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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Winston Churchill?
Born into aristocracy, Churchill cut his teeth as a young army officer in British India, the Sudan, and the Second Boer War. He rose in the ranks to First Lord of the Admiralty and was a staunch opponent of the encroaching German Nazis. Churchill served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, Churchill was also a historian, a writer, and an artist. He is the only British Prime Minister to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the United States.
112 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 1, 2022
Wealth of knowledge, written with a younger audience in mind. Highly recommend.
March 22, 2018
It's a good book, but it could be more detailed. But I discovered many things about Churchil that I didn't know. Despite all the mistakes he made throughout his life, he was a force of nature, very charismatic, an excellent father and husband, and a prolific writer.
November 24, 2018
106 pages. I enjoyed this biography and learned a lot about a famous leader from England. There are lots of extra fact pages on topics such as Winston’s family history, British Empire, Parliament and the Prime Minister, life in the trenches, rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazis, radio waves, the Holocaust, the Cold War, plus many maps, drawings and illustrations that will help a reader understand the material better. There is also a timeline of Churchill’s life and the world timeline at same period of time. I think it would be a great book to read if a student is studying WWI or WWII so they could understand other components of the wars and leaders of the time. Highly recommended for Grades 4-5 and up.
March 18, 2020
Winston Churchill led an adventurous life as British army officer rising to the rank of First Lord of the Admiralty during WWI. His family was part of the British aristocracy and known for their public service. Who Was Winston Churchill? by Ellen Labrecque covers this fascinating life as he went from being a voice in the wilderness sounding the alarm about Adolph Hitler and the Nazi plan to becoming Prime Minister of Britain at a crucial time in history as WWII broke out. His talent for writing and speaking was instrumental in rallying the British people at one of their darkest hours as the Nazis quickly subdued the rest of the continent leaving them alone to face attack from across the English Channel. He was also an historian, writer, and an artist and is best known for his History of the English-Speaking Peoples and memoirs of World War II. In 1953 he won a Nobel Prize in Literature and was also made an honorary citizen of the United States. The author did a lot of research and includes plenty of facts and back stories and the book is also loaded with illustrations.
February 9, 2021
"You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer".
"You have enemies? Good. That means you have stood up for something in your life".
"Some people's idea of free speech is that they are free to say whatever they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage". -Sir Winston Churchill
What an amazing man of common sense and patriotism.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you have stood up for something in your life".
"Some people's idea of free speech is that they are free to say whatever they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage". -Sir Winston Churchill
What an amazing man of common sense and patriotism.
April 14, 2017
Really liked this book. It introduces kids to the different wars during his life and how the government works in Great Britain.
April 14, 2020
I honestly didn't know much about Winston Churchill except how he was known for his hopeful speeches to people in the darkest times as a leader in England.
So, I was a little surprised, although I shouldn't have been, that he was raised in such a wealthy family (187 rooms and 2,000 ACRES!). Churchill was primarily raised by his nanny since his parents were so busy, which made me think of how there are a decent amount of students in the same situation that I teach at my international school in Bangkok.
Reading this book was another reminder of how, when people are young, they don't always excel at EVERY subject. Churchill wasn't good at math and science, but LOVED to get lost in reading. He was a gifted writer and could memorize long poems. He eventually transferred to The Harrow School, which had produced 6 prime minsters through their history. Honestly, I didn't know that that's what Harrow represented. There is a Harrow international school here in Bangkok, which we play in various sports. I knew there was a tie to England, but, again, I didn't understand how big of a draw that could be with how they have raised up such prestigious leaders through the years.
Knowing how things turned out with Churchill was a great reminder that God has gifted everyone differently and I need to strive to identify these gifts and help develop them as early as possible in order to be used by God to help people to be ALL He made them to be.
I also didn't know how much experience he had in various parts of the military. I could definitely see how he was groomed to lead in the dark times as a military leader. He obviously failed a bunch, but, who doesn't as a leader. The key is to learn from your past and keep moving forward.
Some questions I have is, as a Christian, I don't think it is best to avoid politics, but to get involved. That being said, I still am not sure how to engage without compromising--especially as it relates to war. I also thought about how Churchill was involved in decisions related to their involvement with India before their independence. I just read one of these books about Gandhi and I struggle with discerning how to get involved in these affairs when so many people died as a result of decisions that were made. However, I just thought how Jesus kept living his life and doing the Father's will, which impacted people in various ways--including the death of others (i.e. martyrs).
