The Battle of the Bulge

Gr 9 Up—Following D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944 (Holt, 2014), the first YA adaptation from Atkinson's adult The Guns at Last Light (Picador, 2014), this title describes the planning, implementation, and horrors of the Battle of the Bulge. The book begins late in the war, providing comprehensive coverage of Hitler's bold final offensive, which caught the Allies by surprise, and describing the fierce battle action, largely fought by American defenders in the frozen Ardennes. The style is similar to that of D-Day, mixing details about plans, battles, terrain, and weather with excerpts from primary source accounts that personalize the battle and demonstrate how the reactions of both sides shaped the action. Unlike D-Day, which emphasizes the successful planning and execution of the Normandy invasion, this volume focuses on how the shortages and stresses of a long war and severe winter weather exacerbated weaknesses and missteps on both sides, increased the difficulties of command and combat, and took a terrible human toll on the fighting forces of both Allies and Germans. The format is similar to that of the first book, with useful area and battle maps, captioned period photos, and an appendix with descriptions of winter fighting, equipment, and weapons. Tim McNeese's Battle of the Bulge (Chelsea House, 2004) covers much of the same material, but Atkinson's offering is better illustrated and more in-depth.