Remember World War II: Kids Who Survived Tell Their Stories allows readers to understand the war not as seen through the eyes of soldiers but through the eyes of children who survived the bombings, the blackouts, the hunger, the fear, and the loss of loved ones caused by the war.
The author shares her own recollections of being able to see the faces of Japanese pilots as they headed for the naval base at Pearl Harbor to drop their deadly bombs on unsuspecting American ships and soldiers, then shares her feelings at having to leave her father behind as the rest of the family is evacuated to the U.S. mainland.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright contributes an introductory memoir of her early years growing up in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and England, unaware of her Jewish heritage. Her memories are the first of many, for Nicholson interviewed a series of people about their recollections of the war.
Divided into three sections, the discussion begins with the war in Europe, moves to the Pacific, and ends on the American home front. Providing enough background information to give a framework for the progression of the war as a whole and the particular conditions and events surrounding the interviewees' memories, Nicholson lets the first-person accounts bring the experiences to life. Photographs of these individuals as children, other period photos, excellent maps, and pictures of artifacts illustrate the text. For readers 10 and up. Softcover, 64 pages. Your purchase supports the education and exhibit programs of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.