Nazi Prison Camp Escape: Great Escapes #1
By:
Illustrator: James Bernardin
A thrilling, brand-new historical fiction series based on real events—perfect for readers of the "I Survived" and "Horrible Histories" series! In this first book, Royal Canadian Air Force officer Bill Ash escapes from a German POW camp during World War II.
In the spring of 1942, Royal Air Force pilot Bill Ash’s plane was surrounded and shot down by Germans. He was eventually brought to Stalag Luft III, a notorious camp for prisoners of war.
The Germans boasted that the camp—which was isolated, heavily guarded, and surrounded by wire fences—was escape proof. But Ash was determined to prove them wrong. He, along with other POWs, would dig tunnels, hide in shower drains, or jump on trucks—all to gain freedom. Because resisting the Germans was their mission, and escaping was their duty.
ISBN: 9780062860361
JLG Release: Jul 2020
Series:
Great Escapes
Sensitive Areas:
Violence: War/Harsh Realities of War
Topics:
William Ash (1917–2014)
, Canada
, Royal Canadian Air Force
, World War II (1939–1945)
, Prisoners of war
, Escapes
, History of Germany, 1933–1945
Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Readers of this new historical fiction series meet Mr. Bill Ash, a U.S. citizen who joined the Canadian Royal Air Force in 1940. His indomitable spirit permeates the story as the author realistically depicts Ash’s multiple escape attempts and the consequences of his failures. Informative sidebars about topics as varied as the Great Depression and Readers of this new historical fiction series meet Mr. Bill Ash, a U.S. citizen who joined the Canadian Royal Air Force in 1940. His indomitable spirit permeates the story as the author realistically depicts Ash’s multiple escape attempts and the consequences of his failures. Informative sidebars about topics as varied as the Great Depression and prisoner-of-war camps in the United States complement the text by providing additional context. At least one sidebar feels out of place, however, because it details events that have not yet occurred. Readers learn through an author’s note that the story is based on a real person and events, with fictionalized dialogue. Black-and-white illustrations serve the action of the text well. Since this is Ash’s story, his character has the most depth, and the author portrays him positively throughout the narrative. The novel’s strengths are the action-driven plot and the believable setting. A useful bibliography lists both adult and juvenile nonfiction titles. A straightforward account that highlights a lesser-known World War II service member. Purchase where there is high demand for WWII literature.
Book Details
ISBN
9780062860361
First Release
July 2020
Genre
Fiction
Dewey Classification
F
Trim Size
8 3/10" x 5 1/2"
Page Count
128
Accelerated Reader
Level 5.7; Points: 2;
Scholastic Reading Counts
N/ALexile
Level 840L
Format
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
HarperCollins
Potentially Sensitive Areas
Violence: War/Harsh Realities of War
Topics
William Ash (1917–2014), Canada, Royal Canadian Air Force, World War II (1939–1945), Prisoners of war, Escapes, History of Germany, 1933–1945,
