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World War, 1939-1945 Books for Kids

63 books in world war, 1939-1945. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.

World War, 1939-1945 books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A world war, 1939-1945 title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.

Across HootRated's 63 world war, 1939-1945 titles, books span Grade 2–8. About 48% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 5% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 2.4/5.

Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.

Goodnight Mister Tom

Michelle Magorian

Cover of Goodnight Mister Tom

Goodnight Mister Tom

Michelle Magorian

Level 8 Moderate

Tramp in armour

Colin Forbes

Cover of Tramp in armour

Tramp in armour

Colin Forbes

Level 6

Timetable for the general.

Bernard Frizell

Cover of Timetable for the general.

Timetable for the general.

Bernard Frizell

Level 6

Theyused dark forces

Dennis Wheatley

Cover of Theyused dark forces

Theyused dark forces

Dennis Wheatley

Level 8

Season in purgatory

Thomas Keneally

Cover of Season in purgatory

Season in purgatory

Thomas Keneally

Level 6

Pale moon rising

Manning O'Brine

Cover of Pale moon rising

Pale moon rising

Manning O'Brine

Level 6

The valley of bones

Anthony Powell

Cover of The valley of bones

The valley of bones

Anthony Powell

Level 6

The origins of World War II

Allen, Peter

Cover of The origins of World War II

The origins of World War II

Allen, Peter

Level 3

Bismarck!

Frank Sloan

Cover of Bismarck!

Bismarck!

Frank Sloan

Level 3

S.S. general

Sven Hassel

Cover of S.S. general

S.S. general

Sven Hassel

Level 6

Undersea terror

Ernest A. McKay

Cover of Undersea terror

Undersea terror

Ernest A. McKay

Level 4-5

The four sergeants

Zeno pseud.

Cover of The four sergeants

The four sergeants

Zeno pseud.

Level 6

The Second World War

C. A. R. Hills

Cover of The Second World War

The Second World War

C. A. R. Hills

Level 3

America triumphs, 1945

Devaney, John.

Cover of America triumphs, 1945

America triumphs, 1945

Devaney, John.

Level 6

Battalion 999

Heinz G. Konsalik

Cover of Battalion 999

Battalion 999

Heinz G. Konsalik

Level 6

No tears in Ireland

Sylvia Couturié

Cover of No tears in Ireland

No tears in Ireland

Sylvia Couturié

Level 6

World War II

Connolly, Sean

Cover of World War II

World War II

Connolly, Sean

Level 3

American dreams

Lisa Banim

Cover of American dreams

American dreams

Lisa Banim

Level 3

The borrowed house

Hilda Van Stockum

Cover of The borrowed house

The borrowed house

Hilda Van Stockum

Level 6

Fly West

Ivan Southall

Cover of Fly West

Fly West

Ivan Southall

Level 4-5

World War II

Richard Holmes

Cover of World War II

World War II

Richard Holmes

Level 7

Men at Arms

Evelyn Waugh

Cover of Men at Arms

Men at Arms

Evelyn Waugh

Level 7

World War II

Clive Gifford

Cover of World War II

World War II

Clive Gifford

Level 4-5

Submarine Wahoo (Those Daring Machines)

Gary Davis

Cover of Submarine Wahoo (Those Daring Machines)

Submarine Wahoo (Those Daring Machines)

Gary Davis

Level 4-5

Seabees of World War Two

Edmund L. Castillo

Cover of Seabees of World War Two

Seabees of World War Two

Edmund L. Castillo

Level 4-5

Eleanor's Story

Eleanor Ramrath Garner

Cover of Eleanor's Story

Eleanor's Story

Eleanor Ramrath Garner

Level 6

The Usborne Introduction to The Second World War

Paul Dowswell

Cover of The Usborne Introduction to The Second World War

The Usborne Introduction to The Second World War

Paul Dowswell

Level 4-5

Asiatic Land Battles: Expansion of Japan in Asia

Trevor Nevitt Dupuy

Cover of Asiatic Land Battles: Expansion of Japan in Asia

Asiatic Land Battles: Expansion of Japan in Asia

Trevor Nevitt Dupuy

Level 3

The Air War in the Pacific

Trevor Nevitt Dupuy

Cover of The Air War in the Pacific

The Air War in the Pacific

Trevor Nevitt Dupuy

Level 3

World War II

R. Conrad Stein

Cover of World War II

World War II

R. Conrad Stein

Level 3

D-Day

Bryan Perrett

Cover of D-Day

D-Day

Bryan Perrett

Level 4-5

Tiger, Lion, Hawk

Earle Rice

Cover of Tiger, Lion, Hawk

Tiger, Lion, Hawk

Earle Rice

Level 3

Hoodwinked

Sheryl Shapiro

Cover of Hoodwinked

Hoodwinked

Sheryl Shapiro

Level 3

For Freedom

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Cover of For Freedom

For Freedom

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Level 4-5

Children of the Resistance

Lore Cowan

Cover of Children of the Resistance

Children of the Resistance

Lore Cowan

Level 6

Leaders of World War II (The World Wars)

