The Grand Escape: The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century (Scholastic Focus)

When I think of dramatic prisoner of war escapes, I usually think of Colditz in WWII - mostly because my sister was obsessed with it (there were Lego models). So I was fascinated to read this account of the "original" escape in World War I of a group of soldiers and pilots who escaped from the notorious German prison of Holzminden.

Bascomb builds the story slowly, starting with a rough outline of the war and the role pilots played - including the dangers they faced. As one by one men are captured and the war continues, the various characters make escape attempts, fail, and gradually come to be incarcerated in a notorious prison camp. Not all survive; if they make it through the initial deadly crash of their primitive planes, they still show more have to survive escape attempts and recapture, not to mention brutal treatment in the prison camps.

Eventually, a band of men, all of whom have made multiple attempts to escape, are housed together at Holzminden. There, despite the brutal treatment by the commandant Karl Niemeyer, they work together to plan a daring escape. It's not an easy task; some attempts are made and end in death or solitary imprisonment. Some men are sent to other camps. There are traitors and close calls, not to mention the physical labor and dangers of their risky escape tunnel. But eventually, a record number of men make their escape.

Throughout the book Bascomb details the various personalities of the men, bringing them to life as individuals. He doesn't shy away from cruel treatment, the realities of life as a POW, or even a frank discussion of how class continued to affect the soldiers even in a prison. Although honest, the book isn't overly graphic. It's aimed at a middle school audience but a strong middle grade reader would be able to handle it.

Verdict: This is the first book I read of Scholastic's new imprint, Focus, and I'm really excited about it! Action, adventure, history, and an author who doesn't shy away from the realities of war or whitewash the soldiers into one big happy family, including the different attitudes depending on the soldiers' countries, class, and their own personalities. This is sure to grab the attention of history and adventure fans alike.

ISBN: 9781338140347; Published September 2018 by Scholastic Focus; ARC provided by the publisher; Purchased for the library show less

Truly a remarkable tale of perseverance, grit, and heroism. This has to be one of the greatest POW escape plots ever successfully completed, in any war. It was a bit of a slow start, but at times it was hard to put down.

In WWI, detained escapees were simply moved to a new camp, and after a time many of the best and brightest military men were confined together at Holzminden, Germany’s most notorious POW camp and considered unescapable by its leader, Commandant Karl Niemeyer. The story is replete with failed attempts, close encounters, and remarkable ingenuity on behalf of the prisoners. After months of tunneling and countless obstacles to overcome, the escapees still faced a 150 mile dash to free Holland. Their triumph is quite a show more thing to watch unfold. show less

Nonfiction account of one of the greatest prison breaks of World War I. Great detail and information about the preparation and execution of the break. Many authentic, original pictures and notes from the actual characters involved. If you like Alan Gratz (Refugee, Grenade) you'll enjoy this book. Great WWI story.

During WWI numerous pilots and soldiers found themselves as prisoners of war. This book outlines the myriad of places that they were kept and their numerous attempts at escape. Although this was a very interesting book, I think it tried to present too many characters. It would have been better to focus on 4 or 5 characters, rather than telling fragments of dozens of men. Despite this criticism, I did enjoy this book and will recommend it to others.

The story of a number of British officers who were captured and escaped from a POW camp in Germany by tunneling out. A huge effort with 29 escapees. The book details the background of some involved - focusing largely on Gray, Kennard, and Blain who all were pilots. The book get a bit dry and I wished the primary source images and documents were easier to read within the text. It was a story I hadn't heard before.

3.45 stars. Well researched and lively; informative as well. Solid.

RGG: Perhaps more of interest to WWI aficionados. The tension of the escape is well-done, but may be diminished by the many details that may be difficult for a reader to follow. Reading Interest: 14-YA.