War Game by Michael Foreman

War Game Reviews

• 
  Sophie Crane

  This is a poignant story about soldiers arranging a football match between the opposing trenches. The water colour pictures are a delight. Children who are old enough to watch war movies will begin to think about the sadness of war. There are also notes for older children about the history. Both of Michael Foreman's uncles died in WW1.
• 
  Rosie

  War Game follows Will and his brother and friends as they join the army to fight in the First World War. The story follows Will's journey to the front. There are elements of truth within the story, with side illustrations and pieces of information. The illustrations are simple but compliment the story well.
  
  It would be good for exploring what life was like for soldiers in WW1, especially the truce on Christmas Day.
  
  
• 
  Matti Karjalainen

  Lastenkirjakuvittajan parhaiten tutuksi tulleen Michael Foremanin kuvakirja "War Game" (Pavilion, 2014) ilmestyi ensimmäistä kertaa jo useampi vuosikymmen sitten, mutta ensimmäisen maailmansodan satavuotismuisteloiden vuoksi siitä on otettu nyt uusi painos. Ja ihan syystä, sillä kyseessä on pienimuotoinen mestariteos, joka toimii myös pienimuotoisena matkana Euroopan historiaan: vesivärikuvitusta tukevat autenttiset lehtileikkeet, propagandajulisteet ja muu aikalaismateriaali.
  
  Kuten kaikki historiankirjansa tarkkaan lukeneet tietävät, syntyi länsirintamalla epävirallinen aselepo ensimmäisenä sotajouluna 1914. Saksalaiset ja englantilaiset nousivat juoksuhaudoistaan, tapasivat toisiaan ei-kenenkään maalla, vaihtoivat lahjoja ja pelasivat keskenään jalkapalloa. Ja juuri tähän hetkeen kirjan tapahtumat sijoittuvat.
  
  Surullisen ja pasifistisen tarinan päähenkilö on jalkapalloa rakastava nuorukainen nimeltä Will. Yleisen mielipiteen innoittamana hän värväytyy ystävineen armeijaan ja lähetetään länsirintamalle taistelemaan saksalaisia vastaan. Sota ei olekaan aivan sellaista kuin pojat ovat etukäteen sen ajatelleet olevan, eikä se ole myöskään ohi jouluun mennessä.
  
  Foreman on nimennyt henkilöhahmonsa neljän setänsä mukaan, jotka kaikki osallistuivat ensimmäiseen maailmansotaan. Kukaan heistä ei palannut rintamalta elävänä kotiin.
• 
  Adam Shaeffer

  Both beautiful and heartbreakingly sad, this lavishly illustrated story reminds us of how similar we all are and in doing so brings home the deep tragedy of war.
• 
  Isobel

  This book could be used to teach children about world war two. The illustrations are basic and full of detail to show the reader what the battlefields looked like in World War One. It is a good story explaining what happened in world war one, looking at fighting in the air and on land and looking at how war caused death. The most insignificant part of the story is when the German soldiers play football against the English soldiers on Christmas day, this supposedly happened.
• 
  Rachel Magee

  This historical fiction book follows the journey of four young friends who join the British Army during World War I. Throughout the book, it provides real images of propaganda during this time, trench life, No Man's Land, war traditions, and the effects of the war on civilians. This book would be a wonderful addition to a text set that focuses on the perspectives of World War I!
• 
  Alice Ball

  Beautiful illustrated story to introduce the Great War from a Briton’s perspective. Appropriate for 3rd grade and up depending on the child. Includes pictures of primary source documents including enlistment propaganda.
• 
  Ric

  Read a lovely children’s book yesterday - War Game by Michael Foreman, about the horrors of WWI but explained in a way that children could take in. Beautifully written and illustrated.
• 
  Beverley

