Victory and defeat, love and loss are the prevalent realities of Letters from the Greatest Generation, a remarkable and frank collection of World War II letters penned by American men and women serving overseas.

Here, the hopes and dreams of the greatest generation fill each page, and their voices ring loud and clear. “It’s all part of the game but it’s bloody and rough,” wrote one soldier to his wife. “Wearing two stripes now and as proud as an old cat with five kittens,” marked another. Yet, as many countries rejoiced on V-E Day, soldiers were “too tired and sad to celebrate.” While visiting a German concentration camp, one man wrote, “I don’t like Army life but I’m glad we are here to stop these atrocities.” True to the everyday thoughts of these fighters, this collection of letters can be as amusing as it is worrying. As one soldier noted, “I know lice don’t crawl so I figured they were fleas.”

A fitting tribute to all veterans, this book is one every American should own.

Meet our ninth US president before his famous victory over the native chief Tecumseh in the Battle of Tippecanoe. Young readers will thrill to “Billy” Harrison’s dramatic rescue of his sister, Sally, as she struggles to stay afloat after falling into a river, and admire his courage when he captures a British soldier at the age of eight. Find out more about these and the rest of Billy’s boyhood adventures.

Praised by parents, teachers, and historians, the Young Patriots Series is an ideal way to sweep today’s young readers into history. The everyday details of family life, the time period in which they lived, what they wore, and the challenges they faced in school create a window through which children can access history. The evidence of character, ability, responsibility, and courage are showcased in situations to which every child can relate.