Over the Line
by Tom Palmer
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 8+
Published by Barrington Stoke, 2016
About this book
Set during World War I, this book tells the compelling true story of the Footballers' Battalion: professional footballers who signed up to fight, after being called cowards.
The story focuses on rising star Jack Cock: playing for Huddersfield and scoring game-winning goals. All his dreams have come true - but then he goes off to the trenches.
It's a stroke of brilliance to pair football with wartime history, and this combination is sure to enthral readers and pique their interest in the period.
Be warned that the book does not shy away from the horrors of war: rats, mud, dirt and death. There are some graphic images, but it is not gratuitous, and Palmer does a great job of presenting camaraderie, too.
The book does not go into the nuances of conflict, but it's a lesson in empathy as much as history - and will certainly keep readers on the edge of their seat.
About the author
More books like this
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Respect
by Michaela Morgan
9 to 12+ years
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Wings: Flyboy
by Tom Palmer
6 to 12+ years
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Angel of Grasmere
by Tom Palmer
9 to 12 years
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D-Day Dog
by Tom Palmer, illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole
9 to 12+ years
Lists of recommended reads
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Books for a high interest age, low reading ability (high low), for 10+
Children can have a different reading ability to their interest age for a variety of reasons, such as dyslexia or having English as an additional language (EAL). Here is a selection of fiction that will grip the reader, and that has simpler syntax and/or an accessible layout.