Book Description

Reveals top secret tricks and tactics.

Hoodwinked plunges readers into the secret strategies and underground battles that helped turn the tides of World War II. There's the American army of inflatable tanks and dummy planes: amassed across the Channel from occupied France, this phantom army helped to distract Germans from the true invasion at Normandy. Equally sneaky was the special forces unit known as the Beach Jumpers. Led by movie-star turned military captain Douglas Fairbanks Jr., the team specialized in mimicking an invasion fleet...with only 10 small boats.

Presented with historical accuracy and engaging storytelling, and bursting with sidebars, archival photographs, color maps and illustrations, Hoodwinked tells 18 true, gripping stories of elaborate ruses, military fakery and cunning deception on both sides of World War II.

2004 marks the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Hoodwinked includes three tales of Allied deception and resistance that helped secure the success of the Normandy invasion. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A grim visual reminder but very weak text...
Mendel Grossman did humanity a great service in risking his life to bring the world visual proof of the horrific tragedies within the Lodz ghetto during the holocaust. Unfortunately the text of this book is written in such an over-simplified style that the publisher's targeted age range; 3rd thorough 5th graders are easily bored by it.

Aside from a few weak descriptions of these powerful images, I felt besieged by Frank Smith's one-sided listing of war facts. Smith's prose melodramatically recites the war's background from a narrow perspective that seems designed to inflame young readers about the suffering of only one race. With so many other races alongside the Jewish people targeted for Nazi genocide, I felt that a more sober and complete narrative about this tragic time in history would have provide the book with the necessary facts to place it among the best of it's genre.

My Secret Camera deprives its readers of a powerful chance to merge the photography of this Jewish ghetto and a first-hand historical account of this terrible time in history. After reading and owning so many incredible and moving Jewish and non-Jewish authored books about the holocaust, I can only recommend you purchase this book for it's pictures - it's not worth reading.

Haunting and Important Document on the Holocaust
I bought this book because the boy on the cover bears a striking and uncanny resemblance to every member of my family. Took it home and cried for hours. Unforgettable.

An important photographic document
"My Secret Camera: Life in the Lodz Ghetto" combines the photographs of Mendel Grossman with a simple text by Frank Dabba Smith. Grossman was one of the many individuals who suffered under Nazi rule before and during World War II. Using his camera, he carefully documented the lives of the Jews who were confined by the Nazis to the Lodz ghetto.

Grossman's photographs in this book capture many haunting images: the despairing faces of the trapped people, two children harnessed like animals to a cart, people waiting on a bread line. But the fact that Grossman's stark visual testament survived the Holocaust is ultimately inspiring. This is an important book for teachers and parents to share with young readers.

A must for schools
Tha little boy on the cover of the book is my brother, Moishele Minski. Standing behind him is my mother, Nacha Minska. They perished in the Nazi gas chambers. I was there in Lodz ghetto. That book is a painfilled reminder of what hate, prejudice and indifference lead to. Ruth Minsky Sender Author of THE CAGE. TO LIFE. THE HOLOCAUST LADY. Survivor of LODZ GHETTO.

Hidden Holocaust Images
Grainy black and white photographs taken secretly by Mendel Grossman in the Lodz ghetto are the entire strength of this book. The words are almost superfluous as these haunting images make clear the pain, the suffering, the humanity and tremendous urge for life in this incredible prison. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must for Young Civil War Buffs
The Civil War is a period of history that many students arefascinated in. This book has pages of connons, soldiers, horses,towers, architecture, ships, artillery, trains and everything else that played a part in this time period. It is easy and well explained and gives one the confidence to grab pencil, paper and supplies and begin! A lovely gift and a must for classrooms! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A vivid narrative of the heart and mind of the civil war.
Reger's "Antietam" vividly chronicles the events leading up to, and including the battle and aftermath of the "bloodiest battle" of the civil war. various other aspects of the era are discussed by the author. Reger writes in a an easy-flowing, yet detailed and descriptive manner. As a secondary school U.S History teacher I've found this and other books from Jim Reger-and others like him-to be extremely helpful in attracting students to "historical" text. This refreshingly new type of historical narrative is welcome, enjoyable reading to the young and adult student of history. ... Read more

