I was a kid, I asked my own father what WW2 was like. I'll never forget what he said, "Days of boredom punctuated by a few hours of sheer terror."

A little book I found for $1.00 at a charity shop in the charming town of Hastings, Victoria. I've had a fruity chest cold and wanted some light YA reading. This is two stories in one. There's the story of Great Grandpa's reliving his time from enlistment to D-Day at Normandie to the liberation of a small French village. Pretty good. Then there's the 2020 trip by Great Grandpa, his grand son and great grandson to retrace his trip. Not bad for a 92 year old. Great grandson Trevor needed to learn the "reality" of war. It wasn't like his video games. Unfortunately, it's all BS because Covid 19 prohibited travel throughout Europe, especially for older folks.

Anyway, I quite happily coughed and spluttered (Man Flu - remember) my way through the WW2 reminiscences, and mostly ignored the modern retracing bits. The best I could give it was 3 stars, but I did learn a few things.

[Panda Incognito]

This middle grade novel is set in an alternate universe where COVID-19 never happens. The main character travels to France with his father and great-grandfather, G.G., for a celebration and medal ceremony in the French town that G.G. helped liberate at the end of the war. The author headed all of the chapters with exact dates, and it was very disorienting to see February, March, April, and May 2020 dates in this globe-trotting, pandemic-free story.

It did make for some laughs, though. The dad is like, "Grandpa, this trip isn't suitable for a man of your age! Trevor, you'll miss school!" And I'm like, "Just wait." Still, since this year was the 75th anniversary of VE-Day, I get why Gordon Korman chose to specifically date this in 2020. I just think it's a good warning for other writers that you should never set anything in the unknown near future unless you absolutely have to.

That distracting element aside, this was a really good book. It engages with lots of themes about war, family history, loss, and the importance of living in the tension between honoring heroes of a just, necessary war and not glamorizing violence and destruction. The story goes back and forth between the 2020 trip and G.G.'s war experiences in the forties, and I enjoyed the thematic contrast between the two parts of the novel. This book is also extremely well-researched, accurate down to the tiny details that most authors would brush aside in their pursuit of something dramatic. This book is great for kids who already love WWII, and will teach others about Operation Overlord and the liberation of France in far greater detail than they could get from almost any other historical fiction novel.

However, this book also has some significant flaws. The third-person POV distracted me at times, because it seemed so detached from the 2020 characters, and would sometimes "tell" instead of "showing," restating in a dry way what people were thinking, even though it was already obvious from their dialogue and interactions what was going through their heads. Also, Daniel, the father, was one of the vaguest and least-developed characters that I have read in a book of this length for a very long time. He existed to fret about G.G. and criticize Trevor's obsessive interest in WWII, and he played no real purpose in the story, had no character arc, and did not grow, change, or experience any kind of deepened relationship with the people around him. He was just a prop to communicate the warnings about glamorizing war that the author wanted to present.

Also, the plot thread about people who knew a dark secret about G.G. and wanted to sabotage the medal ceremony got drawn out far too long, and became increasingly unbelievable. This part of the story dragged, and I always looked forward to getting back to the 1940s narrative instead. Even though it all comes together at the end of the book, this could have been much better paced and more convincing. The climax was also very strange, even though the end of that chapter moved me to tears.

