The Great Patriotic War and the events of the post-war period completely determined the culture, and indeed the structure of life of Soviet people. This was especially reflected in the upbringing of children and youth, and books on the war for children played an important role in this matter. Discussions about how to properly educate the younger generation began much earlier - even before the war, when writers were reproached for their penchant for pure romance and proved that a sense of beauty cannot be abstract. Books about the war for children became the most important requirement of the time, this theme included romance in the form of military exploits, selfless work, where sacrifice for the people is the highest moral message to the formation of Soviet man. And all this difficult time is reflected in books about the war for children. In their works, the authors use the huge pedagogical and creative potential in order to convey to the younger generation the whole truth about the dedication of those who defended the country in battles and worked in the rear. After all, it was adolescents and even children who then got up to the machines to replace the adults who had gone to war. A little later, many books appeared about the war for children, the pages of which told about the sons of the regiment, about young partisans and underground workers, that is, about the direct participation of children and adolescents in the hostilities.
Published during the war
The situation in the country was difficult, but concern for proper upbringing did not run out. Periodicals and books about the children of war continued to be published. Their list is extremely long. But journalism is especially widely represented - these are propaganda verses, feuilletons, essays. Sergei Mikhalkov at the very beginning of the war already wrote books about the war for children, where he explained the goals and meaning of countering fascism, creating a magnificent image of our people who are fighting for a just cause. This is âThe Storm for Children,â followed by piercing soul poems âThe Ten-Year-Old Man,â which describes an orphan boy making his way to his own territory occupied by the enemy and suffering terrible hardships. And of course, Mikhalkov returned to his beloved children's hero - the postman ("Military Mail"). He readily reads today these books about the children of war, Grade 4. The list here is already very long, which, in addition to Mikhalkovâs works, includes the best books by Alekseev, Dragunsky, Kassil, Korolkov, Kataev and many others. It is impossible to list everything, but then we will need to dwell on some of them in more detail.
Many poets created images of children whom the war deprived of childhood, they suffer, die from shelling and starvation. The best examples of this poetic work, despite such a âdeadlyâ theme, were at the same time much more strongly affirmed by the symbols of life itself, which the war was trying to destroy. For example, in the verses of 1942, Anna Akhmatova, who addressed the Leningrad siege children, was extremely convincing in her life-affirming beginning (âIn Memory of Valiâ). The images of the avenger children appear from the beginning of the war more often in poetry and prose. Here, one of the best examples will be those books about the children of the war, the list of which was precisely the reader's demand. For example, a poem that almost all Soviet children knew by heart almost for the post-war years - âPartisanâ by Zoya Alexandrova, written in 1944, which refers to a boy who remained with the partisans to avenge his dead mother. And today, after so many years, we need to read books about the children of the war.
4th grade
The list of works for the fourth grade exists in many versions, with different contents. The country's libraries hold special events for students, when excerpts from the best books about the war and even whole works are read aloud. And first, an introductory conversation is held, and after reading - a conversation about what has been read with questions and answers. As parents, we all read books about the war to children. And to facilitate this task, each children's library makes an approximate list of works of art that will be interesting and useful to the younger generation. Of course, books on war for children are presented in a wide assortment, and therefore each list is advisory in nature, none of them can be absolutely complete.
But in any case, a small person should understand why this or that book is offered to him. Therefore, even in home reading, it is better to start with an introductory conversation. It should be noted that these same books about war for children of the 3rd grade are also suitable. First of all, you need to find out how much the child is ready to read this essay. We need to ask what kind of holiday we are celebrating on the ninth of May, whether he knows when the Great Patriotic War began, when it ended and how long it was. Then ask more complicated questions: why the war was called the Patriotic and Great, why do we still remember about it? And one more thing: why did we win? From the answers it will be clear with which work it is better to start reading.
List
Books on the theme of "Children and War":
1. S. P. Alekseev: "Heroic names", "Tales of the commanders", "Tales of the Great Patriotic War."
2. J. Brown: Utah Bondarevskaya.
3. L. F. Voronkova: "A girl from the city."
4. V. Yu. Dragunsky: "Watermelon Lane".
5. L. A. Kassil: âMy Dear Boys,â âYour Defenders,â âThe Story of the Absent,â âFlammable Cargo,â âOn the Blackboard,â âVolodya Dubinin,â and âYounger Son's Streetâ (these two books co-authored with L. M. Polyanovsky), "Cheryomysh is the brother of the hero."
6. Valentin Kataev: "The son of the regiment."
7. Yu. Korolkov about the pioneer heroes: Val Kotik, Zina Portnova, Lena Golikova, Marat Kazee and others.
8. B. Lavrenyov: "Scout Vikhrov."
9. A. Mityaev: âIvan and Fritzâ, âGuard Teddy Bearâ, âHorsesâ, âChicken Blindnessâ, âNoses and Nazeâ, âBag of oatmealâ, âEarrings for a donkeyâ, âFour hours leaveâ, "Timothy Without Holiday", "Warm" language "", "Sixth - incomplete", "Triangular writing".
