Books with author P. Dowswell

When Peter's parents are killed, he is sent to an orphanage in Warsaw. Then German soldiers take him away to be measured and assessed. They decide that Peter is racially valuable. He is Volksdeutscher: of German blood. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and acceptably proportioned head, he looks just like the boy on the Hitler-Jugend poster. Someone important will want to adopt Peter. They do. Professor Kaltenbach is very pleased to welcome such a fine Aryan specimen to his household. People will be envious. But Peter is not quite the specimen they think. He is forming his own ideas about what he is seeing, what he is told. Peter doesn't want to be a Nazi, and so he is going to take a very dangerous risk. The most dangerous risk he could possibly choose to take in Berlin in 1942.

When the truth about Sam Witchall's false conviction is finally revealed, he can at last escape Australia and look toward home. On the journey back to England he faces pirates and a terrible storm before making the longed-for trip back up the river Thames. Finally reunited with his family in Norfolk, Sam realizes how much life at sea has become part of him. So when he hears that Napoleon plans to attack England, he is tempted to join the British navy once more, and finds himself midshipman on none other than the Victory, preparing for one of the most epic battles in history: Trafalgar. Loyal readers will not want to miss the stirring conclusion to this dramatic series.

Set during the final 24 hours before the armistice at 11 a.m. on 11th November 1918, the story follows a German storm trooper, an American airman and a British Tommy. Their destinies converge during the death throes of the first ever conflict to spread across the globe. War becomes incredibly personal as nationality and geography cease to matter to each of these teenagers on the Western Front, and friendship becomes the defining aspect of their encounter. But who will live and who will die before the end of the day?

In the exciting tradition of Patrick O'Brian comes the saga of one boy's life in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Thirteen-year-old Sam Witchall had always dreamed of a sailor's life, but he didn't realize how dangerous and gruesome life at sea could be until he is pressed into service aboard H.M.S. Miranda. Beginning his naval career as a "powder monkey"-assistant to a gun crew on the warship-Sam learns the hard way how to cope with enemies both in battle and on the Miranda herself. With enough conflict, storms, and shipwrecks to thrill any fan of the Master and Commander series, this epic tale introduces a new generation to this exciting historical period, when even a lowly powder monkey could become a hero. Recognition Powder Monkey has been named a NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. Reviews "Readers will be absorbed in the day-to-day life of young Sam, and his vivid tale will keep them on edge as he tries to escape his commission. . . . Not for the faint of heart, this novel is a brilliant introduction to the likes of C. S. Forester's classic 'Horatio Hornblower' [ saga." -School Library Journal "Readers who prefer their decks awash in blood 'and worse' will not be disappointed. . . . Voracious fans of the nautical genre will happily sign on." -Kirkus Reviews "Fans of the Master and Commander series or movie will enjoy this seafaring adventure. Sam is an engaging narrator who includes tremendous detail about life aboard ships: Maggots in food, lavatory facilities (or lack thereof), floggings, and gruesome deaths-both in and out of battle--are described in vivid detail." -Voice of Youth Advocates "Sail with young Sam Witchall on a ship of the British navy. Pressed into service, Sam leads an exciting and dangerous life as a powder monkey, handling gunpowder for the cannons, and surviving sea battles, storms and shipwrecks. A gripping adventure story on the high

A comprehensive introduction to an important and fascinating subject, this exceptional new title is published to coincide with the 60th Anniversary of VE Day. Paul Dowswell's informative and accessible text will immerse readers in the era, and hand-coloured black and white photographs give a unique and atmospheric look. Provides a genuinely international perspective, showing how people all over the world were affected by the war.