The other important thing that I should note about this book is that even though the WWII part was my favorite, it did not pull any punches regarding the violence and horror that infantry soldiers experienced. It surprised me to see how violent this was, because even though it was all historically accurate to the utmost, I did not expect so much graphic content in a middle grade novel. It didn't bother me, because I read adult nonfiction about WWII, but I know that it would have traumatized me when I was the target age for it. Parents and teachers should know that even though this is an absolutely excellent, educational story that gives children an accurate sense of what the war was like, just because someone is at this reading level does not mean that they are ready for it. I wouldn't necessarily encourage sensitive children to avoid this book, but they absolutely must know what they are getting into.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story. There are multiple flaws in its delivery, and the 2020 aspects may confuse children who read this in the future, but the 1940s part of the story is phenomenally accurate, captures important themes related to wartime and the experiences of ordinary soldiers, and gives a real sense of the war to children who idealize it the way that Trevor did, or who are simply uninformed. I also greatly appreciated the dynamic between Trevor and his great-grandfather. G.G. had a wonderfully colorful personality, and one of the best parts of the 2020 storyline was how Trevor was able to also see a different side to his hero as G.G. dealt with fatigue, emotions, and the weight of history during the trip back to where he had fought. That aspect of the story is very nuanced and engaging, and this is a book that I will remember for a very long time.

[Shaye Miller]

With Veteran’s Day day this past week in the U.S., this middle grade historical fiction novel seemed a fitting read. Young Trevor is on a trip across Europe with his 93-year-old great grandfather, Jacob. Jacob is a WWII vet who Trevor has always idolized for his heroic efforts to defeat Hitler. While they visiting a variety of locations and his great grandfather stops to share stories of what happened where and when, some chapters flash back to Jake’s past where he’s a young 17 year old, fighting for his country while also fighting for his life. We know pretty early on that there’s something terrible that happened, but we don’t know what. So when the gut-wrenching truth comes out, there’s a difficult lesson to learn.

“Wars may have winning sides, but everybody loses.”

This book is definitely written for an audience of children, but it doesn’t shy away from some of the more difficult aspects of war. They were cold, hungry, injured, watching one another die, and sometimes wondering if death would be easier than survival (because at least they wouldn’t be living the nightmare). The people represented on both sides are shown to be human. Questions constantly come up, encouraging the reader to consider whether war is worth it, but those are asked alongside, “Well, aren’t we glad Hitler is no longer in charge of Germany?”

In an Author’s Note, Korman lists other important books to read followed by: “I encourage all readers to dive into the stories of WWII and to keep in mind that the story of any war needs many voices from many sides to be fully told.”

“…in a conflict as massive and chaotic as a world war, it can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between heroics and villainy.”

I highly recommend this one!

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Jaiden Phillips]

4.5!

Very beautiful story! That ending, whoa!💖

Language: Nope. Just some uses of h*ck, d*ng, and d*rn. Some times where characters go "What the—" and "Holy—" but never finish.

Violence: There is lots of fighting, mentions of death and blood. Korman did a very good job of showing the devastation of war without being overly graphic. He mentions the vast amounts of death and blood without being too descriptive.

Magic: N/A.

This was such a good story with wonderful themes!💖 Very sad how our generation so easily forgot about the devastation and gruesome impact of World War 2. I think everyone needs to read this story, it portrays the truth so clearly, this is especially a great read for young boys I think. War can be for the greater good sometimes yes, and there are things worth fighting for, but we should never glamorize war. It is destruction, these are real people fighting and they all have families.
Very beautiful story, walking through the past with Jacob was very insightful and gripping. I think this book explains very well why I don't read much historical fiction, because I am like Treavor, I love adventures and thrills, but then I remember that these things happened to real people and it breaks my heart💔
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or history in general, it is SO GOOD!!!! A masterpiece and that ending had me in tears!!! Dear, Jacob!💖💖💖

8+ (would make a wonderful discussion book with the kids, especially boys)

[Steven R. McEvoy]

Over the last year my son and I have read about a dozen books by Gordon Korman. To date we have loved all the books we have read. And though some of them deal with series matters, there is always a humour to the storytelling. This story is different. It is much more serious. And is told in a very different way.

This is a story about family. About war, about heroics, and about really being a hero. The story alternates back and forth from present day to the second World War. It follows a man, his grandson and his great grandson. Trevor loves the history of WWII, he loves that his Great Grand dad, GG was a hero. He loves war computer games, and he loves listening to his GG’s stories. When his GG, Jacob is invited back to a small French village to celebrate its liberation, for he is the last surviving member of the group that liberated it.

