1914 – 1918
World War I was a global conflict that involved many of the world’s great powers, divided into two main alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. The war began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and quickly escalated due to complex alliances and rivalries. Trench warfare, new military technologies, and significant battles like the Somme and Verdun marked the conflict. The war resulted in immense loss of life and reshaped political borders, leading to major changes in the world, including the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.
You can find books about the aftermath of WWI here.
Picture books
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
Award-winning story about the real WWI bear who inspired Winnie the Pooh
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Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators
Exciting story of the women who went to the front line as Signal Corps operators
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The Eleventh Hour
Poignant story of two childhood friends serving in WWI together
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Rags: Hero Dog of WWI: A True
True story of a dog serving in WWI
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See Inside the First World War
Lift-the-flap picture collection visualizing WWI
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Flo of the Somme: The Mercy Dogs of World War 1
Story of a dog’s role in an important WWI battle
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Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
Lively explanation of an innovation used to protect ships during WWI
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Archie’s War
Fictional scrapbook about a boy reflecting on the war’s impact
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The Peach Pit Parade: A World War I Story
Story of a girl finding a way to contribute to the war effort during a time of deprivation
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War Game: Village Green to No-Man’s-Land
Story based on the real soccer match between English and German soldiers during the Christmas truce
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Chapter books
War Horse
Powerful story about a horse separated from his boy by WWI
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When Christmas Comes Again: The World War I Diary of Simone Spencer, New York City to the Western Front 1917
Fictional diary of a girl who travels to the Western Front to work as a switchboard operator
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The Night Flyers
Story about a girl solving a mystery on the home front while her father serves in WWI
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Like the Willow Tree
Fictional diary of a girl living through the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918
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World War I: An Interactive History Adventure
Choose-your-own-adventure stories set during WWI
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The Sinking of the Lusitania: An Interactive History Adventure
Choose-your-own-adventure stories set on the Lusitania during its destruction
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Lord of the Nutcracker Men
Story of a British boy playing with toy soldiers as his dad serves at the front
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The Tortoise and the Soldier
True story of a young WWI sailor and his friendship with a tortoise
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Remembrance
Novel about a group of young adults facing WWI
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Private Peaceful
Stunning novel about a boy soldier on the front line, for older readers
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Non-fiction books
Eyewitness World War I
Comprehensive reference with great photos
Buy
What Was World War I?
Detailed, comprehensive intro to WWI
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World War I: The Definitive Visual History
Photo-rich overview of WWI
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Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood: A World War I Tale
Excellent graphic novel overview of WWI
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The War to End All Wars: World War I
Stunning photo-essay that explains WWI in a compelling way
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Truce
Story of the Christmas truce on the Western Front
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Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics
Introduction to 16 amazing women and their roles in the war
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Dear Jelly
Real letters sent home from a pair of solider brothers, annotated and illustrated
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Very, Very, Very Dreadful: The Influenza Pandemic of 1918
Award-winning survey of the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, for older readers
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Line Of Fire: Diary Of An Unknown Soldier
Graphic novel adaptation of a real WWI soldier’s diary
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