What are WE doing in our lives NOW--in FAITH--that we are trusting God to use in the future? In other words, how are we preparing for our "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)? Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones." I just want God's people to be ALL He made us to be. What will be your "Churchill moment?" [It HOPEFULLY won't just be ONE] when God gives you a platform like NO OTHER in your life to impact people for good???
So, I was a little surprised, although I shouldn't have been, that he was raised in such a wealthy family (187 rooms and 2,000 ACRES!). Churchill was primarily raised by his nanny since his parents were so busy, which made me think of how there are a decent amount of students in the same situation that I teach at my international school in Bangkok.
Reading this book was another reminder of how, when people are young, they don't always excel at EVERY subject. Churchill wasn't good at math and science, but LOVED to get lost in reading. He was a gifted writer and could memorize long poems. He eventually transferred to The Harrow School, which had produced 6 prime minsters through their history. Honestly, I didn't know that that's what Harrow represented. There is a Harrow international school here in Bangkok, which we play in various sports. I knew there was a tie to England, but, again, I didn't understand how big of a draw that could be with how they have raised up such prestigious leaders through the years.
Knowing how things turned out with Churchill was a great reminder that God has gifted everyone differently and I need to strive to identify these gifts and help develop them as early as possible in order to be used by God to help people to be ALL He made them to be.
I also didn't know how much experience he had in various parts of the military. I could definitely see how he was groomed to lead in the dark times as a military leader. He obviously failed a bunch, but, who doesn't as a leader. The key is to learn from your past and keep moving forward.
Some questions I have is, as a Christian, I don't think it is best to avoid politics, but to get involved. That being said, I still am not sure how to engage without compromising--especially as it relates to war. I also thought about how Churchill was involved in decisions related to their involvement with India before their independence. I just read one of these books about Gandhi and I struggle with discerning how to get involved in these affairs when so many people died as a result of decisions that were made. However, I just thought how Jesus kept living his life and doing the Father's will, which impacted people in various ways--including the death of others (i.e. martyrs).
What are WE doing in our lives NOW--in FAITH--that we are trusting God to use in the future? In other words, how are we preparing for our "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)? Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones." I just want God's people to be ALL He made us to be. What will be your "Churchill moment?" [It HOPEFULLY won't just be ONE] when God gives you a platform like NO OTHER in your life to impact people for good???
January 24, 2022
“Who Was Winston Churchill” by Ellen Labrecque is a fascinating children’s book about the incredible life of Winston Churchill. This is another random addition to my Goodreads goal of reading 36 books this year. My son wasn’t feeling well, so, to keep him company, I picked this off his shelf and read it to him in its entirety.
Being a history lover, I knew some facts about Churchill already. However, this chapter book filled in so many blanks and brought me to respect him even more than I already did. One fact that I wasn’t aware of was that he was born at Blenheim Palace. It’s his family’s home. Oddly enough, I visited Blenheim Palace when I lived in England and never knew it was his ancestral home, or that he was buried there. In hindsight I should have done more research and paid respects to such a great leader (insert face-palm).
Overall, I loved this book. I love Churchill and all he represented. He is a once-in-a-lifetime leader. I absolutely recommend this to anyone - adults and kids alike. Anyone could benefit from his influence. 5/5 stars!
P.S. - I read the book today, January 24th, which is actually the anniversary of his death. The kids and I didn’t realize that until the end of the book when it discusses his passing.
Being a history lover, I knew some facts about Churchill already. However, this chapter book filled in so many blanks and brought me to respect him even more than I already did. One fact that I wasn’t aware of was that he was born at Blenheim Palace. It’s his family’s home. Oddly enough, I visited Blenheim Palace when I lived in England and never knew it was his ancestral home, or that he was buried there. In hindsight I should have done more research and paid respects to such a great leader (insert face-palm).
Overall, I loved this book. I love Churchill and all he represented. He is a once-in-a-lifetime leader. I absolutely recommend this to anyone - adults and kids alike. Anyone could benefit from his influence. 5/5 stars!
P.S. - I read the book today, January 24th, which is actually the anniversary of his death. The kids and I didn’t realize that until the end of the book when it discusses his passing.
December 4, 2018
A comprehensive, wonderful overview of the life of Winston Churchill. I read this to my 9 year old son as part of our history study. He enjoyed it and this book kept his interest.