We join Trevor, his dad, and GG are retracing Jacob’s steps from the base where he did his basic training. To the beach he landed on. And his journey across Europe. But something is off. Trevor keeps seeing a blond at all their stops. And His dad and gramps know someone does not want him to go to the town. And thinks start escalating, a dead bird on their rental car, slashed tires, a rock through a window. How far will the activists go? And what is driving them.

Interspersed with the recreation of the journey are the memories of Jacob’s actual time during the war. The two parts of the story fit together perfectly. We hear some stories that Jacob had told before. And because of the places, he is sharing new stories. Both his grandson and son realize the closer they get to the end of their journey the harder things seem to be for GG.

This book does an excellent job of bring home the reality of war. Especially to younger readers whose main info about it is video games. The story is well written, and it is absolutely a page turner. I stayed up way too late reading, I just could not put it down. I devoured it in two sitting and am now reading it again with my son.

This is a fascinating read, and a real page turner.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Gordon Korman.

[Savannah Nunn]

I really liked the book! It went from present to past then present then past. I had a little trouble understanding the past chapters. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Gordon Korman books.

[Christian]

What a load of B.S.

I don’t need to rehash the description, as you can read that for yourself. Just know that it’s basically two stories, told simultaneously...one taking place in the present, and one taking place in the past.

The older story, told through a series of flashbacks and highlighting Jacob Firestone’s experiences during World War II, is actually pretty decent. I think that those parts of ‘War Stories’ could actually be used to tell a different, better, story.

Most of the the present-day stuff is garbage. Jacob’s great grandson, Trevor, is a spoiled, self-centered twit...and you tire of him almost immediately.

It’s almost a tolerable book, until around Chapter 28...and then it’s like Korman just gave up the will to write. The exact line that pushed me over the edge is on page 204: “World War II was the largest single event in history, and a lot of people considered it humankind’s greatest achievement...”. And it just spirals downward from there.

“Largest single event”? “Humankind’s greatest achievement”?? Korman is guilty of the very thing that Trevor’s dad accuses him of. Glamorizing WWII.

Hey Korman...I call B.S. Ever heard of a little thing called Project Apollo? Do the names Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins sound familiar. Practically the entire world stopped to watch Apollo 11 land on the moon. That’s an achievement.

[Jenny Staller]

I liked the premise of this novel and the fact that it shows the real consequences and toll that war takes on individuals and communities. The shift in perspective from Trevor in the present day glorifying his great-grandfather's war experiences and Jacob's actual thoughts and feelings during the war was well done. I did think that some areas of the novel were underdeveloped and a few plot points were too convenient for my liking. The mysterious characters who are tailing Trevor and his family in the present were the weakest aspect of the narrative for me, but I think it will appeal to younger readers. I do think this will circulate well in my middle school library, as the appetite for WW2 literature is still strong.

[RaspberryRoses]

I think it is baffling to write a book about World War 2/grappling with the legacy of war, and to not at all mention the Holocaust.

It didn't need to be the primary focus, obviously. I think the book is probably better served without it being focused on, actually! A part of the theming of the glorification of war and all, and it's hammered to us over and over again how Trevor sees WW2 as an epic adventure just like in his video games. I can see how he'd come away without wanting to focus on the Holocaust. But if you have the dad character who really just exists to say "war is bad and awful" and who is literally a history teacher, why couldn't he bring this context?

I dunno. All of the modern day sections were poorly written and one note, but the flashbacks were interesting at least.

[Elliott Lewis]

Pretty boring

[Alex Baugh]

Much to his parents chagrin, twelve-year-old Trevor Firestone can't get enough about World War II - it's the subject of the video games he plays, the models he builds, the books he reads. But Trevor especially loves hearing the soldier stories his 93-year-old great-grandfather (G.G.) Jacob tells him after he enlisted in the army at the tender age of 17.

