The Great War: Stories Inspired by Objects from the First World War

(Paperback)

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Description

A moving anthology of stories inspired by objects from the First World War, illustrated by Jim Kay.

The Great War is a powerful collection of stories by bestselling authors, each inspired by a different object from the First World War. From a soldier's writing case to the nose of a Zeppelin bomb, each object illuminates an aspect of life during the war, and each story reminds us of the millions of individual lives that were changed forever by the four years of fighting. This remarkable book is illustrated by the Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Jim Kay. Featuring new work from: ** AL Kennedy ** Tracy Chevalier ** Michael Morpurgo ** David Almond ** Marcus Sedgwick ** Adele Geras ** Ursula Dubosarsky ** John Boyne ** Timothe de Fombelle ** Sheena Wilkinson ** Tanya Lee Stone **

Reviews

One of the most intriguing First World War titles * The Bookseller *
Provides a tangible link to the past . . . the stories bring alive the profound effect of the 1914-18 years -- Julia Eccleshare * The Guardian *
A stellar list of contributors and Jim Kay's atmospheric illustrations are wonderful -- Tony Bradman * The Guardian *
[A] stimulating and moving collection of stories about the First World War. . . Stories encompass both world wars, the home front and the trenches, realism and imaginary friends. Michael Morpurgo triggers tears. Tanya Lee Stone writes blank verse, in the rhythm of jazz, to relate the experience of a horn player from Harlem. And Jim Kays angular illustrations convey both atmosphere and fact. -- Nicolette Jones * The Sunday Times *
The eleven authors are top quality, including Michael Morpurgo, John Boyne, Timothe de Fombelle, A. J. Kennedy and Marcus Sedgwick. The stories are very diverse in scope, tone and treatment. . . The stories are very diverse in scope, tone and treatment. . . Special mention must go to Jim Kay, whose fragmented black and white illustrations complement the stories perfectly. For confident readers of eleven plus. Highly recommended. * The Historical Novel Society *
[The] Stories bring alive the profound effect of the 1914-18 years -- Julia Eccleshare * We Love This Book *
July 2014 Non-Fiction Book of the Month * We Love This Book *
This beautifully produced book, with black-and-white illustrations from Jim Kay. . . Each story offers insights about war and how it shapes our lives, with particularly strong contributions from David Almond, Marcus Sedgwick and Sheena Wilkinson. * Childrens Books Ireland Recommended Read *

Thought provoking and suprising, each imaginative account is enhanced by the dramatic and stunning black and white illustrations

* Daily Mail *
A Premier League line up * Books for Keeps *
[...] this intriguing selection of stories is an exciting way to explore wartime history. * The Week Junior *

Author Bio

Jim Kay worked in the archives of Tate Britain and the Royal Botanic Gardens before becoming a full-time illustrator. He won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2012 for his illustrations for Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls. More recently, Jim contributed an installation to the V&A Museums Memory Palace exhibition, and was chosen by J. K. Rowling to illustrate the full-colour editions of the Harry Potter series. He lives in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Visit Jim's website at www.jimkay.co.uk