I did not realize how many books Winston Churchill wrote. He was a powerful speaker, which is exactly what Britain needed during the darkest times of Workd War 2. I thought it was interesting that he would spend one hour for every minute of his radio speeches. So if he spoke on the radio for 30 minutes, that speech took him 30 hours to write ;and revise)!
My favorite quotes by Winston Churchill that appeared in this book:
“This is your victory! It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land.”
“If the British Empire and it’s commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour’”.
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, as sweat.” “Let us go forward together with our United strength.” (Winston said this during his first speech as prime minister).
I did not realize how many books Winston Churchill wrote. He was a powerful speaker, which is exactly what Britain needed during the darkest times of Workd War 2. I thought it was interesting that he would spend one hour for every minute of his radio speeches. So if he spoke on the radio for 30 minutes, that speech took him 30 hours to write ;and revise)!
My favorite quotes by Winston Churchill that appeared in this book:
“This is your victory! It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land.”
“If the British Empire and it’s commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour’”.
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, as sweat.” “Let us go forward together with our United strength.” (Winston said this during his first speech as prime minister).
May 7, 2017
The book I read was "Who Was Winston Churchill" by Ellen Labrecque. I gave the book a 4 out of 5 because it was a good book but it could have been better. The setting of this book is in Great Britain. The main character is Winston Churchill. Winston was a great man that benefited the world. If it wasn't for him the outcome of WWII might have been different. Winston was a politician, soldier and author. He lived till he was 90 despite him smoking.
I liked the book overall but it could use some changes. First I would change the length of the book. I think it needs more information and fact of what he did. I would also change some of the information more on WWII because that was when Churchill was most influential.
I would recommend this book to young readers. This book is only 100 pages and they aren't very long. I would also recommend this book to people interested in WWII. This book provides good information about what Churchill did.
I liked the book overall but it could use some changes. First I would change the length of the book. I think it needs more information and fact of what he did. I would also change some of the information more on WWII because that was when Churchill was most influential.
I would recommend this book to young readers. This book is only 100 pages and they aren't very long. I would also recommend this book to people interested in WWII. This book provides good information about what Churchill did.
July 27, 2017
Good book. I only wish it were longer and written in more detail, but considering it's written for children, that is fine. I did not know that Churchill was such a prolific author, even winning the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature.
Other things I learned:
-His mother was American.
-His family has a long and noble history.
-He developed his love of cigars in Cuba while writing about his adventures.
-He served in World War I in the trenches.
-He changed from Conservative to Liberal Party and back.
-He held many offices in government besides PM.
-He spent his "Wilderness Years" writing extensively and warning about the threat of Hitler.
-He coined the term "Iron Curtain" in his speech in Missouri.
-He was made an honorary American citizen by JFK.
-There is an American battleship named after him.
It made me more interested in him. Now I want to read his books.
Other things I learned:
-His mother was American.
-His family has a long and noble history.
-He developed his love of cigars in Cuba while writing about his adventures.
-He served in World War I in the trenches.
-He changed from Conservative to Liberal Party and back.
-He held many offices in government besides PM.
-He spent his "Wilderness Years" writing extensively and warning about the threat of Hitler.
-He coined the term "Iron Curtain" in his speech in Missouri.
-He was made an honorary American citizen by JFK.
-There is an American battleship named after him.
It made me more interested in him. Now I want to read his books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2024
As a self-proclaimed history buff, I dove into "Who Was Winston Churchill?" and emerged a true fan! This book is like a time machine with a twist—who knew learning about the iconic bulldog of a man could be this entertaining? With witty anecdotes and engaging storytelling, it captures Churchill’s larger-than-life personality and knack for dramatic flair.
From his cigar-chomping speeches to his infamous “never surrender” attitude, this book had me chuckling and cheering along the way. If you want to impress your friends at the next trivia night or just need a fun read to spice up your coffee breaks, grab this gem! Churchill might have led a nation, but this book will lead you to laughter and learning in equal measure!
From his cigar-chomping speeches to his infamous “never surrender” attitude, this book had me chuckling and cheering along the way. If you want to impress your friends at the next trivia night or just need a fun read to spice up your coffee breaks, grab this gem! Churchill might have led a nation, but this book will lead you to laughter and learning in equal measure!
November 25, 2019
The main character is Winston Churchill. He was part of the government of Great Britain. A war was going on then. The message of the book was that good things can happen when you are going through hard times in your life.
The author of this story is Ellen Labrecque. She’s known for making books in the “Who is” series, for example
“Princess Diana” and “Henry VIII”.
