Great Battles for Boys: World War I

by Joe Giorello

Does your son play videogames for hours but avoids books?

What if you could give him all the excitement of screen time AND also spark his love of reading and history?

Now you can—with Great Battles for Boys, a series written especially for reluctant readers. Exciting short chapters take boys to the front lines of history's most important military conflicts. Each page offers historic photographs, maps, and biographies of remarkable soldiers.

Get boys hooked on reading—by giving them books they want to read!

In his highly acclaimed middle-school class “Great Battles for Boys," author Joe Giorello has ignited a love of reading and history in hundreds of boys. Now your son can experience that same thrilling adventure in learning with this engaging non-fiction series written specifically for boys ages 8-14.

In this installment of the bestselling history series, young readers will learn about World War I's major battles, leaders, tactics and modern inventions such as airplanes and tanks that were crucial to “The Great War”—named not because the conflict was so good, but because its losses were so devastating. It's an unforgettable journey into history.

Among the battles covered here:

Battle of Tannenberg: outnumbered German soldiers pull a sneak attack and destroy Russian forces, capturing 150,000 prisoners of war. Battle of the Somme: Among military history’s worst follies, this battle ended with more than one million casualties—and yet achieved almost nothing for either the Allies or the Central Powers. Battle of Cantigny: A little-known battle that proved late-arriving and novice American forces came to the Western Front to win this long-suffering war.

Other chapters cover WWI’s most fascinating figures, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Sergeant York, and the Harlem Hellfighters. Boys will also gain an understanding of the world events shaped by this monumental conflict, including the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Filled with historic photographs, maps, and notable biographies of ordinary soldiers who accomplished extraordinary feats against all odds, Great Battles for Boys: WWI explains the weapons, tactics, and strategies that helped the Allies topple the Central Powers. Each chapter also concludes with suggestions for further age-appropriate books, internet sites, and movies that the whole family can watch together.

If your son likes action-packed accounts and authentic details, he will love this book.

Pick up Great Battles for Boys today—and march to the front lines of history!
  PRAISE FOR THE GREAT BATTLES FOR BOYS SERIES:

“This book should be in school libraries everywhere. It is a treasure trove of information that is engagingly written that makes one feel they are in a great classroom with a great instructor sharing his knowledge in a fun way." —Hall of Fame Amazon Reviewer

Genres: History, Childrens, Nonfiction

207 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2019

About the author

Joe Giorello teaches a highly popular middle-grade class in the Seattle area called “Great Battles for Boys." Find out more at his website, http:// www.greatbattlesforboys.com, or at the Facebook page for Great Battles: https:// www.facebook.com/greatbattles

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book, and other books by this author, when I was looking for Christmas presents for my son to encourage him to continue reading. I got a copy for myself to read alongside him. He really enjoyed the book and so did I. A great primer for military history, especially for young kids.

[CHM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am 9 and my name is Faxon and I recommend all these books.

[Rick Dobrowolski]

Read out loud with my 10 year old son. I appreciated the format. Suffers a bit with some editing errors, but nothing that messes up the meaning of the content. I look forward to reading some more of the series, both to introduce my son to these massive scale wars and to refresh my memory of what I most likely learned in high school history.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to follow chronologically and includes major battles. I did notice some inaccurate information. Descriptions of advancements in engines now run by steam and not by coal - in order to make steam the ships used coal. I also thought the description of the Battle of Jutland was off a bit in terms of the flow of battle, but many authors struggle with this battle, often neglecting British extensive use of mines throughout the war. The maps are helpful but due to poor print quality it’s hard to determine the various alliances involved, all the shades look the same. The stories of the individual soldiers and sailors are interesting and bring to life these battles in a more humanistic way. A quick read and fine for an introductory reader but maybe not for someone looking for an intermediate level exploration of these battles.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is a great introductory to WWI with many of the important battles. I like the author’s riding style and attention to details. However, many of the pictures are very difficult to read. The pictures are dark, and many times the pictures are way too small to see the details the author is describing. My son and I enjoyed the book. I do wish that there had been a little bit more attention to editing the book as there are some grammar mistakes and left out words. Since I was reading the book to my son, I could easily fix those mistakes while reading aloud. My concern would be for those children reading the book by themselves. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any child who has an interest in history.

[Megan Eliason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solo issue with this book: my daughter and I liked it too! For boys & girls? :)

[Richy Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

👌🤥

[R2 Ireland]

Oh. I forgot to update, but I finished this one a while ago. Oh well.

[Tricia Mingerink]

Proofing this book before giving to my nephews for Christmas. The battles are told with the factual details, even if those details are gory, but without the writing lingering in a gruesome manner that would be inappropriate for the target age-range.

Content Note: Quotes from soldiers are kept entirely accurate, including any language. D*** and h*** are the most common. No S*** or f-bombs. If you are uncomfortable with your younger boys reading that kind of language, you may wish to proof with a black market on hand.

[Diane Fowler Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Bought for my grandchildren and read it to review before giving to them. Short and engaging I am now reading them along side them. I am learning things I never knew! Moving onto read about WWII.

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for young boys to read

It doesn’t get too graphic but pretty much captures the cruelty of WWI. A lot of basic war principles are taught and easy for kids to understand.