Trevor always considered G.G. a war hero, but now it's the 75th anniversary of D-Day and 1944 Normandy invasion. And G.G. has been invited to the ceremony at Sainte-Régine, where he is to be the guest of honor as the only surviving member of his unit that participated in the battle that liberated the town from German occupation.

Now, Trevor is about to embark on a dream trip with his dad and G.G., retracing his grandfather's WWII journey that began when he lied about his age to enlist, then found himself at Fort Benning as part of Bravo Company, where he immediately earned the nickname High School, and ends 75 years later.

Before they even leave Connecticut, Trevor's dad is worried about some messages posted on Facebook. Messages like "Stay in America, Jacob Firestone" and "Sainte-Régine will never forgive you." But what could these messages mean? All G.G. will say is "If this is the past catching up to me, so be it. I've been carrying it around for seventy-five years."

As the trio of Firestones arrive at each milestone in G.G.'s army career, the story switches to 1944 and what actually happened. Sometimes this kind of alternating timeline can be so annoying, but Korman has really handled it well. Everything they do in contemporary time mirrors what happened to Jacob in 1944. In War Stories, their parallel journeys give the reader a real picture of war without a lot of explanation that would take away from the story.

Once the Firestones get to France, things start happening - incidents like slashed tires, and a dead bird under their car's windshield wipers. As they get closer to Sainte-Régine, the Facebook messages take on a ominous threatening tone. And Trevor has been noticing a blond girl about his age everywhere they stop. Coincidence? He thinks not, but who could she be and why does she seem to be following the Firestones?

I always enjoy reading Gordon Korman novels and sharing them with young readers. They are usually fun and whimsical but always with a great message sandwiched in them. And while War Stories still retains some of the signature Korman humor, it's a much more serious book.

In the chapters that are about Jacob's time in the army, Korman makes no bones about the horrors of war and the toll it has on people's lives. It's a lesson Trevor has to learn, and he does, slowly as they follow in G.G. experiential footsteps.I think WWII is an important part of world history and the part that each country played in it. However, I'm not a fan of violence and war. True to my Quaker roots, I am a pacifist.

Trevor is a great character, who isn't as narrow a thinker as he at first appears. Away from his game controller, he's able to look around him and see what the world is really like. And thankfully, Korman lets him come to his own conclusions about the things he learns on his dream trip. His dad a great character as well, but ironically, it's Jacob Firestone who is the real MC. He's a richly drawn if flawed character, both as both an overly zealous 17-year-old soldier and as a crusty 93-year-old nonagenarian. His wartime experiences are grim and realistically presented. But when he recognizes that the enemy is a teen just like him. it leads terrible consequences, leaving readers to wonder if G.G. really deserved the bronze star he earned and to be honored at Sainte-Régine.

It should be mentioned here that G.G. is Trevor's dad's grandfather, who had raised him after his parents died, and explains how a 12-year-old in 2020 has a relative who fought in WWII. It may seem like a stretch, but I have a 94-year-old uncle who is grandfather to a high school student, so I had no trouble with the aging here.

War Stories is a novel that will remind readers that while war games have no permanent consequences, real life war does, and those consequences can last a lifetime.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an E-Galley gratefully received from the publisher, Scholastic Press, and EdelweissPlus

[Rebecca]

This book falls between Middle Grade and YA. It is a great read for middle schoolers. This book packs a punch in a very tightly told story. It is a multigenerational tale told in dual timelines. Gordon Korman took a departure from the usually humorous tone his books have, and it was a departure worth taking. He covers difficult topics in a sensitive yet realistic way. I appreciated that he let it be murky like the war actually was. A hero could in a split second do something that harmed fellow allies and be seen as both a hero and a villain because of the cost to a family. I also liked how he handled Trevor's love of military inspired videogames. It isn't written off as silly or harmful, though people bring up those concerns. It's shown to be an interest that needs to be grown into a more mature understanding of reality. The final scene with his sisters is really sweet and earned. Don't forget to read the author's note in the back. I recall hearing about the origin of the Higgins boats used on D-Day while watching a documentary about museum artifacts, but I'm not sure how many people know about the links between Higgins and rum runners and World War II.

