Best war books for 12 year olds

Expertly selected books for 11, 12 and 13 year old children

Two are non-fiction books written by people who lived through the events they describe. Whatever your children's ages, you'll need to explain a little bit about the Second World War in terms that they'll understand before you start reading. Even if your children are reading these books on their own, it's a good idea to read them yourselves and to have a bit of a chat about them afterwards. Asking your child what he or she thinks about the story gives them an opportunity to clarify their thoughts and gives you a chance to extend their knowledge and answer any questions they may have. If you're reading these books aloud, it's a good idea to give your kids a sort of broad-brush picture of what happened before you start reading. You don't have to go into lots of detail and, of course, tailor your explanation to the age of your child but do try to set the scene for them. I did this with my three and it worked really well.