Brown, M: A Child's War

When World War II broke out in September 1939, it came as no surprise to the children of Germany: the Nazis had been preparing them for a war ever since they had come to power in 1933. To British children, however, it was an altogether different matter. Children all over Britain were deeply affected by the war: many were separated from their parents by evacuation or bereavement; all had "make do and mend" with clothes and toys; and some even died while contributing to the war effort at home. The author of this book describes what life was like on the Home Front during the war from a child's point of view. His illustrated, descriptive narrative includes details of evacuation, rationing, coping with gas masks and air raids, entertainment in the absence of toys, favorite radio programs and the important - and often dangerous - role of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. Interspersed with personal accounts and reminiscences, the book provides a glimpse of how children were affected by the pressures of war and how they coped with the difficulties they faced. A selection of period photographs and ephemera shows children at work and play and is a main feature of the book.