  A masterpiece.
• 
  Elizabeth Jamieson

  This book promotes all kinds of emotions and is sure to make you reflect on the bravery of our soldiers in the war. A great mix of cartoon pictures and real propaganda from the war time
• 
  Koen

  een zeer mooi, integer en droef verhaal. Schept een mooi beeld over de "Grote Oorlog".
• 
  Molly

  A heartbreaking tribute to the soldiers of WWI. Beautifully illustrated in watercolour. Foreman tells simple truths with huge impact.
• 
  Ebookwormy1

  This book is the author's tribute to his four lost uncles, two from his father's side and two from his mother's side. The four were friends in a small English village who loved football (soccer), enlisted together, played the famous Christmas football friendly with the Germans in no man's land, and later died in the fighting.
  
  Bright watercolor illustrations seem incongruous in the beginning of the story, but fitting in the end. The enriching narrative provides a high level view of the politics and battles of the war through the very personal perspective of the four friends in the trenches. It's an engaging presentation.
  
  The final two sections that deal with factual information about the war and about football (soccer) detract from the ambiance established by the story. I'm a little perplexed as the timing of them at the end of the book.
• 
  Rebecca

  The cheery watercolors of this book belie the grim topic and ending, even though there is a Christmas truce in the middle (also subject of the new book
  Truce, whose review by Elizabeth Bird led me to this one). This longer picture book for older elementary does a good job of presenting the gritty realities of life in the WWI trenches without preaching. The propaganda posters and photos are included with no explanation and are quite chilling ("Even a dog enlists. Why not you?" etc).
  
  "Freddie, being a goalkeeper and therefore a bit daft, walked out [into No Man's Land:] and shook hands with him."
• 
  SISlibrary

  War Game is a fiction text that follows three young Britain youth as they embark on the adventure of war. Told through the eyes of one of these young men, War Game provides an historical fiction account of life in the trenches during World War I. The grueling monotony of trench life is broken for a brief period as both sides celebrate Christmas day with a friendly game of football (soccer). Unfortunately the realities of war take the men back to their respective trenches and the fighting ensues.
  
  Author Michael Foreman has provided a well researched Factual account.
  
  Curriculum connection:Social Studies grade 7 WWI
  
  Recommendations: Grade 5+
  
• 
  Ben

  Not the Matthew Broderick film about chimps in the '80s (that's War Games), but a brief story about some village boys going off to fight in World War I, told for children. The centrepiece is a game of football between the English and the Germans in No Mans Land, between the trenches, but there are other touching moments. For me, seeing the contemporary recruitment posters, splashed among the poignant illustrations,  was eye-opening. The army got to the men through their women. Those boys had no chance.
• 
  Connie

  "War Game" is the children's version with pictures of "Silent Night: The Remarkable Christmas Truce of 1914" by Stanley Weintraub. It tells how four British boys decide to sign up to go to war, their expectations, the realities of life on the battlefield, and the sacrifice of death. To the alarm and frustration of the officers, these boys with their fellow soldiers and German "enemies" find sanity and friendship in the celebration of Christmas.
• 
  Laura

  A short, illustrated small story telling the story of the infamous football game shared between British and German troops on Christmas Day during the first year of the First World War. It sensitively deals with the horrors of the Great War, from the view of young boys. Perfect as an introduction to the First World War for small children.
• 
  Lyn

  What a beautiful and moving story set in the trenches of WW1. Extraordinary watercolour illustrations add to the pathos, bravery, cameraderie, humour and tragedy of the tale. Highly recommended for both children and adults.
• 
  Donnell

  Poignant. And even more so given that the author had four uncles (apparently two brothers of his father and two brothers of his mother) die due to the Great War; one was 18, two were 20 and one was 24.
• 
  Heather

  Less fictionalized than 'Christmas in the Trenches', and contains more of the atrocities in juxtoposition to the truce.
• 
  Douglas Graney

  A grim topic for a children's book but then again a lot of fairy tales would fall into the "grim" category. If you have a kid that has an interest in WW I and/or soccer this could be a nice gift.