New Releases by Paul Dowswell

The welcome given to refugees from fascist Europe is part of our fond nostalgia for Britain''s role in the Second World War, nestling in our imagination next to images of evacuees clutching teddy bears, and milkmen picking their way through bomb rubble during the Blitz. But there is a darker side to this story. Then, as now, there was great suspicion, resentment and fear towards new arrivals, much of it kindled by the tabloid press. Then, as now, politicians dealt with a reluctance to accommodate refugees by hiding behind bureaucratic hurdles and obfuscation. Many of the 10,000 Kindertransport children who arrived here in the late 1930s have warm memories of the kindness they were shown, but half a million refugees were refused entry and most of them died as a result. And those who were accepted found their troubles far from over. While Britain fearfully awaited invasion in 1940, 30,000 Jews were interned as ''enemy aliens'' and some were sent off to the colonies on dangerous and sometimes fatal voyages. Nor were Jews the only refugees clamouring for the thin gruel of public sympathy. Those fleeing fascism and civil war elsewhere in Europe found that whether they were met with kindness or hostility depended on the locals'' political affiliations and newspapers of choice. Interweaving personal testimonies with historical sources, Paul Dowswell casts a fresh eye on the wartime era, painting a vivid picture of what life was really like for Britain''s refugees.

Alex ha sedici anni, ascolta di nascosto la musica rock e suona in una band. Sua sorella è dark e ama fotografare gli edifici distrutti dalla guerra. Siamo a Berlino Est ed è il 1972: la Stasi considera i gusti dei due fratelli troppo originali. Filo-occidentali. Decisamente pericolosi per il regime. “È importante ricordare ai giovani che la libertà di pensare e di esprimere le proprie idee e opinioni politiche è una conquista recente. Ed è importante sapere come si viveva sotto i regimi dittatoriali e totalitari.” Paul Dowswell A partire dai 12 anni

Het is oktober 1944. Londen ligt onder vuur. Duitse raketten vliegen sneller dan het geluid en slaan zonder waarschuwing in. De zestienjarige Yvie Russell en haar familie hebben de Blitz overleefd, maar weten ze deze nieuwe dreiging ook te doorstaan? Ook de Poolse dwangarbeider Tomasz Nowicki vreest voor zijn leven. Onder erbarmelijke omstandigheden bouwt hij V2-raketten voor de Duitsers, terwijl hij betwijfelt of hij zijn zeventiende verjaardag zal halen. De Nederlandse Marijke de Haan ziet steeds meer van deze raketten opduiken in het bos vlak bij het dorp waar ze woont. Samen met haar vriendje Thijs riskeert ze haar leven door ze te fotograferen voor het verzet. De jonge Duitse soldaat Rolf Maier heeft de opdracht gekregen om het V2-lanceerplatform te bewaken. Hij weet dat de oorlog verloren is en verwacht te worden gedood nog voordat deze eindigt. Naarmate de herfst verstrijkt, raken de levens van Rolf, Marijke, Tomasz en Yvie steeds verder verstrengeld. Wie van hen weet de oorlog te doorstaan en wie zal de naderende winter niet overleven? ''Het is Paul Dowswell met "Tweestrijd" weer gelukt om een spannend en boeiend oorlogsboek te schrijven, waarin jongeren de hoofdrol spelen.'' – Joyce Limpens, Boekhandel Dominicanen

Thrilling historical adventure set during the English peasants'' revolt of 1381, by Paul Dowswell, the author of Ausländer, and Wolf Children. It''s 1381 and the king, Richard II, has imposed a new tax on the people. In the village of Aylesford, Tilda and her ploughman father were already struggling to make ends meet. As serfs they have no rights to move freely or earn wages for their work. Tilda is desperate for a better life than the village can offer, so when the villagers begin to rebel she is swept up in the excitement. Tilda and her father travel to London with the others to petition the king, but the peaceful rebellion they hoped for soon ignites into violence, mayhem and treachery. Tilda''s fight for a better life is only just beginning... This page-turning adventure sheds new light on a period of history which is covered in the KS3 curriculum, and will have readers gripped from start to finish.

From a troubled spirit in Georgian England to vengeful spirit in 19th century Jamaica, to a haunted World War II U-Boat, this spine-chilling book tells the stories of documented hauntings, describing the events as they were reported at the time. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme, Young Reading Series Four, perfect for readers growing in confidence and independence. A dramatic new cover design revitalises this timeless book. Great for readers who prefer real-life stories to fiction.

It is July 1945, Hitler''s Third Reich has fallen, and Berlin is in ruins. Living on the edge of survival in the cellar of an abandoned hospital, Otto and his ragtag gang of kids have banded together in the desperate, bombed-out city. The war may be over, but danger lurks in the shadows of the wreckage as Otto and his friends find themselves caught between invading armies, ruthless rival gangs and a strange Nazi war criminal who stalks them ... A climactic story of truth, friendship and survival against the odds, Wolf Children will thrill readers of Michael Morpurgo and John Boyne.

‘Charlie en Eddie’ is een jeugdboek van Paul Dowswell over de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Dit boek is geschreven in korte zinnen en makkelijke woorden, waardoor het ook heel geschikt is voor kinderen met leesproblemen. De broers Eddie en Charlie, 17 en 18 jaar oud, vinden een foto van twee Engelse soldaten op een strand in Frankrijk. Ze hebben het geweer met bajonet in de hand en staan op het punt zich te storten in het oorlogsgeweld. Wat Eddie en Charlie (nog) niet weten is dat de twee soldaten hun oud-ooms zijn, die in hun enthousiasme om de Duitsers te verslaan hebben getekend voor een zogenoemd vriendenbataljon. Wat als een romantische heldendaad begint, eindigt voor de twee rekruten in een nachtmerrie. Een aangrijpend boek van de auteur van Ausländer.

Le ultime ore della Grande Guerra raccontate magistralmente da Paul Dowswell. Nella notte dell’11 novembre 1918 la Germania firma l’armistizio con le Forze alleate, ma devono trascorrere sei ore prima che sia reso ufficiale. Sul fronte occidentale s’incontrano tre soldati: Axel, un giovane fante tedesco, Will, suo coetaneo inglese, e Eddie, un rampollo americano entrato in aviazione per far colpo sulle ragazze. Nel giro di poche ore, i loro destini s’incroceranno e le loro vite cambieranno per sempre.

A collection of real-life stories: extreme cold, perilous danger and daring exploration, including several stories of tragedy the mountain''s slopes. Includes maps, a glossary of mountaineering words; further resources - including photos, video clips and a virtual climb of Mount Everest - are available via Usborne Quicklinks.

ONE IN FIVE NEVER RETURNED. Every boy dreams of flying, but in war that dream can turn into a nightmare. Harry Friedman is the gunner of the Macey May, an American Flying Fortress stationed in East Anglia. The Second World War is raging and the Nazis have swept over Europe. The crews of every Flying Fortress face terrible odds on their bombing missions. To make it through alive, Harry will need luck on his side and courage ... Courage to keep going when he has watched close friends die. Courage to confront a terrible evil. And the courage to make it home from deep behind enemy lines. Nail-biting tension and compelling storytelling combine with Dowswell''s meticulous research to deliver a page-turner for fans of John Boyne, Morris Gleitzman and Marcus Zusak.

Spökhistorier har berättats av människor över hela världen i alla tider. Den första utförliga beskrivningen av ett spöke som drar rasslande kedjor efter sig skrevs av en romersk författare för nästan 2000 år sedan. I Sanna historier om spöken berättar Paul Dowswell och Tony Allan i spännande och lättlästa kapitel om andar och övernaturliga händelser genom historien. Men är det verkligen sanna historier? Kom lord Tyrone tillbaka från de döda för att infria ett löfte till sin syster? Var det ett spöke som förgiftade Jack Bell i delstaten Tennesse i 1800-talets USA? Och den giftmördade Fanny Lynes, återvände hon från de dödas rike för att peka ut sin mördare? Sanna historier om spöken är den nionde boken i serien Sanna historiersom med sitt nätta format och läsvänliga innehåll passar både ungdomar och vuxna.

