For books that pick their way through politics to bring wonderful stories to middle readers, try [[Oranges in No Man's Land by Elizabeth Laird|Oranges in No Man's Land]] and [[Lost Riders by Elizabeth Laird|Lost Riders]], both by Elizabeth Laird, or [[The Kites are Flying by Michael Morpurgo|The Kites are Flying ]] and [[Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo|Private Peaceful]], both by Michael Morpurgo.