Making the Past Live in Words and Images
"…fast-paced and gripping" CCBC Magazine
“Wilson writes eloquently about one boy’s love of flight and his dream of flying…[and] Edward’s narrative is thoroughly engaging. A fine, old-fashioned-feeling… tale set in the World War I skies.” Kirkus Reviews
"Eddie’s emotional and psychological development moves us…What makes Wings of War especially engaging, though, is Wilson’s artful weaving of Eddie’s story with the technical details of early flight: airplane construction and handling, and the specialized techniques required for successful aeronautic battle." Resource Links
Three tales featuring a young flyer, a miner and a nurse caught up in the confusion and horror of the First World War.
Fiction for Teens
Tales of War
"Dark Terror is part adventure and part history, with just a touch of romance. It's a fast-moving, gripping take on a little-explored side of the [First World] war effort." CBR
"Wilson ably evokes the claustrophobic, dark terror of the underground wand the coming of age of young men amid the battles…A fascinating war tale that will have…readers digging in for a captivating read." Kirkus Review
“…a strong, engaging read.” CM Magazine
“A Dangerous Game is a pleasure to read. It’s a fast-paced, exciting story with lots of accurate historical information…a great read [and] a refreshing change from zombies, nasty girls and dystopian survivor novels…it showcases ordinary people at their best, bravely working together in terrible times.” Historical Novel Society
The First Task
"Posthumous messages and tantalizing clues send a teenager from Canada to Barcelona in search of a hidden chapter from his beloved grandfather's past. Steve slowly gains insight into how it felt to believe passionately in a cause—even, in this case, a doomed one—and then to lose that innocent certainty in the blood and shock of war." Kirkus Reviews
"The dialogue is witty and sharp…The Spanish setting oozes charm, beauty and history. Readers will feel as if they are scootering with Steve and Laia along narrow roads and through timeless tiny villages steeped in the memory of a bloody civil war." Resource Links
"The descriptions of the war―and the emotional reactions of Steve and his grandfather at two different points in history―are rich and poignant…Some of the most compelling parts are the grandfather's journal entries which give amazing insights into the strategy and struggle of war. These, paired with the stories of the current day Spanish people, paint a complete picture of the war and its enduring effects…Highly Recommended." CM Magazine
"[The] adventures are exciting and readers will be anxious to pick up the next book in the series. Great for middle grade boys who want realistic fiction with action and suspense." NJ Youth Services
"A story of great adventure and action that will introduce readers to a portion of history that is not familiar to most students. There is a good mix of action and romance. Sure to appeal to upper midle school and younger high school students. An excellent purchase." TriState YA Book Review Committee
Three stories that follow Steve, one of seven grandchildren who have each been given three tasks by their grandfather.
The 7 Series
The Second Task
“With only a forged passport and a coded message as clues, Steve will need all the help he can get to figure out whether his grandfather was a well-traveled businessman or a double agent…Steve’s quest is part-Cold War mystery and part-Spanish history lesson...The puzzles are satisfyingly difficult...the information about a little-known chapter in history is interesting and the setting is beautiful.” Kirkus Reviews
"Wilson does an excellent job of bringing readers back into Steve’s world right from the first chapter, detailing the emotions and desires of the protagonist in the character’s own words. ...One of Broken Arrow’s definite strengths is the dialogue as it differentiates characters, moves the plot forward at a perfect pace, and introduces facts in an easily digestible way. With its absorbing beginning, unpredictable ending, and series of heart-stopping encounters in between, Broken Arrow is a great bet for the male tween demographic, though girls will like it, too! Highly Recommended." CM Magazine
"The warm, dusty atmosphere of rural Spain and the busy city of Barcelona with its loving traditions bring this story to life…teen readers both boys and girls will be quickly drawn in to this compelling mystery that effortlessly teaches history as it entertains with panache." Resource Links
"This thrill-a-minute series will hook reluctant readers as well as fans of James Bond and Jason Bourne." School Library Journal
The Prequel
Set five years before the events of Lost Cause and Broken Arrow, "Wilson successfully creates a series of layered mysteries each more compelling than the last...The Missing Skull is a great, fast-paced read...Recommended." CM Magazine
"Mystery buffs will enjoy the mysterious tale of Thomson's death and the trail of clues set up by Grandpa, even when Steve misinterprets the clues and mayhem ensues. The remote northern Ontario landscape, complete with cold lake, rocks and bush along with the cabin lacking electricity and water highlights the real camping experience unfamiliar to so many urban students. Dialogue is modern and up to date with Steve's friend Sam's computer googling and their cell phone chats grounding the story in the present day." Resource Links
A Finalist for the Governor General's Award for Literature, the jury said: "In this engrossing historical adventure, John Wilson paints a vivid picture of a bygone era involving Henry Hudson’s fateful search for the elusive Northwest Passage, an alchemist, mysterious passengers, and enigmatic maps. The Alchemist’s Dream fascinates from start to finish. In the fall of 1669, the Nonsuch returns to London with a load of fur from Hudson Bay. It brings something else, too--the lost journal from Henry Hudson’s tragic search for a passage to Cathay in 1611. In the hands of a greedy sailor, the journal is merely an object to sell. But for Robert Bylot--a once-great maritime explorer--the book is a painful reminder of a past he’d rather forget. As Bylot relives his memories of a plague-ridden city, of the mysterious alchemist John Dee, and of mutiny in the frozen wastes of Hudson Bay, an age-old mystery is both revealed and solved. Set against the thrilling backdrop of the quest for the Northwest Passage, The Alchemist’s Dream is a riveting tale of exploration, ambition, and betrayal."
