The Button War

In this poignant wartime tale by award-winning author Avi, twelve-year-old Patryk navigates life in his small Polish village under Russian occupation, where his world is shaken by the arrival of war. As he and his friends engage in increasingly dangerous dares, such as stealing military buttons, their innocent game spirals into a grim reality. With the village caught in the crossfire of shifting powers, the distinctions between childhood play and the horrors of war begin to blur, particularly for the ambitious Jurek. This gripping story explores the impact of conflict on youthful innocence and friendship.