Book Description

It was the greatest invasion the world had ever seen. Officially known as "Operation Overlord," this World War II assault began on the morning of June 6, 1944. Thousands of American, British, and Canadian soldiers aboard hundreds of landing craft attacked beaches along nearly fifty miles of France's coastline in Normandy. Backing them up were the big guns of some of the mightiest ships in the Allied navies, and countless bomber, fighter, and transport aircraft. By the end of that day, an Allied army had made it ashore despite sometimes-fierce opposition, signaling the end of Nazi tyranny over Europe. Using the real-life stories of young men caught up in this great event, along with original paintings, photographs, and memorabilia, D-Day, the book, will present a compelling account of this world-changing day. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The only time Indians successfully defended their homeland
The cover photograph of the markers of where Custer and his troopers fell on "Last Stand Hill" at the Little Bighorn Battlefield is a great choice because what makes the battlefield unique are all those white markers, scattered across several acres.Unlike other national parks established at battlefields, such as Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, at the Little Bighorn you get a visual sense for the battle.The largest group of markers is on Last Stand Hill, just below the monument on top of the mass grave of the troopers of the 7th Calvary.

Beyond the cover photograph the strength of R. Conrad Stein's juvenile history of "The Battle of the Little Bighorn" is how the battle is put in historical perspective.Stein's perspective is that the battle represents the only time the Indians successfully defended their homeland against white settlement.Stein relates how the search for gold in the Black Hills put the prospectors and miners on a collision course with the Lakota tribes, making war on the Great Plains inevitable.The campaign of 1876 and the Battle at Rosebud Creek set the stage for what happened to Custer at the Little Bighorn.The battle itself is sketched out in terms of the major elements and my only reservations about this book are that Stein pretty much takes it easy on Custer.It was his standard tactic to attack a village and start killing the women and children to make the braves surrender; this was what he was trying to do that day only he had grossly underestimated the size of the village he was attacking.Stein relates how Custer was considered a hero and does nothing to seriously challenge that idea in this volume.

The aftermath of the battle is covered in only a couple of paragraphs and Stein ends with the observation that whatever the two sides might think about the battle, they both agree the battlefield is a sacred site because of all those who lost their lives.This book is illustrated with not only contemporary color photographs of the battlefield, but historic photos and illustrations of the participants and the battle.Like all of the volumes in the Cornerstones of Freedom series this is an excellent place for teachers and students alike to find out more details about key events in American History that go well beyond what little can be found in your standard textbook.You should also check out "It Is A Good Die to Die: Indian Eyewitnesses Tell the Story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn."

Excellent reading and great resource
Teachers and Homeschoolers, the whole series are excellent material. Styled more like your grade-school texts of the 60's and 70's, but writtento be read and the photos are more personal, unlike most material aimed at3rd-5th graders. For homeschoolers, these are perfect; each one is achapter in history; a minimum of 3 weeks for each, the glossary is slim butthere are plenty of words throughout to make up your own. Use the internetand the library to supplement.

fun to read and it never got boring
I loved reading this book.It was so imformative and inturesting.It made me want to learn more about the battle of little big horn, and I hope to read more of R.Conrad Stien's work in the future ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Social and military history of U.S. cira 1940s
This book is an excellent companion piece for use by middle and high schools teaching about social conditions and history of pre-post WWII. The introduction gives details about not only Af-Americans interested in flight, but also women, and is the first book I've seen that talks about the sister of the Wright brothers. Good overall details about the first Black fighter pilots who rose above all criticism to become heroes during the war in Europe and were the forerunners of the Civil Rights Movement by creating the first executive order to end racial segregation. ... Read more

Book Description

ELEANOR'S STORY is the dramatic autobiography of Eleanor Ramrath Garner's youth, growing up as an Americanan enemy alienin Berlin during World War II. This story of everyday life under the Hitler regime begins when Eleanor is nine years old. She and her family must move, in the depths of the Great Depression, from New Jersey to Germany, the only place where her father, a German immigrant, can find work. But the war breaks out as her family crosses the Atlantic, and Eleanor's family find themselves stranded in Germany during one of the most tumultuous and frightening times in history.

While in Germany for seven years (1939 to 1946), Eleanor tries to fit into her new world while at the same time attempting to maintain her American identity. But the realities and horrors of war soon press upon her and her family. The Ramraths face separation, starvation, illness, devastating Allied bombings, the final battle for Berlin, the Russian invasion, and vengeful Soviet soldiers.

