1945 – 1948
The aftermath of World War II brought massive global changes. Europe lay in ruins, and millions of people were displaced. Japanese people suffered the aftereffects of the atomic bombs. The war’s end led to the division of Germany, the start of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the creation of the United Nations to promote peace. Many countries in Asia and Africa began to push for independence, ending colonial rule. Holocaust survivors faced the challenge of rebuilding their lives, and the Nuremberg Trials brought Nazi war criminals to justice. This period reshaped the world order and set the stage for the modern era.
Picture books
A Bowl Full of Peace: A True Story
Moving true story of a Japanese family rebuilding their lives after the atomic bomb
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A New Coat for Anna
Story set in the hard times after World War II in Europe
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Boxes for Katje
Story of a Dutch girl getting help from a new friend during the post-war deprivations
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The Place for Me: Stories About the Windrush Generation
Stories about Jamaican immigrants to England from the Windrush generation
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Shin’s Tricycle
True story of a young boy impacted by the atomic bomb
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Chapter books
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Famous true story of a Japanese girl whose life was cut short by the effects of the atomic bomb
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After the War
Story of a Jewish orphan returning to her Polish village after surviving the Holocaust
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Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba
Verse novel about a Holocaust refugee boy making a new life in Cuba
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Dear Canada: Pieces of the Past
Fictional diary of a Polish Jewish girl adjusting to life in Canada after surviving the Holocaust
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Barefoot Gen, Vol. 1: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima
First in a graphic novel series about Hiroshima and its aftermath
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Windrush Child
Story of a boy who travels from Jamaica to England as part of the Windrush generation after WWII
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