Taff in the WAAF - Hardcover

Manning, Mick; Granström, Brita

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1847800939 ISBN 13: 9781847800930

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2010

Synopsis

Mick Manning's mother was a young woman in Wales at the outbreak of World War II. This fascinating book, a companion to the the very successful Tail-End Charlie about Mick's father's life in the RAF in World War II, tells her story using the same innovative non-fiction narrative style. At the outbreak of war and the start of food rationing, she left school aged 14 to work in a local greengrocer's shop. Eventually joining the WAAF (the Women's Auxiliary Air Force), she became a wireless operator and eventually a Y service listener for the secret signal decoding operation at Bletchley Park where the famous German Enigma Code was cracked. The book also looks at other essential women's roles during the war including ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service), the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service), Land Army, Fire Service etc, and at a wide range of aspects of life affected by the war effort. Simply written and using speech bubbles and captioned illustration boxes of artefacts and documents from the period, this is a dramatic and engaging introduction to its subject.

About this title

Review:

This is the companion volume to the very successful Tail-End Charlie...There is a high demand for books about this period which are pitched at a simple level, so this book will be well received by teachers who cover this subject.

(Back to School Bookseller)

Visually-striking and engaging chronicle.

(Bradford Telegraph & Argus)

A mixture of comic strip, words, pictures and memorabilia vivdly reveal Taff's story and life during the war in this atmospheric book. Engrossing and informative read for all ages.

(Primary Times)

Every home should have a copy.

(Lynn Parsons BBC Radio 2)

How do you explain the events of the Second World War to a primary school child? Here's how. Manning and Granström have evolved their unique approach to information books over two decades combining thorough research with compelling stories, characterful illustrations and clever design.

(Glasgow Herald)

The illustrations vividly capture life of 'ordinary' people during the War and give us an excellent picture of how life was 'behind the scenes'. Other essential jobs done by women during the war are also investigated, and the use of artefacts and documents from the time make this an excellent resource for KS2 history.

(Parents in Touch)

From the endpapers to the presentation of the text as if typed on a 1930s typewriter, this is impeccably designed, written and illustrated: an absorbing, exciting and thoughtful account of one woman’s war in all its aspects.

(Books for Keeps)

This book deserves to become a children’s classic.  

(www.parentsintouch.co.uk)

The true story of a woman who joins the forces and ends up cracking Nazi codes at Blechley Park. Its mix of spies, submarines, Nazis, computers and codes should appeal to both girls and boys, and help set the record straight: the war wasn't won entirely by jolly good chaps with moustaches.

(Mail on Sunday)

Inspired by his [Mick Manning's] mother, who served in the WAAF during the Second World War. From life in the Blitz to dodging a Doodlebug, this captivating book really brings history to life. Beautifully illustrated by Manning and his wife Brita Granström, it's full of cartoons, documents and fascinating anecdotes about rations, dancing the jitterbug and listening to enemy Morse code.

(Daily Express)

About the Author:

Mick Manning grew up in Haworth, West Yorkshire and studied Illustration at the Royal College of Art in London. He has written and illustrated over 60 books, mostly with his partner Brita Granström.Their distinctive books have won many awards. Their first book, The World is Full of Babies, won the Smarties Silver Prize in 1996. Mick and Brita live in the Scottish Borders and have 4 sons. Their other books with Frances Lincoln include the critically acclaimed Fly on the Wall series: Roman Fort, Pharaoh's Egypt, Viking Longship, Greek Hero, Tail-End Charlie and What Mr Darwin Saw. Both Roman Fort and Viking Longship were shortlisted for the English Association 4-11 Awards and Greek Hero won in 2008. Snap! is the follow-up to Yuck! which was a regional winner of the Highland Book Awards 2006. Recently Mick and Brita donated the entire body of work created for their book Fly on the Wall: Greek Hero to Seven Stories, the centre for children's books. Brita Granström grew up on a Swedish farm and has an MFA in Fine Art from Konstfack, Stockholm. She and Mick Manning live in the Scottish Borders have four sons. Their first book together, The World is Full of Babies won the Smarties Silver Award in 1996 and their second book, What's Under the Bed? took the TES Junior Information Book Award in 1997. Yum Yum and How Did I Begin? were 2 of the 6 children's books shortlisted for the Rhone Poulene Prize in 1998. Science School made the shortlist in the following year. In 2000, Wash, Scrub, Brush! won the English Association's non-fiction award for the best picture book, with Let's Party making the shortlist in 2001. Brita won both Parenting Magazine's Book of the Year and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2000 with her illustrations for Judy Hindley's Eyes, Nose, Fingers, Toes.

About this edition

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1847800939
• ISBN 13: 9781847800930
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Manning Mick, Granström Brita