Sterling Point Books: The Great Escape: Tunnel to Freedom [Paperback]

Mike Meserole (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sterling Point Books | Publication Date: September 2, 2008

A spine-tingling, suspenseful true story of escape during World War II.
Spring, 1943; Stalag Luft III, Germany: every prisoner in the Nazi camps had one thought in mind—to get out. The organization was in place, with men digging hidden passageways and squads dispersing yellow sand in the middle of soccer scrimmages. Forgers worked to create false travel documents. Tailors stitched up civilian suits from blankets. Their goal? To break out of an “escape-proof” German prison camp and raise havoc throughout the German countryside. The stakes were high, however: anyone caught would be executed.
Author Mike Meserole keeps the tension high in this newly-written tale filled with daring and danger. Kids will hang on to every word.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–8—"For you the war is over." These were the first words translated from German heard by most downed Allied pilots when rounded up as POWs during World War II. For the British RAF, the first code of conduct was to escape. Those who did make it out were usually caught and returned and, under the rules of the Geneva Convention, punished without fatal consequences. A group of highly crafty, daring, and determined POWs in Stalag Luft III, comprised of dedicated British and American servicemen, used disciplined secret planning and organized execution with basic engineering and mining knowledge to pull off "the Great Escape." Meserole's compelling narrative takes readers through the early days of strategic thinking to the amazing nail-biting escape through a 30-foot-deep tunnel on a moonless night in late winter. The easy-to-read text, embellished with drawings of tunnel blueprints and black-and-white photos of the events, vividly describes the ingenuity and hard labor of several hundred men who not only clandestinely dug and disposed of tons of sand, but also created tools from scraps of metal and wood, civilian clothing, and counterfeit documents right under the noses of their captors. The author is careful to create suspense and intrigue but brings his account to an honest conclusion with the Nazis's vengeful response to the event. This story has been previously told on film as well as in print, but it will nevertheless interest today's readers.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI
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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402757050
• ISBN-13: 978-1402757051
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #406,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Teens > Biographies
  • #80 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Military & Wars

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Exciting Non Fiction for Teens, October 17, 2008

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sterling Point Books: The Great Escape: Tunnel to Freedom (Paperback)

This is a great nonfiction book for teens. The Great Escape is an exciting story and this book begins with excitement and it never stops. That so many could have escaped from the Nazis is a great thing. That 50 were shot, is a tragedy. What a wonderful story and a well written one. This is a great introduction of the adult world of nonfiction.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for young and old alike, December 22, 2011

By 

K. Grace - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sterling Point Books: The Great Escape: Tunnel to Freedom (Paperback)

My 13-year-old son picked this book to read for summer reading. He is more-or-less a non-reader and only likes non-fiction books when he does read. He loved this book and suggested that I read it when he finished. I, too, thought it was a great book.
Easy to read and tells a great WWII story.
You can follow this up with watching the movie The Great Escape. There is also a PBS documentary on the story.