[Henry]

I enjoyed this book. I am not usually a huge fan of war-based books, but this book broke the norm. I thought that the story tugged at my heartstrings while also showing that forgiveness is a weapon more powerful than a Tiger Tank. My favorite scene in this book is when Jacob meets the man who he spared the life of and, by not killing him, he let generations of children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren live. This was a great book.

[Angela]

This was excellent. Well done. A welcome addition to the WWII historical fiction collection.

[Audrey Parker]

Good children’s novel. Read this for battle of the books with my students.

[Pat]

J’écris une parte de cet avis en français parce que duh

Omg..cette livre était magnifique. Tout, de l’écriture, à l’histoire, à le message de la livre, était super. J’avais des frissons plusieurs fois tout au long de livre, et quelques des paragraphes m’ont presque fait pleurer à cause de le beau message.

Je vais être honnête, j’ai pensé que ce livre ne me faisait rien ressentir. J’ai pensé que ce livre allait juste être à propos de Trevor apprenait que la guerre n’est pas cool, mais tragique. Et tandis que ce message est super pour des enfants, pour moi, c’est tout des leçons et des informations que je déjà sais. Donc, j’ai cru que je ne tirerais rien de nouveau de ce livre.

Mais heureusement, j’était faux. J’adore la façon le livre a eu plus de nuance avec le message. Ce livre explique non seulement que la guerre n’est pas cool, mais que il est tragique pour tout le monde. Trevor croyait que des Allies sont les héros, qui a sauvé le monde des Allemande. Des Allies a gagné, et des Axis a perdu. Mais le livre l’a fait clair que en la guerre, il n’y a pas des gagnants ou des perdants. Tout le monde perdent en la guerre. Il est une horrible marque sur toute l’humanité. Ce message n’est pas nouveau pour moi, parce que je suis déjà d’accord complètement. Mais je juste vraiment apprécié que ce livre inclus ce message, parce que il est SI IMPORTANT pour tout le monde le comprendre, particulièrement des enfants qui pensaient que la guerre est noir et blanc.

Pour maintenant j’allais parler en anglais un peu pour une chose que vraiment me touché. I really didn’t expect this book to have such a moving plot with the whole Lafleur Firestone thing. I love the way that plot reflects the entire nature of the war, highlighting how stupid and tragically unnecessary war is in a way that a child can understand and personally relate to. The way Juliette felt the need to treat the Firestones as an enemy because of the past despite not actually being able to see them that way speaks to me as a reflection of how so many soldiers had to kill people they didn’t even know, all because of the global leaders and political conflicts beyond them. Juliette and Trevor were the same age, who ended up being friends. Likewise, there were many soldiers on both sides of the war who were the same age, who had the same fears, goals, ambitions, who could’ve been good friends had everything been different, yet had to kill each other without even knowing who it was they were killing.

I love how this message is built on even more with the young German soldier that Jacob got close to killing, but spared. Ce rebondissement à le fin de l’histoire m’a donné des frissons CRAZY. It further illustrates the fact that a lot of soldiers on both sides of the war were similar. And the way the German soldier managed to have such a large family thanks to GG’s mercy is such a beautiful twist of fate. It really makes you think about how at the end of the day, everyone fighting that war was human, everyone had lives they wanted to live, family to get back to, and people to fight for. And the sentence “two mortal enemies from the deadliest conflict in human history shared a reunion as joyful as one between long-lost brothers” again highlights how similar two opposing soldiers could be. I also loved a line from Juliette’s conscience: “What was an enemy, after all?” and how the ultimate answer to her was Trevor, a boy her age, not much different from her, someone who could have easily been her classmate. Again, this is such a beautiful comparison to the insanity of making thousands of soldiers kill each other for no good reason, when many could have been classmates, acquaintances, or even friends.

