Teens at War

Ten True Tales

by Allan Zullo

True Stores About real teens who risked their lives to serve their countries in Wartime

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, World War II, Military Fiction, History

154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Allan Zullo is an American non-fiction writer. He is the author or co-author of more than eighty paperbacks for adults and children.

A native of Rockford, Illinois, Zullo graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1969 with a degree in journalism. His books include The Baseball Hall of Shame and Baseball Confidential (both co-written with Bruce Nash), A Boomer's Guide to Grandparenting (co-written with his wife Kathryn), and the Haunted Kids series. Zullo has also written articles for The National Enquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, Ladies Home Journal, and The Palm Beach Post. His syndicated comic strip "The Ghost Story Club" ran in American newspapers from 1995 to 1998.

Zullo currently lives in Fairview, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Emma C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was all about different kids in wars and how most turned out to be heroes. Every chapter is a story of a new kid. Most of the kids that they talk about in this book were underage and lied about their age just to go to war. Some of the kids went when they were just 14 and were able to save so many peoples lives. Some people didn't even kill but helped their country in many ways.
On kid that went to war was named Peter. He was under age but he showed his mightiness and strength to the judge and he let him go. But do to that choice made by Peter his parents were worried sick because he was just 15 years old. But because Peters parents were really worried that pushed him so much more to assure to them and himself that he would return home safely. Not only did he make it back but he came back a hero, so his parents were happy.
I really enjoyed this book because it had a lot of different but true stories and i'v always really liked books like this. i thought it was really cool to know and hear the stories of these kids and what they had went through at such a young age. I was also super interested about how some kids lied about their ages when they know that they might never come back home but how they succeeded. This is a really good book if you are looking for something fast and easy to read and something that you can take chapter by chapter. I also liked how every chapter was some else story and perspective on what happens in that particular war.

[Carson Charves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was a very excellent book. The author Allan Zuilo found these stories and read and wrote about them. He did such a great job I thought I was in the stories with these brave young men who risked their lives for this country. There was one stories in particular that came to my attention. His name was Julian. Julian wanted to go into the war because his brother was in the war. I thought it was very ballsy at 14 years old to go to a recruiter and lie about his age so he could get into the war. In the war he went to he was very brave rescuing people(not going to say who). Overall it had tons of great stories but that one pointed out two me. I suggest anyone to read this for a good short interesting and fabulous book to read.

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be a great book to incorperate in to a history lesson. This collection of stories is about young teens that have fought in many different wars. Children will be able to relate to the youth. This book discusses the adversities and challenges these youth endured and their courage and bravery that kept them going.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at War by Allan Zullo is a collection of stories of real-life teens who fought in some of the bloodiest wars in history. As part of the Ten True Tale series by Zullo, there are 10 notable teenagers who survived their battles to tell their stories, which Zullo collected from various sources and rewritten to be appropriate for younger audiences to read. These war stories range from the American Revolution, American Civil War, WWI, WWII & the Korean War where many of these teens showed great bravery to go to the frontlines and faced some of the horrors we can only imagine. These stories are written well, if dry at times though, but that doesn't take away the merit of this book. Zullo does these stories justice and give the former war heroes the recognition they deserved!

[Dakota Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great because it shows the courage that kids have when faced with situations that don’t normally occur. It is set from the Revolutionary War all the way into the Korean War. It allows the reader to feel as if they are in the combat scenario with the kids. I would highly recommend that kids should read this book so that they can learn what really courage is and how to carry yourself when you feel a certain way about something. Throughout the whole book I would find myself daydreaming as if I was with them and endured what they were put through. This book also caused me to do some research and look into some of the teens mentioned in this book.

[Karol Davila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teens At War teaches you a great history lesson on war and how kids as well as soldiers were effected by this. It is really sad that young innocent children had look at death straight in the eyes and know that they might be with death very soon. They are pulled away from the people they loved an pushed into war. As I was reading the stories about those young teens I thought about me as a young girl, who is almost as old as those kids by a few years and living under a roof with a family kept safe from harms way. This is truly a great book please read it.

