A Rose For The Anzac Boys

A Rose For The Anzac Boys by Jackie French is a richly researched YA historical fiction novel that brings World War I close, personal and heartbreakingly real through the eyes of three teenage girls. Sixteen-year-old New Zealander Midge Macpherson is meant to be learning manners at an English school, but the war won’t stay distant for long—especially when her brothers enlist and her twin, Tim, is reported missing after Gallipoli.

Alongside friends Ethel and Anne, Midge escapes the constraints of “Society” to run a canteen in France, then joins the overstretched ambulance service. As wounded men stream back from the trenches, the girls discover courage, fear, friendship and the cost of hope.

Perfect for readers who love Anzac stories, women’s wartime history, and emotionally honest teen fiction for ages 12+. Add it to your shelf and step into a powerful, human view of the Great War.