War Stories for Readers Theatre: World War II

Suzanne I. Barchers

ISBN-13: 9781591587507

214 pages • 8½ x 11
Year Published: 2010

World War II mobilized 100 million military personnel and resulted in the deadliest conflict in human history. Everyone from students in grade six to adults will be engrossed by tales documenting the actions of Hannah Szenes, a young Hungarian woman who lost her life trying to save Jews, the sobering and shocking occurrences during the Bataan Death March, and the daring POW rescues like the raid at Cabanatuan.

Each script in War Stories for Readers Theatre: World War II not only brings history to life, but also provides a perspective that readers may not have encountered. While some topics are familiar, such as the attack on Pearl Harbor, most readers are unaware of the motivations behind it. Some of the narratives are created from interviews with living World War II veterans. Every reader will be inspired to explore each subject more deeply after experiencing these intimate views of the specific events during World War II.

In this book, ten scripts derived from highly regarded sources bring World War II to life for students in grades 6-12 and serve as a springboard for further investigation of this pivotal world event.

World War II was a horrific event spanning six years that took over 70 million lives. But from this tragedy came unforgettable stories of heroism and inspired thought, including the Allied effort by Borneo headhunters and the 12-year-old whose school history project led to the exoneration of Navy Captain Charles McVay—55 years after his court martial.