Paul Dowswell

The welcome given to refugees from fascist Europe is part of our fond nostalgia for Britains role in the Second World War, nestling in our imagination next to images of evacuees clutching teddy bears, and milkmen picking their way through bomb rubble during the Blitz. But there is a darker side to this story. Then, as now, there was great suspicion, resentment and fear towards new arrivals, much of it kindled by the tabloid press. Then, as now, politicians dealt with a reluctance to accommodate refugees by hiding behind bureaucratic hurdles and obfuscation.Many of the 10,000 Kindertransport children who arrived here in the late 1930s have warm memories of the kindness they were shown, but half a million refugees were refused entry and most of them died as a result. And those who were accepted found their troubles far from over. While Britain fearfully awaited invasion in 1940, 30,000 Jews were interned as enemy aliens and some were sent off to the colonies on dangerous and sometimes fatal voyages. Nor were Jews the only refugees clamouring for the thin gruel of public sympathy. Those fleeing fascism and civil war elsewhere in Europe found that whether they were met with kindness or hostility depended on the locals political affiliations and newspapers of choice.Interweaving personal testimonies with historical sources, Paul Dowswell casts a fresh eye on the wartime era, painting a vivid picture of what life was really like for Britains refugees.

When Peter's parents are killed, he is sent to an orphanage in Warsaw. Then German soldiers take him away to be measured and assessed. They decide that Peter is racially valuable. He is Volksdeutscher: of German blood. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and acceptably proportioned head, he looks just like the boy on the Hitler-Jugend poster. Someone important will want to adopt Peter. They do...

Peter debe convencerlos de que es uno de ellos, como si de eso dependiera su vida. Porque así es.Cuando sus padres mueren, Peter es enviado a un orfanato de Varsovia. Pero Peter es un Volksdeutscher: de sangre alemana. Gracias a sus cabellos rubios y sus ojos azules, es el perfecto prototipo de las Juventudes Hitlerianas. Su aspecto no pasa inadvertido, por lo que alquien importante querra adoptarlo, y asi es: lo adopta. El profesor Kaltenbach y su mujer estan encantados de acoger a un ario tan estupendo en su hogar. Seran la envidia de los demas. Pero Peter no es exactamente el especimen que creyeron. Empieza a formarse sus propias ideas: el no quiere ser un nazi, asi que correra un riesgo. El riesgo mas peligroso que podia correr en el Berlin de 1943.

When Peter's parents are killed, he is sent to an orphanage in Warsaw. Then German soldiers take him away to be measured and assessed. They decide that Peter is racially valuable. He is Volksdeutscher: of German blood. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and acceptably proportioned head, he looks just like the boy on the Hitler-Jugend poster. Someone important will want to adopt Peter. They do. Professor Kaltenbach is very pleased to welcome such a fine Aryan specimen to his household. People will be envious. But Peter is not quite the specimen they think. He is forming his own ideas about what he is seeing, what he is told. Peter doesn't want to be a Nazi, and so he is going to take a very dangerous risk. The most dangerous risk he could possibly choose to take in Berlin in 1942.

A gripping collection of true stories of exploration and danger over the icy wastelands of Antarctica. Contains true life stories from the fated expedition of Captain Scott to Ernest Shackletons epic trek across the snow to save his stranded crew.

Sam fights in a fierce battle against the Danish Fleet, led by none other than Nelson himself, and against all odds victory is theirs. Peace is declared and Britain''s war with most of Northern Europe is over. Sam can go home. But on the journey back, he witnesses a crime, for which he is framed. He is sentenced to death, but at the last minute his sentence is commuted to transportation to Australia. With petty thieves, vicious criminals, women, and other children, Sam begins an eight month journey to the other side of the world, and a life of slavery in the harsh Australian interior. He knows that against all odds, he must escape.

How does a whale breathe? How does a snake see in the dark? Why do zebras have stripes? This fascinating book has all the answers and more. Simple, easy-to-read text, detailed illustrations and extraordinary wildlife photography introduce children to the wonders of the animal kingdom. Links to exciting recommended websites make this a fantastic resource for use at home or school.Chapters in this book include- Animal worldMammals- Mammals- What's for dinner?- Night mammals- Hide and seek- Escaping from enemies- Living together- Baby mammals- Sea mammalsBirds- Bird life- Colours- In the air- Bodies and beaks- Nests and chicksReptiles- Reptile life- Snap and grab- Special senses- Reptile defences- Young reptilesAmphibiansCreepy-crawlies- Creepy-crawlies- Baby bugs- Bug food- Colours and tricks- ButterfliesWater life- Living in the sea- Baby fish- Sea hunters- Sea monsters- Coral reefs

A bright, lively introduction to space with simple text, amazing photographs and detailed illustrations. Provides simple explanations to questions such as "What are stars made of?" "Why does the Moon shine?" and "What do space toilets look like?" Includes internet links to carefully selected fun and informative websites.Chapters in this book include:- Amazing space- The moving sky- Telescopes- Radio telescopes- Trips into space- Astronaut training- A walk in space- Living in space- Dangers and disasters- Satellites and space probes- Into the future- Is anyone out there?- What's in our Solar System?- The Moon- The Sun- Mercury and Venus- Mars- Jupiter and Saturn- Uranus and Neptune- Pluto and beyond- Bits and pieces- The Universe- Distant suns- A star's life- Galaxies- Weird and wonderful- Looking at the night sky- Binoculars and telescopes- Space words