Un autre message que j’ai adoré était pendant ce moment de réflexion avec Juliette. Ses pensées pendant ce moment a eu beaucoup des phrase qui a résonné avec moi. “What was past was past. A terrible thing had happened. It would not be remedied by another terrible thing, regardless of one man’s guilt.” I love the message in this sentence, it’s important to understand that we shouldn’t seek revenge, and we especially shouldn’t try to deal with a tragedy by causing another tragedy. While that is the message of this sentence, I also felt that it reflects the nature of war once again. Not that any major wars have resulted as a result of guilt for WW2 (maybe?), but the fact that our world continues to wage wars and cause “terrible thing” after “terrible thing” just shows how pointless it all is. We continue to fight over who knows what—money, power, land?—despite knowing that you can’t create remedies through tragedy. Wait actually a lot of technological advancements and humanitarian policies were made as a result of WW2 but you get my point 😭

Some small things I almost forgot to talk about: I loved that small epilogue at the end that detailed the beginning of Jacob, Leland, Freddie, and Beau’s companionship. It made me so sentimental to see all of them together after an entire book of them struggling and watch each other lose their lives 😢 A devastating way to end an already tragic book. And I also loved Gordon Korman’s last words in the Author’s Note: “the story of any war needs many voices from many sides to be fully told.” Because it’s absolutely true. Too many places try to erase one side of history instead of telling the full story. For example, I’m pretty sure Japan tries to hide some of the terrible war crimes they committed in the past, and don’t teach about it in school. A lot of people today still don’t know about what they did.

In school, we always learn about history through the major events, years, important names, and spend little time focusing on the smaller stories between the individuals who actually fought and were impacted by the war—the soldiers, the civilians, people part of resistances. These are the stories that I believe truly matter when talking about war. These are the people who shaped and LIVED the war. And when we remember the war, it is these war stories that we should remember, not just the names of leaders who sat comfortably and let others do the fighting.

En conclusion, j’ai ADORÉ des messages de ce livre. Ils étaient magnifiques et précieux. Ces messages sont intemporel et devraient être compris par tout le monde. Ils résonnent profondément dans mon cœur et je suis SI contente que Gordon Korman partager ces valeurs dans un livre pour des jeunesses. MERCI GORDON KORMAN 🙏🙏

Also originally I was gonna rate this 4 stars because Trevor just pissed me off that much, but this book is well-researched with clearly a lot of dedication and has such beautiful and valuable messages that I just gotta give it 5 stars.

ALSO every time the book talked about how soldiers were calling “Medic!” and the mentions of engineers and sappers, I just couldn’t help but think of TF2 IM SORRY 😭😭😭😭

[Melanie Dulaney]

Watch out, Alan Gratz, there is another outstanding writer of WWII historical fiction on the shelf and he’s already one of the kings of middle grades funny fiction on my campus! Middle schooler Trevor has always been an avid fan of all things WWII, whether it be video games, movies, books, or the tales of daring relayed by his real life hero great grandfather G.G. A trip back to a liberated French town town for Trevor, his dad, and great-grandfather, however, becomes a heavy dose of reality and Trevor comes to recognize that while the war was a great victory over an evil Hitler, it was far from being great. Gordon Korman tells of 17 year old G.G. and the harrowing experiences of Bravo company alternating with present day Private Firestone revisiting landmark memories with his family and coming to grips with a costly mistake he made in 1944. Like Trevor, my readers also have a tendency to over-glamorize the weapons and battles of war despite authors like Gratz and Marsha Skrypuch presenting very realistic WWII scenarios. I am anxious to add this new choice and hope that all come away with an accurate perspective on a deeply emotional and stark period in history. War Stories is free from sex or profanity and author Korman keeps the violence to a level that is appropriate for the target audience of grades 5-8. Highly recommended.

