| Title | : | What Are We Fighting For?: New Poems About War |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1447248619 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781447248613 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 112 |
| Publication | : | First published January 30, 2014 |
What Are We Fighting For?: New Poems About War Reviews
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An appropriate read on the hundredth anniversary of the armistice.
I like the concept of this book. The poems are divided into WWI, WWII and a third section that deals with further conflict, and they deal with various aspects of each (food, battles, Women’s Land Army, animals etc.). I could see this being used in school, as I’m not sure who else the intended audience would be - I really can’t see many children seeking this out on their own for a little light reading. The trouble is that very few of the poems are particularly strong or relatable, in my opinion.
My favourite one is called, “Don’t You Know There’s a War On,” which is the story of a little boy playing at war, with a lovely twist at the end.
I appreciate the intention of the authors, but from a teaching perspective I think that period poetry might be more meaningful. -
A wonderful collection of poetry in two sections about WW1 and WW2. They are modern poems written either as a narrative of the time or reflections looking back and are perfect for children to relate to now.
They express good questions about morals, emotions, danger etc.
And some are very imaginative and can be great ways to initiate creative writing activities. -
War poetry has never appealed to me, but I think this may be a useful collection for primary teachers as the language is quite approachable.
