The Button War

A Tale of the Great War

Avi author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Walker Books Ltd

Published:1st Nov '18

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The Button War cover

Award-winning author Avi pens a stark, unflinching tale of ordinary boys living during WW1 as tensions - and desperations - mount among them.

The first button they found. The second button they stole...

Twelve-year-old Patryk has never left his Polish village and doesn’t know much about the outside world. Then one August, with the clatter-clatter of an aeroplane, the Great War explodes into his village.

As the Germans and Russians fight for control, Patryk and his friends begin their own battle to find the best military button. It starts as a dare, but soon the boys find themselves trapped in a dangerous war.

Just how far are they prepared to go to win?

"An excellent read" The Times

"An important and honest book that crowns no heroes" Lauren Wolk, author of Wolf Hollow

"A powerfully evocative WWI novel" Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

In this arresting, unsettling novel for 9- to 14-year-olds [...] the author is so sparing with description and language, and the lines of dialogue are so clipped and abrupt, that the story feels both real and like a dread allegory. -- Meghan Cox Gurdon * The Wall Street Journal *
Darker than the Newbery Medalist’s usual fare, this powerfully evocative WWI novel set in Poland parallels a child’s game with the war raging in the not-so-distant background. * Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review *
an excellent read -- Alex O'Connell * The Times *
“It is an emotional, thought-provoking ride with plenty poignant moments that will keep you gripped to the end.” * Primary Times *
“Gripping, honest, forthright and very, very powerful.” * Fallen Star Stories *

  • Short-listed for Young Quills Historical Fiction Awards 2019 (UK)

ISBN: 9781406380835

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 14mm

Weight: 170g

240 pages