[Lee]

Really great introduction to the stories of ten teenage soldiers through American history, but it also glazes over The Horrors in a way that, as an adult, felt uncomfortable when this book is directed at a teenage or younger audience. The glories of war isn't really something I buy into anymore, and that was pretty much the focus here. But the percentage of reenlistment, especially among the WWII vets written about here, was shocking.

[Rosario Beltran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is short and what they should had done is make the chapters even bigger. I love the way how they made this very sad. I didn't know that if you refused to go to war you are going to jail. That is breaking the law. It make me wonder how it felted like if I was living during the war. I just wished that the book had more pages. It is a good book.

[Osorio Salvador · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at war was an alright book. It's sad how the teenagers fought and saw their friends die. The Koreans could be cruel sometimes. I wasn't hooked onto this book, but it was still. good. I recommend this book to anyone who likes war.

[Megan Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for my daughters school library. So it targets a younger audience. I was amazed and inspired by this book. The bravery and courage of each of these kids in each stories is truly inspiring.

[Neha Sindhu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this book expecting poignant tales of kids who were sent off to war at a heartbreakingly young age. But no, this was full-on war propaganda. It glorifies the participation, and often deaths of teenage soldiers. Not my cup of tea!!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like how u put it in order from the civil war to korea

[Caden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself was pretty good but the stories are really short.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about teenage soldiers fighting in wars. It makes me wonder if the teenagers of today could handle such things.

[Bill Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories of teens at war. Very interesting!

[Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read, I’m mostly a reader of World War Two history so was not sure if I would like this book at first because it covers everything from the revolution to Korea but it was very good.

[Nick Lehman]

For my third book read 10 true stories: teens in war. The book said that teens under the age of 16 illegally enlisted into the military. it said teens enlisted to fight for their country. if they got caught they might serve jail time or receive a dishonorable discharge. The teens would be proud they served for their country if they fulfilled what they did.Half way through the book i met St. john. He was one of many teens who entered war. He received a mission to go find injured or dead soldiers and bring them back for medical attention. He got shot. He returned home safe right after but died only a couple years later.Next a young man 17 years of age enlisted. He is told to enter "No man's land". No man's land is a term for ruins of a battle field or enemy territory. Whip entering no man's land he gets shot. But returned alive! this book has been one great experience. The teens going pass recruiters to sneak into war to fight for their country is just mesmerizing. It is so inspiring to me and I love how willing they are to fight for their country and family. If you get a chance to read this book I suggest you read it.

[Kyle Rousu · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Teens At War" by Allan Zullo is a great book. It describes 10 true tales of amazing teens that were heroes. At the end of each chapter it also describes their life after their heroic actions in war. Some of the kids even havre recorded thee Medal of Honor, which is the highest rewarding medal in the army. All in all, it is a very good nonfiction book.

Normally you would think that nonfiction books are just science or boring stuff that nobody cares about. But, this book will make you want to read more. I can barely believe that this actually happened in real life. These teens are so heroic and brave that some of them saved the noire we United States of America! Can you even think about saving millions of people were from slavery? All of those kids make me want to read more about nonfiction.

I would really recommend this book to anyone above fifth grade and above, just because it has some really graphic scenes. Yet, anybody will love it if they can tolerate the graphic and brutalness of the war. In conclusion, I really like this book,

[Nykolas Mandel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a good good book and I also liked how all the kids in the book were under age and determined to join the military and serve their country. the last few story's were really good because they were more modern. I did not like in the second to last story that it had torture, but I do like how the girl would not give the bad guys the information they needed to stop the resistance.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non-fiction/war-stories/Biography
Allan Zullo gives us ten accounts of teenagers who fought in American wars - from the Revolutionary war, to North Korea. Each story is told as the biography of the teens themselves and the hardships they had getting in, and staying in the army/marines. Including one story of a female Belgian teen, and one of a 12 year old, each story explores teen issues - mostly the struggle to be recognized as an adult, but each of the featured teens not only succeeds in the military world, but is generally marked for special honors.
Unfortunately, the writing isn't particularly well-done, and there are a few points where the dates and numbers get in the way of the "story". But, the book reads like a fiction, even if it is non-fiction, and could be a good help to a teen (12-15) who is interested in the subject matter.

