Air War! (World War II Story) [Library Binding]

Julie Klam (Author), Dwight Jon Zimmerman (Author)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Smart Apple Media; 1 edition (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158340189X
• ISBN-13: 978-1583401897
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,751,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julie Klam grew up in Bedford, New York. After attending NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and interning at Late Night with David Letterman, she went on to write for such publications as O: The Oprah Magazine, Rolling Stone, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Redbook, Family Circle, and The New York Times Magazine and for the VH1 television show Pop-Up Video, where she earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Class Writing. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, daughter, and many dogs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars WWII's Air War for Younger Readers!, August 30, 2009

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Air War! (World War II Story) (Library Binding)

Part of the WORLD WAR II CHRONICLES series of books aimed at readers 9-12, AIR WAR by Julie Klam provides an overview to the global air warfare that raged during World War II. While it does provide a generally accurate summary of the subject, I found AIR WAR an oddly bloodless piece and visually pretty unappealing.

AIR WAR runs to 48 pages divided into the ETO air war and the air war in the Pacific. The ETO section includes chapters on the Nazi blitz, the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, US bombers/fighters in the ETO, etc. THE PTO section features USN warplanes, the AVG, the Battle of Midway, etc.

Klam's narrative is concise and accurate yet, except for a reference to 50 million people dying in the war, she never reports the casualties suffered in any battles, bombings, etc. It seems odd - to me - to read about cities being leveled, X number of ships being sunk or Y number of a/c being downed without any corresponding mention of people being killed. Maybe that's standard practice for juvenile books...you got me!?!

Likewise, visually the book is dull. There are two or three color photographs/maps but the remaining 30-odd pix are b&w. Given the $31.00 price tag, I think Byron Preiss should have done a more colorful, more appealing job with the graphics. The book's illustrations give it a dated look or maybe we've just been spoiled by the Dorling Kindersley approach to publishing!

In any case, AIR WAR does a fair job of reporting the air war. Younger readers should find it worthwhile. Recommended.