[Julie]

I am docking one star because Korman’s work is usually so much better than this, and I feel mislead! Another is docked because the story moves at a slogging pace, and I just couldn’t find anything to sink my teeth into. The characters seemed kind of flat and untrue, and I don’t like all the gun play that was discussed.

I might have missed it, but I am docking one more star because how did Rene have great-grandchildren when his whole family died? I mean, I guess he could have remarried and had a child with a new wife, but it doesn’t really track with the “because of Jacob Firestone we have only two members of our family left!” Where are their parents? Are they both only children? It was very bothersome to me, and left me at the end feeling very annoyed that this major point appears to be completely impossible. I read a few other reviews here, but no one else mentions it — please set me straight if I missed something!

[Kris]

Must purchase, no. Will purchase because I have Korman fans and of course, WWII fans.

Never really connected with any characters except for young Jacob in the alternating chapters. Others felt flat, preachy, and stereotyped. Will kids notice? Maybe. Several of Korman's books read this way for me. Thankfully chapters alternated between these two groups of characters and kept me reading. Trevor's dad felt so cardboard and like a commercial for "Don't play violent video games!" and war is so much more than glory and guns. GG's wisecracks got old. But maybe kids won't be bothered by that as much as I am. They expect a stodgy, preachy parent and old people to be "characters". What my readers will really enjoy- the inclusion of the events and places of WWII in France. That was well done for its intended audience - Grade 4+.

[Abbie]

Gordon Korman's new book is different from his usual humorous school story fare. This book switches back and forth between the present and Jacob's experiences in the past exploring some of the complicated nature of war, and the thread of mystery adds a page-turner element to the story. I will say, even though Jacob's war experiences are supposedly told in real-time, they do seem a bit far-fetched. Out of all the people in his unit, it is always Jacob who notices the one vital detail or somehow ends up saving the day. Gordon Korman fans will pick this up and perhaps broaden their reading horizons, and those who enjoy war fiction will eat this one up. Recommended.

Read more at Bookish Adventures.

[Bonnie Grover]

“Battles may look glamorous in movies and on posters, but this is what’s left over once the smoke clears away. That’s what war’s really about- pointless destruction.” Told through alternating time periods, Trevor goes with his great-grandfather to retrace the steps he took during the war. Alternating chapters place the reader in the middle of key battles including The Invasion of Normandy. Trevor soon learns there is more to the war stories he’s heard his whole life, than he ever imagined.

Gordon Korman is one of my favorite authors. This book is part historical and realistic fiction, with a little bit of mystery thrown in. It’s a book 4th grade and up will be eager to read.

[Katie]

This, like most of Korman's books, will be relatable and enjoyable for the middle grade audience, particularly boys, particularly those who are already enthralled by World War II. I thought the father came off as overly preachy about not glorifying war, and I was skeptical about a couple of underage French kids who had the resources to tail American travelers through France, while at the same time it was also unclear exactly how they were connected to the primary characters. A general connection is eventually given but not enough to explain the passion behind their actions. For me this made it kind of superficial, but not terrible.

[M.L. Milligan]

Did I go into this book thinking it'd be some fluffy, story-filled Middle Grade book?

Yis.

Did I read the whole thing thinking, oh my goodness, why didn't they write middle grade like this back when I was a kid?

Yis.

Gordon Korman strikes again, this time with a "The Last Rifleman"-esque story about a kid and his WWII veteran grandfather . . . and what war really looked like on both sides of the lines.

[Pam Bennett]

Look forward to sharing this with some of our 5th graders who are interested in WWII.
What I liked:
Facts about WWII
Toggling between 2020 and 1944
“Seeing” war as it is, kid’s version, and not glamorized
Reflection about video war games vs reality of war (kid version).
Another solid read from Gordon Korman.

[Jenn]

If you think you know what a Korman novel is like .. think again. An incredible novel that explores the glories and the horrors of war with perception and kindness.