[Gas 'n Mask · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Ten True Tales is quite the remarkable story. Allan Zullo spins masterful stories of young adults during times of great peril and fear. The story, told in 3rd person narration, shows excellent merits of plot, action, and information. Though the author himself is a cultural outsider, he shows that he has "done his research". This book is easy enough to read, while still showing fairly large vocabulary. ( I learned a few new words myself.) The characters were very believable, and their development in their individual stories makes them all the more lovable, and relate-able. I would recommend this book to those people wanting a fairly good read about wartime and conflict for the younger generation. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars for literary merit, and well developed plot and characters.
Con tutto il dovuto rispetto,
Joseph

[Zach Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought "Teens at war" was a OK book. I always thought nonfiction was dumb and about things like rocks,animals,plants,or just normal day problems. This book was the best nonfiction book I ever read just because it was actually interesting. I think the anther should make more books than just nonfiction. Allan Zullo has written over 90 nonfiction books. Allan is really good at what he dose. My favorite TRUE TALE was "The resister". In this tale Lucie is a spy for the military. Their are also TONES more interesting Tales. Their are 101 tales in this book. I recommend this book to any one wanting to read a good nonfiction book.

[Rachel Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at War is a book about many different teens who have served in the military. Teen boys wanted to enlist in the army at a young age, but they couldn't because the youngest age to enlist in the army was 16. These boys that were trying to enlist were 13,14,15 years old. To enlist into the army they would lie about their age, and forge their parents signatures. Basically the whole book is about how they got in and what happened while they were in the army and what jobs they had.

I recommend this book to anyone honestly, it was a good nonfiction book about WW2s young soldiers. I rate this book a 4/5, because it just was stories.

[Ms. Mielke's Class Make sure you post how your sheets tell you to!!!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at War is a good book about young adults in combat. It gives ten stories about the fights they were in. The wars are: Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and II, also the Korean War. By far my favorite is the World War II ones. T would recommend this book to people who like history.
DV


Teens at war is a very interesting book. It talks about young adults that fight in war and people getting killed and lots of other gruesome facts. The War that I liked the most was the one about World War II. I encourage you to read this very fascinating book. IJ

[Chad Cantin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at war by Allan zullo (biography). This book has about 4 streets in it all about different people in my he the same war. One talks about a kid who is only 17 and goes into the war, in the war he was in the trenches when his captain says there going to raid no mans land , no mans land is the middle of the two trenches of both countries. When they raid no mans land he gets shot twice but he still makes it out. I rated this 4/5 stars because I liked some of the story's but it would have been better if it was all one story.

[Wyatt Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the story st. john was a teen who when to war. He was really nervous at first when went to war. But later on he loses some of his good friends in war.
He was sent on a mission to go find injured men and bring them in so they can get medical treatment. He got injured himself, he was shot in the leg and the hand.
At the end of the book he went home alive. He had became a lot more brave after that war. Many years later st. john passed away. I recommend you to read this book if you like war books it is a good book.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the book was ok but the only part that I did not like was that the book was switching point of view every chapter. They did not give you background knowledge on the battle that is or was happening through out the book. The book had great detail and describing things about the characters and how they lived through out the book.To me the book was too easy and too short to read because I like challenging books to make me a better reader.

[Jlb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens at War is a true story of brave and heroic teens that are under aged and most had to lie in order to enlist in the army or navy.It tells there stories and how they acted in the heat of combat how they stayed alive and even how some of them risked their lives in order to save the lives of there comrades.Even though it is kinda small it is still a really good book

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book because I like stories that deal with the military. The book had 10 stories in it. It was about teenagers who forged their papers to get into the military. It told you if they were caught, how their were caught, and the battles. The stories were also very short so if I didn't like one there were nine other stories that I would probably.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see so many applications for this book in a classroom. 3.5 stars but I rounded up. I wish each chapter heading had told which war was being highlighted. This book shows that there are some remarkable young people in our world. I want to read more about many of them.