Battle of the Bulge [The Young Readers Adaptation]

May 1, 2015

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. VERDICT Because of the high level of battle detail and military jargon, this title isn't quite as readable as D-Day. However, it's a solid choice for high school reports and military buffs.-Mary Mueller, Rolla Public Schools, MO

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 6-9 In this adaptation of his best-selling adult title The Guns at Last Light (2013), Atkinson focuses on WWII's Battle of the Bulge. Many in the German command questioned Hitler's bold, if desperate, plan to defeat the advancing Allies in late 1944, but he demanded it be carried out without changes. At first, the offensive was successful, driving back U.S. forces with overwhelming casualties. However, starting on December 16, the Allies dug in and mounted a defense that resulted in a bloody but important victory, the last great grapple of the Western Front. It's a gripping story, hampered somewhat by a disjointed narrative and problems in presentation: some editorial comments lack attribution, and quotes from German participants in the planning are broken out of the text for no apparent reason. Those with a deep dedication to WWII and its essential battles will still find this book interesting. However, casual readers may be better served reading other nonfiction texts, including DK's Eyewitness series book World War II (2014) or even historical fiction, such as Harry Mazer's A Boy at War (2001).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)