A fascinating account of one the most destructive conflicts the world has ever known, published in association with the Imperial War Museums The Story of the First World War looks at the causes of the war, its great battles and catastrophes, and how the war affected nations and people all over the world. Pages are brought to life through vivid illustrations and original photographs, as well as timelines, maps, and fact boxes.

A nail-biting thriller about a boy who escapes East Berlin, but not the reach of the Stasi - chilling, page-turning junior le Carré

In March 1801, a mere six weeks after Sam Witchall''s ship wrecked off the Cornish coast, his hopes for getting home are dashed when he is framed for theft and sent to Australia for punishment. The fifteen-thousand mile, eight-month journey is a hard and horrible one, and when he and his good friend Richard finally arrive, they find themselves fighting for their lives in the Australian bush. This epic sequel to Powder Monkey is every bit as exciting and action packed as its predecessor. "Adventure fans will not be disappointed with the daring rescues, shark attacks, espionage, and heated battles that fill the pages of this historically accurate and vastly entertaining sequel." -School Library Journal

Alex woont in Oost-Berlijn. De Koude Oorlog is op haar hoogtepunt en Alex en z'n familie mogen de stad niet verlaten. Maar Alex is geen modelburger. En de Stasi houdt hem nauwlettend in de gaten.Alex krijgt te horen dat hij niet langer onderwijs mag volgen. Zijn vakantiebaantje wordt op mysterieuze wijze opgezegd, en bepaalde vrienden beginnen hem te ontwijken. Zijn ouders realiseren zich dat vluchten uit Oost-Duitsland misschien wel de enige mogelijkheid is. Maar de Muur passeren is bijna onmogelijk. En zelfs als het Alex en zijn familie lukt om te ontsnappen, is het dan mogelijk om uit de greep van de Stasi te blijven? Eén verkeerde actie, en het leven van Alex en zijn familie staat op het spel.

A collection of thrilling adventure stories, all based on actual life events.

A far-reaching account of the story of the Second World War, written from a genuinely international perspective, showing how the war affected nations and people all over the world.

Alex Ostermann (ca. 16) woont in Oost-Berlijn. Het is 1972 en de Koude Oorlog is in volle gang. Alex weigert zich aan te passen aan het communisme, waardoor hij in grote problemen komt. Vanaf ca. 15 jaar.

Sam Witchall sails into battle at Trafalgar in the dramatic finale of this seafaring trilogy

A nail-biting thriller about a boy who escapes East Berlin, but not the reach of the Stasi - a chilling, page-turning junior le Carré

A gripping, fantastical adventure set against the enthralling backdrop of ancient Bohemia

A chilling and thought-provoking thriller about a Polish orphan''s subversion of Nazi ideals

One of a series of titles aimed at Key Stage 3 readers and upwards that looks at different systems of government and discusses their origins, history and practical application in the modern world.

This story is designed to help beginner readers grasp the important link between sounds and the letters that represent them. Helps to build reading confidence Supports early learning skills Includes advice on how to teach your child

''War Stories'' recounts some of the most heroic, devastating and pivotal moments of World Wars One and Two, providing young readers with an approachable insight into the key military and humanitarian aspects of both conflicts.

Presents a number of illustrated photographs and interesting facts and figures about military aircraft including early fighters and bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, biplanes and triplanes, World War Two fighters such as the P-51 Mustang and Japanese Zero, and the various types of helicopters designed after the war.

Explores the habitats and characteristics of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and fish.

A collection of true accounts of explorers and adventurers in some of the Earth''s most challenging environments.

AS THE WORLD''S TALLEST MOUNTAIN, EVEREST HAS HELD A SPECIAL FASCINATION FOR CLIMBERS EVER SINCE IT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED 150 YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, OVER A THOUSAND MEN AND WOMEN HAVE STOOD TRIUMPHANT ON ITS TINY SUMMIT. BUT THE FROZEN BODIES THAT LITTER ITS DIZZY SLOPES TELL ANOTHER TALE OF TRAGEDY, MISFORTUNE AND RECKLESS AMBITION.