Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber
Author: Tom Brokaw
Illustrator: Robert T. Barrett
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 8
This is the true account about a pilot who began dropping candy to the children of West Berlin following WWII. His generosity not only helped heal the wounds of war, it started a “candy campaign” throughout the U.S. military. This story captures one of the reasons I love children’s books – they brilliantly depict the hidden history of our nation, and its unsung heroes, in ways that are both understandable and inspirational to children.
Sadako’s Cranes
Author: Judith Loske
Illustrator: Judith Loske
Publisher: Michaelneugebauer Publishing Ltd.
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 7
Website
The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank’s Window
Author: Jeff Gottesfeld
Illustrator: Peter McCarty
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 8
Website
Awards: A Junior Library Guild Selection; A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book; A NYPL Best Book for Kids, 2016; Booklist 2016 Lasting Connections; CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2017, K-2; 2017 Notable Books for a Global Society