This title comes from the “Crabtree Connections” series and offers brief, biographical information about most of the important players during this complex period of history. The short introduction offers an explanation of how the war impacted the world. Subsequent pages feature thumbnail sketches of each person, most of them no longer than one page. The most well-known people, such as Hitler, Schindler, Roosevelt, and Anne Frank are joined by other important people who may be lesser known to American children. These include Hideki Tojo, the Prime Minister of Japan, and Violette Szabo, a young British citizen who worked as a secret agent before she was captured and executed. Hawes keeps the narrative tone fairly neutral, but includes details which will help children connect with the past. For example, a present day photograph shows the statue of Anne Frank as it appears in Amsterdam, and we learn that Anne’s full name was Annelies. Archival and contemporary photographs have been selected with the age of the intended audience in mind so that, while offering an accurate glimpse into the period, the information is not overwhelming. Timelines run across the bottom of each double-page spread, and colorful inserts offer additional information. Unusual or difficult words are highlighted and easily located in the glossary at the end of the book. An index, a table of contents, and a resource list including a list of websites are all helpful tools for younger readers. Reviewer: Dawna Lisa Buchanan