Stewart Ross

Cover of Leaders of World War II (The World Wars)

Leaders of World War II (The World Wars)

Stewart Ross

Level 3

Evacuation

Simon Adams

Cover of Evacuation

Evacuation

Simon Adams

Level 2

The Regiment - Revised

Farley Mowat

Cover of The Regiment - Revised

The Regiment - Revised

Farley Mowat

Level 7

The Little Riders

Margaretha Shemin

Cover of The Little Riders

The Little Riders

Margaretha Shemin

Level 3

Tiger Lion Hawk

Earle, Jr. Rice

Cover of Tiger Lion Hawk

Tiger Lion Hawk

Earle, Jr. Rice

Level 3

World War II

Simon Adams

Cover of World War II

World War II

Simon Adams

Level 3

America fights the tide, 1942

Devaney. John.

Cover of America fights the tide, 1942

America fights the tide, 1942

Devaney. John.

Level 6

America Triumphs

John Devaney

Cover of America Triumphs

America Triumphs

John Devaney

Level 6

The Naked and the Dead

Norman Mailer

Cover of The Naked and the Dead

The Naked and the Dead

Norman Mailer

Level 8

World War II

Colin Hynson

Cover of World War II

World War II

Colin Hynson

Level 2

3rd September 1939

Sheila Gordon

Cover of 3rd September 1939

3rd September 1939

Sheila Gordon

Level 3

Air Battles (Wings: The Conquest of the Air)

Christopher Maynard

Cover of Air Battles (Wings: The Conquest of the Air)

Air Battles (Wings: The Conquest of the Air)

Christopher Maynard

Level 2

The hideout

Sigrid Heuck

Cover of The hideout

The hideout

Sigrid Heuck

Level 4-5

Pacific Coast Route Planning Map, South Portion

United States. Army. Forces, Far East, Hugh J. Casey

Cover of Pacific Coast Route Planning Map, South Portion

Pacific Coast Route Planning Map, South Portion

United States. Army. Forces, Far East, Hugh J. Casey

Level 2

Story of the Second World War

Paul Dowswell

Cover of Story of the Second World War

Story of the Second World War

Paul Dowswell

Level 3

The War at Home

Linda Spencer

Cover of The War at Home

The War at Home

Linda Spencer

Level 3

World War II in Britain

Liz Gogerly

Cover of World War II in Britain

World War II in Britain

Liz Gogerly

Level 2

World War II

John Townsend

Cover of World War II

World War II

John Townsend

Level 2

Army

John Townsend

Cover of Army

Army

John Townsend

Level 2

World War Two

Thomas K. Adamson

Cover of World War Two

World War Two

Thomas K. Adamson

Level 5-6

Hunger Journeys

Maggie De Vries

Cover of Hunger Journeys

Hunger Journeys

Maggie De Vries

Level 6

True Stories of the Secong World War

Paul Dowswell

Cover of True Stories of the Secong World War

True Stories of the Secong World War

Paul Dowswell

Level 4-5

Tuesday

Mary Lindeen

Cover of Tuesday

Tuesday

Mary Lindeen

Level 2

Life During World War II

Wendy H. Lanier

Cover of Life During World War II

Life During World War II

Wendy H. Lanier

Level 5-6

World War II

Thomas K. Adamson

Cover of World War II

World War II

Thomas K. Adamson

Level 5-6
Browse all 63 world war, 1939-1945 books

Questions parents ask about world war, 1939-1945 books

What are the best world war, 1939-1945 books for kids?
HootRated catalogs 63 world war, 1939-1945 children's books spanning Grade 2–8. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
Are world war, 1939-1945 books appropriate for sensitive readers?
30 books (48%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 3 (5%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 2.4/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
What reading level are world war, 1939-1945 books?
World War, 1939-1945 books in our catalog span Grade 2–8. The typical reading level lands around Grade 5. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.