Awards

• Short-listed for Blue Peter Children's Book Awards: The Best Book With Facts 2010
• Shortlisted for Blue Peter Children's Book Awards: The Best Book With Facts 2010.
• Shortlisted for Blue Peter Children's Book Awards: The Best Book With Facts In It 2010.

Overview

As a boy, Mick Manning listened to his father's hair-raising tales about life as an RAF airgunner during the Second World War. Now, years later, he has carefully recreated his father's stories, writing them down as if his dad was speaking the words. In collaboration with Brita, he has illustrated them too. It's for Charlie's grandchildren -- and for everyone. Find out what it was really like to: Put up with food rationing ! Undergo RAF Training! Take off in a bomber! Face enemy fighters! Survive the Battle of the Bulge

Full Product Details

9781845076511

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Reviews

Relating his father's anecdotes as he heard them, Manning presents an episodic account of the experiences of an RAF tail-gunner in World War II, from basic training ( Square-Bashing ) to bombing runs - the last of which ended with a shrapnel strike and a serious head wound. In scrapbook-style visuals, the author/illustrators present text typed on period official forms, along with photos, ads and other ephemera foregrounding cartoon scenes of Charlie and his crew at briefings and social occasions while on the ground, and in the air flying a bomber through heavy flak and smoke. Nowadays World War Two is a history lesson, Manning writes, but for my dad, and millions of others, it was real life. The mix of homey details and matter-of-fact but not cold reportage of deaths and dangers will bring the era to life for young readers, too. The glossary, nearly as long as the main text, supplies definitions and commentary on slang, aircraft, historical highlights and special terms. (Informational picture book. 8-10) (Kirkus Reviews)

Author Information

Mick Manning grew up in Haworth, West Yorkshire and studied Illustration at the Royal College of Art in London. He has written and illustrated over 60 books, mostly with his partner Brita Granstrom.Their distinctive books have won many awards. Their first book, The World is Full of Babies, won the Smarties Silver Prize in 1996. Mick and Brita have four sons and live in the north east of England. Their other books with Frances Lincoln include the critically acclaimed Fly on the Wall series: Roman Fort, PharaohA's Egypt, Viking Longship and Greek Hero. Both Roman Fort and Viking Longship were shortlisted for the English Association 4-11 Awards. Snap! is the follow-up to Yuck! which was a regional winner of the Highland Book Awards 2006. Recently Mick and Brita donated the entire body of work created for their book Fly on the Wall: Greek Hero to Seven Stories, the centre for children's books To visit the website of Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom click here Brita Granstrom grew up on a Swedish farm and has an MFA in Fine Art from Konstfack, Stockholm. She and Mick Manning have four sons and live in Northumberland. Their first book together, The World is Full of Babies won the Smarties Silver Award in 1996 and their second book, What's Under the Bed? took the TES Junior Information Book Award in 1997. Yum Yum and How Did I Begin? were 2 of the 6 children's books shortlisted for the Rhone Poulene Prize in 1998. Science School made the shortlist in the following year. In 2000, Wash, Scrub, Brush! won the English Association's non-fiction award for the best picture book, with Let's Party making the shortlist in 2001. Brita won both Parenting Magazine's Book of the Year and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2000 with her illustrations for Judy Hindley's Eyes, Nose, Fingers, Toes. To visit the website of Brita Granstrom and Mick Manning click here

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