Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood

May 1, 2014
In the latest of his Hazardous Tales (One Dead Spy, 2012, etc.), Hale recaps World War I with an all-animal cast.Any similarities to Art Spiegelman's Maus are doubtless coincidental. Per established series formula, a frame tale finds the author's more-renowned namesake holding off the hangman, Scheherazade-like, with tales from our country's future history. In this volume, he covers the war's prelude, precipitation, major campaigns and final winding down in small but reasonably easy-to-follow two-color panels. At the hangman's request, narrator Hale both tucks in a few jokes and transforms the opposing armies into animal-headed soldiers-from Gallic roosters and British bulldogs to, as "eagle" was already taken by the Germans, American bunnies. Despite lightening the load in this manner and shying away from explicit brutality, Hale cogently conveys the mind-numbing scale of it all as well as the horrors of trench warfare. He presents with equal ease the strategic and tactical pictures, technological innovations from poison gas to tanks, and related developments such as the Russian Revolution. After the cease fire, which he attributes more to exhaustion than battlefield victory, he closes with a summary of the war's human toll and geopolitical changes.A neatly coherent account with tweaks that allow readers some emotional distance-but not enough to shrug off the war's devastating cost and world-changing effects. (bibliography) (Graphic nonfiction. 11-13)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 3-7-In the newest addition to this inventive series, Revolutionary War figure Nathan Hale tells the story of World War I with the support of two sidekicks who help shine light on some of the nuances of the historical event. The narrative explores why the war began, each country's role, battle tactics and technology implemented, and the lasting impact of the conflagration. Each country is represented by an animal, bringing to mind Art Spiegelman's iconic Maus (Pantheon, 1986). The facts are well researched and include statistics, as well as direct quotes from historical figures. The drawings are detailed and engaging, and the sparse use of color matches the tone of the tale. Not for the faint of heart, the book doesn't mince the gruesome, tragic reality of the Great War. The format lends itself as an effective presentation through the lens of Hale's sidekicks: a serious soldier who serves to clarify details, and an irreverent executioner who provides some much-needed comic relief. A mixture of textbook and slapstick, this essential read makes history come alive in a way that is relevant to modern-day life and kids.-Jenna Lanterman, formerly at The Calhoun School and Mary McDowell Friends School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Grades 5-8 The First World War is a complicated subject for even expert historians, so how can Hale squeeze it all into less than 130 pages? For starters, the focus is largely on the western front, he presents only the most pivotal battles, and, in what ends up being a clever way to distinguish between major players without a lot of text, each country involved is represented by an animal (Americans are bunnies). Yes, some of the conflicts come down to petty fighting between cartoon animals in military uniforms, but it's an effective and simple way to communicate the complicated anger and nationalism that came to a boil in 1914. Hale also respectfully keeps the narrative from becoming too irreverent: amid the mood-lightening jokes are moments of real solemnity, such as when Gavrilo Princip pulls the trigger to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand and transforms from an animated griffin to a terrified human. Students bored to death by textbook descriptions of WWI battle maneuvers should be engaged by this entertaining, educational glimpse at world history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
Nathan Hale, Revolutionary War hero, continues to distract his executioners in this fourth volume, which tackles WWI's complex events. As always, the graphic novel series' irreverent humor makes the complicated story more accessible. Here, "cute little animals" represent different countries, helping readers appreciate the entertaining history lesson (provided they're not put off by the small panel illustrations and tiny type). Reading list.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)