ELEANOR'S STORY is a journey of self-awareness and independence, inner strength and hope.Eleanor Ramrath Garner has created an honest, intimate and personal story that promises to forge an intense bond with readers, young and old alike. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Review- Eleanor's Story
In this book, Eleanor Ramrath Garner is the main character and she is an American. Her family originates in Germany, but they live in America at the beginning of the book. The time period is during Hitler's realm, but the father gets a job in Germany. I didn't understand why they actually wanted to move during this time, but they did. I thought that Garner kind of dragged on a little bit. The story had a good background, but she talked too much about somethings that really weren't that important to the reader in my opinion. Eleanor's parents were also very mean. They were always really unjust to their kids. Although the book was kind of boring, it did give an interseting point of view from a German person. Most other books about the Holocaust are from a point of view of a Jew. Towards the end of the book, you can see Eleanor growing up and becoming more mature. Her dad starts giving her more respect, because he can relate better to an adult than to a child. I think Eleanor grew up faster partly due to the war because she expreienced a lot more than other children her age did. I also think she grew smarter later in life because her tryig to survive the way she did. I would rate this book a 7 out of 10 because although it was boring, it also had some interesting points. (Such as the German point of view.)I would recommend this book to somebody who wants to read about what it was like to be on the opposite end of things during the Holocaust.

Hitler's Germany
Eleanor's story(An American Girl in Hitler's Germany) written by Eleanor's Ramrath Garner is set in the 1940 in Berlin, Germany during world war 2 is a fantastic book. This Book is about this girl name Eleanor and her family who are all American citizans, Who move to Berlin after Eleanor's father is offered a job at a factory in Berlin. Only after being in Germany for alittle while the Brittish abd France declare war on Germany. Eleanor doesn't know germany very well, so when she starts a German school it is a big struggle for her. It's not that she couldn' speak German it was that the math, and Writting were really hard for her. When she goes and visits her Aunt and Uncle in Stolp her Uncle helps her so that she is a little better at it. She also meet alot of friends. Her best friend is Annemarie a german girl. It seem that almost instantly they became friends. Eleanor's mother during the seven years that they were in Germany gave birth to two children. The first one was a boy named Tommy. He sounds like such a adorable kid. Then about 18 months later her mother gets pregnant and soon after that gives birth to a baby girl named Bassi. After the war end their home is always being robbed and ravaged. All the women are being raped, but lucky none of Eleanors family was raped. I think that this book was excellent. The ending is the best part I believe. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes storys about World War 2.

A Fantastic Books for Teens and Adults!
This is an incredible book! I loved it so much. This woman as an American girl in Hitler's Germany provided me with insight into Hitler's Germany in a way that a German girl probably couldn't have because she would have been called into question. As an outsider inside, she explains how Germans were secretly kept from knowing what was going on in the country and in the conquered lands. It provided me with information on how life was for most Germans and how they could choose to remain ignorant in such a troubled time. I never realized that Germans brought in slave workers from conquored lands and that Germans were punished for spending time with them. I learned so much from this book. Please read it, I couldn't pull away and read it in two days.

Not Your Average WWII Book
This book really blew me away. It was very easy to get into and I could not put it down. I never even considered the idea that someone would move back to Germany during WWII until I read this book. Elanor's insights were extremely interesting because it allows us to see a first hand American view of what was occurring in Germany at this time.
Elanor was a very brave girl and should be considered a role model for children everywhere. This book should be a school assigned book because of its historical value and literary merit.
Elanor's Story is definitely not your typical Holocaust/WWII book. It digs deeper and touches you on a different level.

Our Review of Eleanor's Story
Many immigrant families struggled not only financially, but also from personal persecution from other Americans. In the time before World War II, Eleanor's father, struggling to make it in America moved their family back to Germany for a better job opportunity. As fate would have it, on the voyage home World War II breaks out. Eleanor and her family are trapped in Germany having to survive the war from both sides. During the war Eleanor experiences hunger, extreme cold, and a lack of stability. Once the war ended, Eleanor's pain continued because she was separated from half her family until enough money was raised to reunite them once again.
This captivating story of one girl's struggle in Hitler's Germany gives the reader an alternate view of Germans during World War II. The book contains mature content, which may not be suitable for preteens. This book would be interesting for people in 8th grade and older. It could promote Geography, History, the arts, Social Sciences, and relationships, along with possible other subjects. ... Read more

Book Description

Explore the world of the pirate…as he goes about his everyday life aboard ship, as he ruthlessly attacks treasure ships and as he spends his looted spoils on land.

In The World of the Pirate dramatic panoramas of bloodthirsty battles, accurate pictures of weapons, tool and ships, cameos of famous pirates and glimpses of everyday life are all created in the outstanding illustrations.

