Library: Year Nine: War Stories

War Stories Book List

War Stories

This link will take you to this list in our catalogue.
War Stories / ANZAC Experience
Main War Stories topic page providing background information on Australia's involvement in wars and additional featured books.

Maus by Art Spiegelman

The Complete MAUS by Art Spiegelman
Read a synopsis of Maus and a short biography of the author, Art Spiegelman.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Author website
Visit the author's website to read a synopsis, explore questions and further reading related to the book, and view the author talking about the book.

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

Book review - Reading reality
Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature.
Author website - Books featured in The Last Bookshop in London
When planning out The Last Bookshop in London, I set my eye toward making the book a celebration of reading. This meant exploring books that I have known and loved and that have impacted my life in some way. These books have been read at various times in my life, going all the way back to high school and include some of my favorite authors, like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson

Publisher's website
Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her now-penniless family is forced to flee to England.

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Lancer Band (Australian Army)

Book Trailer

And the band played Waltzing Matilda by Eric Bogle, Bruce Whatley
Call Number: d'Houet Library Picture Books. BOG
ISBN: 9781743317051
Publication Date: 2015

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

Britannica - All Quiet on the Western Front
An antiwar novel set during World War I, it relies on Remarque’s personal experience in the war to depict the era’s broader disillusionment. The book is an account of Paul Baumer’s experiences in battle and his short career as a soldier, and it is primarily concerned with the effect of war on young men. Click on the link to read the full summary, context and overview of reception and analysis.
DW - Erich Maria Remarque: 'All Quiet on the Western Front'
An overview of the literary importance and global success of the novel, including a video.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Author website
Visit the author's website to read a synopsis, read an extract and view international covers of the book.

The Stan Original Series The Tattooist of Auschwitz is currently in production and will premiere in 2024.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
Read a synopsis and view a trailer for Cilka's Journey, the sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Interview with the author of The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak.

Go behind the scenes and discover the the hidden true story of The Book Thief with director Brian Percival, author Markus Zusak and the film's talent Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nélisse. Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, an extraordinary and courageous young girl sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany. She learns to read with encouragement from her new family and Max, a Jewish refugee who they are hiding under the stairs. For Liesel and Max, the power of words and imagination become the only escape from the tumultuous events happening around them. The Book Thief is a life-affirming story of survival and of the resilience of the human spirit.

Mapping the Bones by Jane Yolen

Book review - Historical Novel Society
Mapping the Bones is an important addition to young adult fiction on the Holocaust, offering a close look at the Lodz ghetto, the Polish underground, the work children were forced to do, and the horrible medical experiments undertaken by the Nazis.
Book review - Jewish Book Council
Yolen’s new tale confronts disturbing ambiguities and avoids easy resolutions. She shows respect for her audience through the use of rich historical allusions, moral reflection, and nuanced language. Mapping the Bones is an unforgettable, essential encounter with the past.

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

Publisher's website
Visit the Pan Macmillan website to read a synopsis, read an extract and read about the author.

Nancy Wake

Nancy Wake by Peter FitzSimons
Call Number: 940.5485092 WAK
ISBN: 9781743095713
Publication Date: 2011-10-01
In the early 1930s, Nancy Wake was a young woman enjoying a bohemian life in Paris. By the end of the Second World War, she was the Gestapo's most wanted person. As a naïve, young journalist, Nancy Wake witnessed a horrific scene of Nazi violence in a Viennese street. From that moment, she declared that she would do everything in her power to rid Europe of the Nazis.
The white mouse : the story of Nancy Wake by Peter Gouldthorpe
Call Number: 940.5344092 WAK:GOU
ISBN: 9781742990910
Publication Date: 2015

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

Author website
Visit the author's website to read a synopsis of the story, access a discussion guide and view international covers of the book.

The Love that I Have by James Moloney

Click on the image of the book cover to read a review by Books & Publishing.

Author website - behind The Love That I Have
Visit the author's website to read about the inspiration for the story, from Anne Frank's sister, Margot, to learning about what happened to the letters written in labour camps.

They Went Left by Monica Hesse

Author website
Visit the author's website to read a synopsis of They Went Left, her other books and read a short biography of the author.

Max by Sarah Cohen-Scali

Publisher's website
Visit the Text Publishing website to read a synopsis, read about the author and read an extract of the book.
Book review - Readings
Max is highly original and moving in its depiction of both the bravery and resilience of children, and their ability to engage in acts of evil. Author Sarah Cohen-Scali has written a unique, sensitive and morally complex depiction of two lost and damaged boys.

I Was Only Nineteen

I Was Only Nineteen by John Schumann (Text by); Craig Smith (Illustrator)
Call Number: d'Houet Library Picture Books. SCH
ISBN: 9781743317235
Publication Date: 2014-06-01
A powerful and moving picture book about the Vietnam War based on the unforgettable song.

Martin Walsh Red Dune Films
To pay homage to all the veterans who have served, suffered and made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War and in recognition of the anniversary of the 1966 Battle of Long Tan on 18 August, now known as Vietnam Veterans Day, we’ve put together this special anniversary video for ‘I Was Only 19’ by Redgum / John Schumann which is featured in our movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan. 60,000 Australians and 3,000 New Zealanders served in Vietnam; 521 Australians and 37 New Zealanders died as a result of the war, and over 3,000 Australians and 187 New Zealanders were wounded. 17 young Australians from D Company, 6th Royal Australian Regiment died in the Battle of Long Tan and 1 Trooper from 1 APC Squadron died nine days later from wounds he sustained in the battle. 11 of those who died were conscripts / National Servicemen.