"This impressive new historical novel by Vancouver Island-based writer John Wilson charts the adventures of Robert Bylot, a 17th-century English explorer who accompanied Henry Hudson on his last voyage…Conflict and danger propel this fast-paced narrative…Wilson never writes down to his readers; instead, he challenges them to stretch their vocabulary and level of analysis. The high calibre of writing, together with the thoroughly researched historical detail, make The Alchemist’s Dream a compelling read." Quill & Quire
"A fresh, intriguing hypothesis to the solution of the mystery surrounding Henry Hudson's last fatal voyage. This is a story of Henry Hudson but much more so a story of Robert Bylot, an obscure explorer, and John Dee, a geographer and occultist. The tale of how these three people's lives may have intertwined is fascinating.…Overall, this is a fascinating topic and a glimpse into an era where the boundaries between science and magic were blurry. Recommended." Amazon review
NOTE: The Alchemist's Dream is an abreviated version of the Final Alchemy for a teen audience.
Non-fiction for Teens
Peace and War 1914-1945 was originally published as three separate titles: Desperate Glory, Failed Hope and Bitter Ashes
"John Wilson.is a gifted writer whose prose makes history meaningful and relevant. An excellent introduction to the First World War. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine review of Desperate Glory
Lavishly illustrated with over 200 historical photographs and maps, Peace and War: Three Decades that Changed the World, 1914-1945 presents the story and issues of the formative three decades of the 20th century in a clear, concise and objective manner. Focussing on social as well as political issues, Wilson presents the sometimes brutal events of those years with depth and compassion. A useful book, it will be a very valuable tool for educators in explaining the hows and whys of this most important period, as well as being an accessible introductory resource for anyone with an interest in history and how our modern world evolved.
World War I was the first major war in a hundred years and dwarfed all previous conflicts in its tragic scope. It sounded the death knell for the certainties of 19th century imperialism and laid the foundations, not only of World War II, but also for the subsequent conflicts in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Without at least a basic knowledge of the forces that shaped that terrible conflagration and what followed from it, it is impossible to fully understand the complexity of our world.
Failed Hope looks at the years after WWI and shows how the hope for the birth a better world was crushed by the advent of the Second World War. Weaving a fascinating tale covering the Treaty of Versailles, the postwar rise of fascism, social unrest, Prohibition, the Great Depression, Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, and the wars in Abyssinia, Spain, and China, Failed Hope ends with the failure of appeasement and the outbreak of the Second World War.
World War Two was the greatest conflict in human history. It gave birth to the Atomic Age, the Cold War and the economic boom of the 1950s and 60s, and planted the seeds of today’s Middle East crises. But it is not distant history. Most of those alive today have, or remember, relatives who were part of this world-wide tragedy. Bitter Ashes puts these events in context for them. A clear and concise text leads the reader though the major military and political events and issues of the war. Sidebars add detail and a personal element. Every page is illustrated with either photographs or maps.
"A bracingly critical perspective. With a few deft sentences he lays out the story in a way that doesn't overwhelm the emotions of his young audience, but provides the context they'll need to read and interpret more advanced works in the future." Deirdre Baker―Quill & Quire review of Desperate Glory
"…an accessible, often mesmerizing, account of the war…Bitter Ashes is clear, critical and succinct…The book's breadth, warmth and clarity provide a good read for young history buffs, a compelling narrative even for those who don't usually take to non-fiction." Review of Bitter Ashes, Vancouver Islander.
"Wilson does an admirable job of bringing this exceptional, multi-faceted man sharply into focus." Globe & Mail
A Man Exact and Truthful: John Rae and the Northwest Passage is the exciting story of a fascinating life filled with remarkable tales of survival, heartbreaking tragedies, shipwrecks and scandals. Born in 1813 in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland, John Rae was a doctor and explorer who worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company, mapped vast tracts of land in the Canadian Arctic and was one of the first Europeans to show respect for Inuit customs and to take inspiration from their Arctic survival skills. He also answered two great 19th century Arctic questions: what happened to Sir John Franklin's lost expedition and where was the final link in the Northwest Passage? He deserved to be honoured as one of the most successful polar explorers of his generation, but when he returned to London with tales of cannibalism amongst Franklin's desperate and doomed men, he was vilified in a slanderous campaign led by Franklin's widow, Jane, and Charles Dickens. History has shown the truth of Rae's assertions and it is time that he took his rightful place in exploration history. John Wilson brings this fascinating man and his times to life in an exciting, fast-paced narrative. The book is illustrated with sketches, maps and archival photographs.
"John Wilson brings his considerable storytelling talents to Rae's life, relating the details in short, easy-to read chapters, but losing none of the action and adventure." CCBN