10. N. A. Nadezhdin: "Partisan Lara."
11. V. A. Oseeva: "Vasek Trubachev and his comrades."
12. K. G. Paustovsky: "The adventures of a rhinoceros beetle."
13. Konstantin Simonov: "The son of an artilleryman."
14. A. A. Sokolovsky: "Valery Volkov".
15. E. I. Suvorina: "Victor Korobkov."
16. I. Turchinin: "An extreme case."
17. Yu. Ya. Yakovlev: âGirls from Vasilyevsky Islandâ, âHow did Seryozha go to warâ, âWhere did the battery standâ.
Short review
The best books for children about the war at all times will help educators to grow a real assistant to adults in all the conditions that life offers, including inhumanly terrible ones. The main thing is that a real writer always shows that adults play a decisive role in children's destiny, that adults are kind, reasonable and strong. This is stated in the novel by Valentin Kataev, which was published in 1944. It is called the "Son of the regiment." And what wonderful poems were written about teenagers-toilers of the rear: âThe Little Man with a Marigoldâ by Sergei Mikhalkov, about students from artisan schools at the defense plants of the Urals near Agnia Barto, and many, many others. In prose, Leonid Panteleev splendidly wrote about this . In Lev Kassil, in the stories, the contrast of the wonderful spiritual qualities of his heroes and their purely physical "smallness" is especially clearly visible. In the postwar years, numerous books were written about the war for elementary school children. Including how even the kids participated in the restoration of the economy, to the ruins destroyed by the war. The leading topics in this period are school, family, work, on which the recent war has left its mark.
It was then that the most piercing works of art were created about those who actually participated in the battles. These are books about the Great Patriotic War for children about Alexander Matrosov by the writer P. Zhurba, this is the âFourth Heightâ by Elena Ilyina about Gul Koroleva, these are books about Volod Dubinin Kassil and Polyanovsky and, finally, the book for young people about the young soldiers of Alexander Fadeev - âYoung Guard " This, of course, is far from a complete list, which presents the best books for children about the war of 1941-1945. At that time, well-known writers presented their new works to young readers. These are Oseeva, Musatov ("Stozhary"), Kalma ("Children of the mustard paradise"), Kaverin ("Two Captains" - the second part), Fraerman, Schwartz, Karnaukhova and many others. The war offered completely new types of heroes, and therefore traditional themes received a new solution.
Valentina Oseeva
Valentina Aleksandrovna Oseeva continued in her prose the direction of realism, being a follower of the artistic tradition of Ushinsky and Tolstoy. She put moral and ethical issues at the head of each work, and each of her lines should have been primarily a means of education. Her books on war are especially good for children 10-12 years old. When reading small people are already exploring moral standards and deviations from it. Usually the main character commits an offense, an ethical mistake. Then life teaches him a lesson, and insight comes through a painful experience. However, this is a very useful reading for most adults. Before the war, Valentina Alexandrovna addressed books to children of preschool age and primary school, and the theme of moral formation also prevails in them, ethical lessons are given. That is why her short stories never carried a purely ideological burden. Such are the "Magic word", "Three comrades", "At the rink" and others. In a short story, writing skills are especially needed - speech tools are selected very carefully to leave an impression of a clean and lively intonation, in addition, you must be able to build a plot, choose a conflict. Thanks to such qualities, Valentina Oseeva is unlikely to ever leave school reading books.
She took the plots from the everyday life of girls and boys, constantly forcing them to expose others and their actions to understanding, especially their moral component. According to these books, the reader, along with the hero, begins to understand those laws that are inherent in the normal life of a person and society. The writer does not make any discounts on age, and children in her stories show absolutely adult qualities: rudeness, indifference, meanness, selfishness or sensitivity, honesty, kindness, love for oneâs neighbor, for oneâs homeland. Her stories about children who had to endure the hardships of the war are truly excellent works on this subject and are on the top steps in Russian children's literature. There is everything you need: a realistic image of the atmosphere of a given time, folk characters. The narrative tone is exceptionally warm, trusting. All interpersonal conflicts are in the background, and in the foreground is always war and children, war and peace, the Great Confrontation.
Encyclopedias
Children's e -cyclopedias that are published today are high-quality and beautiful publications, but it must be borne in mind that they are completely and completely translated, and therefore cover the historical stage of the Second World War with impartiality. To recognize such publications as documentary is to sin against the truth. Therefore, calls are made to parents: to buy domestic books for children about the war of 1941-1945 in the home library. At a minimum, they will be written in native and correct speech, and most importantly, they will help preserve human dignity at the source of historical memory, which is one of the most important tasks for the country. Many years have passed since the terrible test for our people, and the fruits of upbringing of the last decades sometimes can not but depress.
