Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood: A World War I Tale (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales Series #4)

by Nathan Hale

Overview

World War I set the tone for the 20th century and introduced a new type of warfare: global, mechanical, and brutal. Nathan Hale has gathered some of the most fascinating true-life tales from the war and given them his inimitable Hazardous Tales twist. Easy to understand, funny, informative, and lively, this series is the best way to be introduced to some of the most well-known battles (and little-known secrets) of the infamous war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613126240
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	05/13/2014
Series:	Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales Series , #4
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	114,886
File size:	33 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Nathan Hale is the illustrator of the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge, which was an Al Roker Book Club for Kids selection, an ALA notable book, and a YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens, as well as the recipient of three starred reviews. He is also the illustrator of the picture book The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas. He lives in Provo, Utah.

Editorial Reviews

The Great War immersed the world in conflict over events that could have been handled with diplomacy. Hale begins his discussion of most significant events of WWI by introducing the major powers, and then describing the initial conflicts of the opposing forces in the emotional and political climate of the time. He effectively describes the initial battles, followed by the ultimate digging-in within the trenches. The different forces—Allied, Central, and neutral powers—are represented by anthropomorphic animals, which helps readers distinguish between the warring factions. The illustrations are inked line drawings colored with flat washes of gray, black, and earth tones, with an occasional spot of red, to effectively depict the bleak, deadly, day-to-day existence of soldiers in this “war to end all wars.” Page set-ups include two-page spreads, image-within-image panels, and sometimes as many as twelve small panels per page, creating a dense visual experience that can be confusing. The eighteenth-century narrator, Nathan Hale, is depicted with his hands tied behind his back throughout the book and co-narrator named E. Pluribus Hangman lurks at the margins. Both images tinge the efforts at humor with a grim darkness. Hale catalogues the human losses, listing statistics on the number of dead and wounded and presenting an analysis of how WWI changed the way future wars would be waged (for example, horses were replaced by tanks, bayonets by machine guns, blimps by planes). Hale concludes with a bibliography and a visual tour of the research department of the “Hazardous Tales” series. This book delivers a well-researched and organized condensed summation of the major players and events of WWI. It would be a good addition to a middle school library or resource center on early twentieth century world history. Reviewer: Hazel Buys; Ages 10 to 12.

Children's Literature - Hazel Buys

The newest installment of the historical graphic series Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales takes on World War I, “the war to end all wars.” The book briefly recaps the series set-up: Revolutionary War spy Nathan Hale (whose name is shared by the author), just before hanging for treason against the Redcoats, is swallowed into a history book and spit back out to amuse his dim-witted hangman and uberpatriotic provost with stories of American history. Recapping the entire conflict of WWI is Hale’s most ambitious feat. To clarify the mess of cross-continental powers that fought the war (and at the request of the ironically softhearted hangman), Hale assigns different animals to represent each nation, thus the story becomes a grisly menagerie as more and more countries are roped into the staggering conflict. In less than 130 pages, Hale covers the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, all the way up to the Armistice four years later. Hale once again combines thorough research, spot-on illustration, and cheeky humor in his latest Hazardous Tale. The use of animals somewhat quells the confusion of powers in this complicated war, although some sections still remain hard to follow. To remind readers that WWI was “not some animal fairy tale!” the author chooses timely moments to illustrate the true human forms of significant figures. Hale also manages to fit in numerous advancements of weaponry, a terrifying personification of war in the character of Ares (Greek god of war), and a strong point of view of the war’s unnecessary butchery, smartly summed up by actual quotes from those who fought in the trenches. This may be a more challenging read for some (the author himself comments on the fact that maybe he bit off more than he and his fictional “research babies” could chew). But fans of the series and military history buffs should still find plenty to enjoy, while educators will find it a great supplemental read for a WWI lesson plan. Reviewer: Liz Gotauco; Ages 11 to 15.

VOYA, August 2014 (Vol. 37, No. 3) - Liz Gotauco