Discover what weapons a pirate carried, what plunder he sole, what kinds of ships he used and where he hid out after a successful raid. Enjoy the colorful life stories of some notorious pirates and find out how the 'golden age' of piracy eventually came to an end. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent
I was looking for a good book to give me a basic idea of the Gulf War. This book gave me an idea of the main people involved, casualties, the forces that fought and a basic understanding of the war in general. I thought it was an excellent book for the beginning learner of the Gulf War. Those who are looking for a more in depth understanding of the war should pick a different book. A very good book with pictures and maps. ... Read more

Book Description

Allons, enfants, vite, vite!

When the Allies invaded Normandy on June 6, 1944, one hundred orphaned girls were forced to flee their orphanage in Caen, France, the only home many of them had ever known. They began a trek on foot to a safer location, to Beaufort-en-Vallée, a town one hundred and fifty miles away. As the war raged on all sides of them, the girls, led by their teachers, bravely marched south, keeping one step ahead of the fighting and waving little white flags for protection. Told through their own drawings and words, this moving and timely book details their experiences on their journey to safety. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An inspiring story told in pictures!
For every girl who ever wanted an adventure about brave girls, this is a real one, it really did happen.

The War has been raging for five long years & when the Allies land in Normandy, one hundred girls are driven out of their orphanage, the only home they have known, by the harried German soldiers & forced to trek on foot to a safer place, some 150 miles away in the south.

Told in pencil crayon drawings, like samplers girls used to stitch, we enter their beloved world: their classrooms, sewing room, kitchen garden, chicken house; their orchard & milk cows, & their dormitory where the girls watch airraids in the sky outside of their windows.

& then their journey begins, into a forest, across a war-torn land & through ruined villages, these brave children walk in their red, white & blue dresses, carrying only a blanket, some bread & little white flags of peace.

RebeccasReads recommends THE ORPHANS OF NORMANDY as a jewel. If how girls draw the world is of any interest to you, you will be enchanted & awed by the picture story they tell. Within each page the girls wrote of what they saw (in French, naturally) & opposite is a clear & simple English translation. ... Read more

Book Description

From the age of three, Shane Osborn dreamed of being a pilot. He began learning the skills he would need to fly as a member of the Civil Air Patrol, a branch of the U.S. Air Force, when he was just twelve years old. But it wasn’t until he graduated from the naval ROTC program at the University of Nebraska and joined the navy that his dream became a reality. For five years, Osborn practiced rigorous training exercises, working tirelessly day in and day out until he advanced from navy pilot to mission commander.

All Lt. Osborn’s flying skills were put to the test when a Chinese F-8 II fighter jet collided with his EP-3E ARIES II plane during a U.S. surveillance mission through international airspace. The impact severely damaged Osborn’s aircraft, sending it plummeting toward the ocean. With almost certain disaster looming, Osborn managed to gain control of the crippled plane and land it safely on the Chinese island of Hainan–saving the lives of his twenty-three crewmates.

In Born to Fly, Shane Osborn describes these terrifying events in vivid detail, along with the years of dedicated training that made the emergency landing possible. This is the inspirational story of a boy with a dream, and of the extraordinary discipline and courage that made him a hero.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

The compelling story of a true American hero
This true story of the downing of a US surveillance plane satisfies with technical details, suspense, and appropriate humor, but most importantly through the demonstration of the character of Shane Osborn and his crew. Although co-written, like most books of this type, his voice shines through with an excellently balanced acount of his life and experiences as well as the story of the headline news incident itself. This book should be required reading at all military academies.

Born To Fly
I like the book because it was about planes and the heroic story of downed U.S. Navy piolt Lt. Shane Osborn. I liked the book because it is a true story Shane Osborn and his crew. I also liked it because of the heroic chapter 18 plot of when Shane and his crew were going down in an aircaft. Also because it is just an all around good book about the Navy. The best part in the book is when Shane and his crew pulled up from the nose dive. The settings were great. The characters were real people and it was about a kid who accomplished his goal. The settings were good because of the real truth of where the settings take place. Shane is a young kid that has always wanted to fly and he finally accomplished his lifetime goal.

GREAT BOOK
This is a great story about the downed pilot from the US Navy! Michael French has done a great job on this book. Michale French is an excetional author!This is a great book for young people. I would recommend this book for the juvenile audience.

Born to Fly
The vivid accounts of the life of Shane Osborn growing up in Nebraska to his heroic actions while flying an American Reconnaissance plane gives the children of today a great role model and hero. Intermediate readers (and adults) realize that setting goals, working to achieve goals and keeping focused in life does result in success and in Shane's case saving 25 lives. Disappoints are not met with defeat, but rather the desire to achieve even greater levels of accomplishments. I love the message in this book and learned various Naval and aircraft terms. This is an awesome book for children looking for a hero. ... Read more