How often today one can observe in people indifference to the fate of the state in which they were born and live. It is necessary that the children remember and well know about the heroic deeds, the most severe trials and the harshest fate of the grandfathers and fathers. Be sure to educate children in patriotic feelings. And best of all, books about war for children perform this task. They have everything: millions of dead, and difficult trials, and a fierce struggle against fascism, and the long-awaited Victory. Only in this way can a child feel love for the Motherland, and subsequently protect his Fatherland and his own loved ones if necessary.
Where to begin
Even the smallest students need to read books on military subjects. Of course, you need to choose the most interesting for them, that is, those works where the main characters are close to them by age. It is with the help of such books that children learn to love their family, loved ones, those around them, and in general all the good things that prevail in their life. When getting acquainted with the literature on the war, children should already have some knowledge on the topic. It is imperative to talk about relatives who fought or worked in the rear, and with various details - about rations of bread (not only Leningrad, because it wasnât enough for satiety anywhere), about living conditions, about studies (when there was no paper, and children often doing homework on old newspapers), about work that at that time began in people very early - after all, many thirteen-year-olds stood at their looms during the war.
In the distant forties, exactly the same children made a tangible contribution to the approaching Victory. They even fought the enemy along with adults. Therefore, young children will really like the books âA soldier walked along the streetâ by Baruzdin, âYour defendersâ by Kassil, âI am a soldier and you are a soldierâ by Markusha, as well as Gaidarâs magnificent books âA Tale of Military Secret ...â, âOath of Timurâ and many others. Only if the introduction to patriotic literature takes place before school, the children will gladly continue to get acquainted with books about the war, read the stories of Alekseev, among which there is a book about the war and the blockade. For children, the battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, the Kursk Bulge, and the defense of Sevastopol, especially the storming of Berlin, will already be understandable in the stories. As if Sergey Alekseev wrote off from memory what he saw and experienced during the war, every act and every character trait of the main characters is so reliable.
"Letter from the front"
This is an amazing book by the exceptionally talented author Anatoly Vasilyevich Mityaev - stories about the everyday life of a person who himself saw all this and participated in everything. The book at first glance is very simple, but this is only a first impression, and it is deceptive. After reading it, as if the aftertaste remains, and the reader for a long time lays out in memory all the consequences, all the causes of the events that he found out, each time more and more sharply experiencing the difficulties that the soldier experienced on the way to Victory.
In the stories there is an abundance of precious touching details of life - both military and pre-war, there are even more of them than information directly about the war, with an analysis of battles and battles. It is these details that bring children closer to understanding purely human feelings. The soldiers are growing up before their eyes, and the reader is growing up with them, realizing that war is not only heroic deeds, it is hard, unbearable work, only by completing which you can become a hero.
"Son of the regiment"
The âSon of the Regimentâ Valentin Kataev is a truthful and exceptionally vivid story about the very difficult fate of little Vanya Solntsev, who fought along with adults and proved that the feat is an unbending will, this is a great love for oneâs native land, and not just courage. âSon of the regimentâ is perhaps the best of books written about the children of the war, so masterful in it is the combination of an adult authorâs look, concessions to children's interest (the fascination of an adventure plan) with the traditions of classical literature.
The language is simply magnificent, and the sense of proportion is amazing. This is just a huge part of Russian literature - books on military subjects. Their role in military-patriotic education is not even important, even though many were written, as they say, on a âsocial orderâ. All the same, both authors and readers always voluntarily or involuntarily experience everything that happened there with the heroes. Moreover, books on war for children are our long-standing classical tradition, the problems are eternal, this topic has always been covered in Russian literature almost always.
Blockade
For almost nine hundred days, people who did not manage to leave Leningrad or did not have such an opportunity due to the nature of their work, were without light, heat, food, bombed, sick, cold and hunger. But they did not give up their exhausting work for the benefit of the Victory â they dug defensive trenches and stood at machine tools in factories. Death very quickly became commonplace, albeit no less terrible. Books written about this always tell primarily about immortality, about love, about suffering in the name of saving the Motherland, about courage and hatred of the enemy. Documentary lines of diary entries should always be read with children - from a very young age. Diary of Tanya Savicheva among them. Artistic novels about the blockade also very often have a diary form, so it may be easier to convey through the eyewitnesses ascertaining the terrible events that truth which cannot be disbelieved, but it is painful to believe.
Documents always carry a lot of purely statistical information, through the life of the inhabitants of one apartment you can see what was happening in the whole city. Here it is necessary to mention the story of M. P. Sukhachev "Children of the blockade", from which the reader learns a lot about the nature of the bombing and shelling, about how it feels to die of hunger, but not to give up. Children in everything participated along with adults - they were on duty in the attics and extinguished incendiary bombs, helped the nearest people survive, even caught saboteurs who sent signals to enemy planes. Only steadfastness and selfless courage helped the guys to survive in this unequal struggle. There are a lot of children's books about the blockade of Leningrad, and it is imperative to acquaint the younger generation with them, because the events of the war years carry an exceptionally many simple and understandable truth for children - piercing and subtle. Some experience is acquired along with a perception of the contents of these books, events are experienced deeply and become close, as if they were happening to the reader himself and to those who are close, to their relatives.