When Winston was nineteen years old, he became a soldier and he started to fight for Great Britain. This was my favorite part of the book because Winston wanted to become a soldier for a long time. He was very happy to
Be a soldier.
The author of this story is Ellen Labrecque. She’s known for making books in the “Who is” series, for example
“Princess Diana” and “Henry VIII”.
When Winston was nineteen years old, he became a soldier and he started to fight for Great Britain. This was my favorite part of the book because Winston wanted to become a soldier for a long time. He was very happy to
Be a soldier.
May 25, 2018
True confessions: I didn't know much about who Winston Churchill beyond that he was a major figure in WWII. Here's what I know now: Churchill was a master of words, among many other things. Although he was born into privilege, his life wasn't exactly a cakewalk beginning with low self-esteem and inability to talk to women. When he did woo and marry Clementine, they were to lose a child in toddlerhood and face political ups and downs that didn't help their sense of stability, even before WWII.
I love this book series, and I am looking forward to reading more.
I love this book series, and I am looking forward to reading more.
August 10, 2019
Read with the Kiddo as part of his summer reading. This was a good overview of Churchill's life which did a nice job of conveying his importance as a leader during World War II. It also had a lot of details of Churchill as a family man, and as a writer. It generally steered away from controversy. There were some interesting sidebars, mostly focusing on important world events during Churchill's lifetime.
May 22, 2021
This book is good if you want to generally know who Winston Churchill is, this is a 108 pages and goes through his life. This book is very easy to read and good for anyone who wants to quickly learn about Winston Churchill. This book doesn't go that much in detail but I recommend it for anyone who wants to quickly and generally learn about Winston Churchill. Good informational book. Goes through his life and all the events.
November 19, 2022
"...the world was free in part because of Winston Churchill’s leadership."
Winston Churchill is best known as Prime Minister of England, but this book about his life explores his military service, his writing of books and magazine articles as well as for newspapers, and his personal life, offering a more rounded view of the man who led the United Kingdom during World War II and in doing so left his mark on the world.
Winston Churchill is best known as Prime Minister of England, but this book about his life explores his military service, his writing of books and magazine articles as well as for newspapers, and his personal life, offering a more rounded view of the man who led the United Kingdom during World War II and in doing so left his mark on the world.
August 11, 2019
Who Was Winston Churchill? is about a man named Winston Churchill who grew up in a royal palace. He went to the world famous all-boys Harrow School in 1887. He was appointed Minister for Munitions in 1917. During World War 2 he was Prime Minister of Great Britain and he made many speeches on the radio and gave hope to the Allies. I suggest to 9 and up because it is sometimes hard to understand.
July 15, 2021
Winston Churchill was a very prolific writer as well as a great statesman during his lifetime. He was the major force that helped England to survive the second world war. He also painted many landscapes throughout his life. This was an interesting book to read and may lead others to learn more about his life.
April 15, 2024
best reading for a kid to build his personality
This is a great book for a elementary school student to learn the great leader Winston Churchill and the history of WW1 and WW2. From the greatest challenges he rose to and overcame, little citizens can build their personality: brave, responsible and kind with unparalleled wisdom.
This is a great book for a elementary school student to learn the great leader Winston Churchill and the history of WW1 and WW2. From the greatest challenges he rose to and overcame, little citizens can build their personality: brave, responsible and kind with unparalleled wisdom.
April 18, 2018
I read this with my 6 year old and enjoyed learning more about this famous leader. It was interesting to read the dates and be able to say that was the year your grandpa was born. This was when grandma was 6. He was a great leader in a really hard time of history.
December 6, 2017
This book tells a lot about his career and high rank in British Forces. It says how he acted against wars and what he did when he couldn't.
November 12, 2017
Great introduction to one of the finest leaders our world has known for elementary students.
March 21, 2018
Winston churchill was a British leader, he was knighted by the queen, he led ENGLAND DURING WORLD WAR II .
April 19, 2018
I think this is the first book I've read about Winston Churchill - I've only really known who he was before. So it was very interesting and I learned a lot about him (simply).
May 23, 2018
Great short bio.
December 10, 2018
This book is informative. I really recommend it for those who aren't into politics.
January 21, 2019
Informative book! I learned some new things about Winston Churchill.
The Who Was series is an excellent set of books.
The Who Was series is an excellent set of books.
January 30, 2019
Another fascinating story about a very fascinating person.
September 5, 2019
I rated this book 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ because l liked it when I learned that ✌️sign means Victory:)!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews