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Great Battles for Boys: World War I Paperback – August 24, 2019
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Does your son spend hours playing videogames but hates reading?What if you could give him all the excitement of screen time AND spark his interest in books?
Now you can—with Great Battles for Boys, the series written specifically for reluctant readers. Quick and exciting chapters take boys to the front lines of history's most important military conflicts. Boys also get to see historic photographs, maps, and read biographies of heroic soldiers.
Get boys hooked on reading—give them books they want to read!In his highly acclaimed middle-school class “Great Battles for Boys," author Joe Giorello ignites excitement for reading and history. Now your son can experience that same thrilling adventure in learning.
Written for boys ages 8-14, particularly boys who struggle with reading, this series changes how boys view "school stuff."
In this installment of the bestselling series, young readers experience an unforgettable journey into World War I. They learn about the major battles, leaders, tactics, and strategies that helped the Allies topple the Axis powers. They'll also learn about new inventions, such as airplanes and tanks, which proved crucial to “The Great War."
Among the battles covered:
• Battle of Tannenberg: outnumbered German soldiers plan a sneak attack that destroys Russian forces, capturing 150,000 prisoners of war.
• Battle of the Somme: One of military history’s worst follies, this battle ended with more than one million casualties—and yet achieved almost nothing for either side.
• Battle of Cantigny: A little-known battle that proved the late-arriving American forces reached the Western Front ready to win.
Other chapters cover WWI’s most fascinating figures, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Sergeant York, the Harlem Hellfighters, and world events, including the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Filled with historic photographs, maps, and notable biographies of ordinary soldiers who accomplished extraordinary feats, Great Battles for Boys: WWI also offers suggestions for movies about each battle that the whole family can watch together.
If your son likes action-packed accounts and authentic details, he will love this book.
Pick up Great Battles for Boys today—and journey to the front lines of history!
PRAISE FOR THE GREAT BATTLES FOR BOYS SERIES:
“This book should be in school libraries everywhere. It is a treasure trove of information that is engagingly written that makes one feel they are in a great classroom with a great instructor sharing his knowledge in a fun way." —Hall of Fame Amazon Reviewer
- Print length190 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions6 x 0.43 x 9 inches
- Publication dateAugust 24, 2019
- ISBN-101947076167
- ISBN-13978-1947076167
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Product details
- Publisher : Wheelhouse Publishing (August 24, 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 190 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1947076167
- ISBN-13 : 978-1947076167
- Reading age : 9 - 11 years, from customers
- Item Weight : 9.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.43 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #16,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

People often ask, "Why do your books specify 'for boys'?"
The answer comes from an array of education studies—and personal experience.
In 2010, the Center on Education Policy found that “the most pressing issue related to gender gaps is the lagging performance of boys in reading.”
More than a decade later, the problem's only worsened. Standardized tests in reading proficiency show boys are falling behind girls—in every grade and in every state. That's an alarming statement.
And this problem should trouble us all. Reading is fundamental to learning. Studies confirm that boys who can't read well by grade 5 will later struggle in middle school, and even drop out of high school.
However, these same studies recommend finding a specific type of books for these "reluctant readers."
What kind of books?
Nonfiction, primarily.
Action-packed, always.
And anything that seems "just for them."
In other words, books "for boys."
Can girls read these books? Of course. But I've witnessed this phenomenon in my own middle-school classroom, and in my own home. My youngest son seemed bored by books. Many of his friends showed this same attitude. Yet they would also read a book if it was "for them" or if it was related to military history— stories about battles, weapons, leaders, outcomes.
But there weren't enough of those books written for their grade level. As a passionate reader and collector of military history, I began writing about historic battles for my son. I made sure the language was what any upper-elementary or middle-school boy could understand, and that the action leaped off the page. My son devoured those stories. So did his friends.
That's how the "Great Battles for Boys" series was born. Necessity really is the mother of invention.
You can learn more about the series at my website, www.greatbattlesforboys.com. Also, download FREE study guides for each book.
Let's keep boys reading and give them a bright future.
If you'd like to learn more about the reading proficiency problems among boys, see the following.
Boys Fall Further Behind Girls for Daily Reading Amid Lockdown: https://bit.ly/2MKGCJz
Study Shows Boys Have Fallen Behind Girls in Reading: https://bit.ly/2MslBDr
New Study Shows Boys Lagging Behind Girls in Reading: https://abcn.ws/2MHIumb
Why Boys Aren’t Reading: https://bit.ly/3j7ZMVB
Customer reviews
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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and educational, particularly suitable for young history buffs. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer noting its lively approach. They appreciate the storytelling, with one mentioning how it presents complex events in an accessible way.
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Customers find the book engaging and easy to follow, with one customer noting it's particularly suitable for reluctant readers.
"...My kids love how the book is both educational and exciting to read, with just the right amount of adventure and drama to keep them engaged...." Read more
"...love it so much they have put away the iPads and read from these great battles books for boys! Thank you for reaching out to these kids...." Read more
"These books are fantastic, especially for kids who hate to read. The content is interesting enough that my son wants to stay up every night reading...." Read more
"...Educational and holds interest. We have the entire 9 book series. Well done." Read more
Customers find the book educational, particularly suitable for young history buffs, with one customer noting how the complex events are broken down into engaging content.
"...of exciting details, stories, and historical insights that will captivate young minds. This book is a wonderful tool for sparking a love of history!" Read more
"...The content is interesting enough that my son wants to stay up every night reading. I'm going to use these in our schooling this year." Read more
"...They are one of the few book series my sons love to read. Educational and holds interest. We have the entire 9 book series. Well done." Read more
"...Kudos to Mr. Giorello for teaching youngsters the important history that schools neglect to teach in this generation of public education." Read more
Customers appreciate the storytelling in the book, with one review noting how it captures the cruelty of WWI without glorifying violence, while another mentions its dramatic elements that keep readers engaged.
"...Engagement & Learning The writing is lively and relatable, making it easy for kids to connect with the history and stay interested throughout...." Read more
"It doesn’t get too graphic but pretty much captures the cruelty of WWI. A lot of basic war principles are taught and easy for kids to understand." Read more
"My 9 yo son loved reading the stories in this book but the entire book fell apart after two weeks (and he is pretty gentle with his books)...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one noting it is lively and another mentioning it is easy to read.
"...Engagement & Learning The writing is lively and relatable, making it easy for kids to connect with the history and stay interested throughout...." Read more
"...He normally doesn’t like reading, but these are written in a way that engages him...." Read more
"Easy-To-Read, Eye-Opener Into ‘The War to End War’..." Read more
Reviews with images

Great book but terrible binding!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2025"Great Battles for Boys: World War I" is a fantastic read for young readers interested in history, particularly military history. This book offers a captivating and accessible way for kids to learn about one of the most pivotal conflicts in modern history.
Content & Layout
This book does an excellent job breaking down complex events into engaging, digestible pieces. Each chapter focuses on a specific battle or aspect of World War I, with clear explanations and attention to detail. The historical facts are presented in an engaging way, so it’s both informative and entertaining. The inclusion of battle maps and illustrations helps young readers better understand the strategies and outcomes of the battles.
Engagement & Learning
The writing is lively and relatable, making it easy for kids to connect with the history and stay interested throughout. There are plenty of fun facts and sidebars that provide additional context and bring the history to life. My kids love how the book is both educational and exciting to read, with just the right amount of adventure and drama to keep them engaged.
Perfect for Boys and Girls
Although the title says "for Boys," this book is great for any young reader interested in history, regardless of gender. It presents the facts in a way that’s interesting without glorifying violence, offering a balanced look at the impacts of the war.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend "Great Battles for Boys: World War I" for families, educators, and young history enthusiasts. It’s a great introduction to the subject of World War I, offering plenty of exciting details, stories, and historical insights that will captivate young minds. This book is a wonderful tool for sparking a love of history!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2025Got this for my grandsons. They love it so much they have put away the iPads and read from these great battles books for boys! Thank you for reaching out to these kids. This history is so important for them to know and they love it!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2019World War I was the war to end wars. Instead, it was little more than a prelude to an even more horrific war, known as World War II. When I was young, I had little interest in WWI, due to the stalemate in Europe in which so many lives were lost in the trenches.
Later, though, I learned about the uprising in the Ottoman Empire led by T E Lawrence. That episode was, perhaps, the last period of warfare that resembled the classic battles of the American Civil War. Had I been exposed to such discussions in high school as are discussed in this book, “Great Battles for Boys: World War I” by Joe Giorello, I would have been a far better history student than I was.
Of course, one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much was the discussion of T. E. Lawrence, the last great rebel war leader. Note: there is a link to a classic film of Lawrence of Arabia documenting the man’s leadership, assisting Feisal in his battle for freedom for the Arabs. I enjoyed this especially because, as life would have it, I would, in 2002, wed the granddaughter of the unsung hero, Rafik Jabbour, who, as consul for Iran, got Feisal freed from Turkey so he could go on to meet, and join, Lawrence.
Ironically, my first review ever for Amazon was of T. E. Lawrence’s “Seven Pillars of Wisdom.”
So, of course, this book might mean a little more to me than it does to some. Still, I wish more easy-to-read books on history were available.
BOTTOM LINE
Five stars out of five.
Note: I was provided a free copy of the paperback edition, but I borrowed, with no reimbursement, the Kindle Unlimited edition. I found the book to be worthy of keeping in my library for research purposes, so I purchased a Kindle edition.
I consider THAT to be proof as to how much I value “Great Battles for Boys: World War I.”
- Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024These books are fantastic, especially for kids who hate to read. The content is interesting enough that my son wants to stay up every night reading. I'm going to use these in our schooling this year.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024I thought they would be great but my grandsons were only mildly interested.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025My son liked this series
- Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2025My middle-school aged son loves these books. He normally doesn’t like reading, but these are written in a way that engages him. It’s also a great way for him to learn about important battles in our history.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2024These books are well worth the money. They are one of the few book series my sons love to read. Educational and holds interest. We have the entire 9 book series. Well done.
Top reviews from other countries
- MinxReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Son loves these books
My 10 year old son loves history.
He does not love reading but just loves these books.
Encourages both his reading and learning.