Heroes of World War II: 25 Stories of Unsung Heroes Who Fought for Freedom

Gr 4 Up–In this illustrated nonfiction book, 25 different accounts of heroism from World War II are shared. These stories primarily center individuals but do recognize some groups such as Indigenous warriors and soldiers from India. The book, which is full color throughout, begins with a spread describing the factors leading to WWII and the key elements during the war. Following that is a historical time line. Each account is featured on a spread that includes illustrations, photographs, and text about the named individual, offering further historical context. The text is in blocks of colors as captions or in narrative segments on a notebook paper background. The featured subjects encompass multiple nationalities and races resulting in a diversity of experiences with a solid balance of men and women. While each individual’s story is a shallow overview, in sum they provide an excellent introduction to the people and time period. This book will serve as a starting place to learn about WWII and an introduction to new historical figures but will not be suitable for longer research.