Mountain Middle School eighth grader Emmett Kane developed a fascination with World War II at an early age. After reading more than 50 books about the topic, he decided to write one of his own.
Emmett discovered his interest in World War II after reading Steve Sheinkin’s “Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” in his fifth grade class at Mountain Middle School.
His passion for studying the global conflict only grew from there. With the support and encouragement of his teachers at Mountain Middle School – including Emmett’s seventh grade English teacher Nancy Wickham and Dean of Inclusion John Frederick A. Lauron – Emmett was able to write and publish his own work about the topic, titled “World on Fire: A Middle Schooler Looks at World War II.”
Lauron wrote the forward for the book.
“I am sincerely amazed by (Emmett’s) internal desire to satisfy his intellectual curiosity about World War II, which led him to start writing a history book that every elementary and middle school student can understand,” he wrote in the forward.
The 19-chapter self-published book covers all the prominent elements and happenings associated with the war, including the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, D-Day, the fall of Germany and Japan, and the aftermath of the war. About 70 copies have been printed, Emmett said.
He wrote the book as part of his studies at Mountain Middle School, and – like any dedicated author would – he headed up every aspect of bringing the piece to fruition, including designing the cover and choosing the title.
Emmett said another one of his teachers, Eric Hillstrom, also supported the book by showing Emmett maps and documents on World War II, and photos of his uncle, who was a pilot during the Battle of Britain. Hillstrom also taught Emmett the Photoshop technique that he used to design the cover.
Emmett began working on the book in sixth grade, but completed most of it in past year, he said.
Where to find it
“World on Fire: A Middle Schooler Looks at World War II” will be available by donation at an author event from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Maria’s Reading Room, 145 E. College Drive, Suite 10W. Copies are also available by direct request at mayaleokane@gmail.com
“It was kind of supposed to be this side project that I started in sixth grade when I was bored in class and I wanted something to do,” he said. “I asked my teacher, ‘Hey, as a side project, could I just start writing a book?’ And my teacher at the time – Ms. Evans – was like, ‘Yeah, sure you can do that.’ And I wrote three chapters, and then I put it down (and then) picked it up again in November and I’ve pretty much been writing it constantly ever since.”
Emmett’s grandfather, Carl, who served two tours in Vietnam, also inspired Emmett to write about and advocate for veterans, he said.
Carl is honored in the book’s dedication, which reads, “To all of those who have served and those who are still serving in the fight for democracy. You will never be forgotten.”
All proceeds from the book will be donated to Veterans for Peace, a charity that supports veterans and their families.
“Toward the end, when I realized the book wasn’t just a side project anymore and could be published, I realized, ‘Oh, I could dedicate this to veterans,’ because it’s important to educate people on veterans and what they had to go through,” Emmett said.
His other grandfather, Michael, was also involved with the process, Emmett said. He helped with editing and suggested the subtitle.
Past his own personal passion for the subject, Emmett said he wrote the book to educate people – especially the next generation – about World War II to ensure there is never a repeat of the events that took place.
“It is of the utmost importance today that everyone should learn about the mistakes made in World War II, so they are prevented from recurring,” Emmett wrote in the final few pages of the book. “... If today’s younger generations don’t learn about tragedies like the Holocaust, then we won’t learn not to repeat them.”
Emmett’s former fifth grade teacher Brooke Barton called him “a force to be reckoned with.”
“He just naturally goes above and beyond,” she said. “He goes very deep into things. ... That’s just who he is.”
The Mountain Middle School community – including Emmett’s fellow students – have expressed awe at what he’s accomplished, Barton said.
His passion and dedication were what truly brought the book to fruition, according to many of the teachers and staff members who supplied support.
“This is all his passion: I just helped teach writing,” Wickham said.
Mountain Middle School Executive Director Shane Voss said Emmett’s work is indicative of the high standards students at the school aspire to reach overall.
“I think that’s the coolest thing about our model here: There’s no ceiling to what kids can do, so they can go as far as they want to go,” he said. “And our staff is really great at encouraging that. And a lot of times, it’s professional-quality work, or presenting thoughts to people in political power, or writing letters to the president, or presenting to city council ... or publishing books.”
Among a pool of many inspired supporters, some of Emmett’s biggest fans are his parents, Maya and Jeff Kane.
“This project was entirely Emmett’s idea from the beginning, and we have been so proud as parents to watch him turn his passion for history into something that will educate others and support veterans,” Maya said. “We saw our role as simply supporting him and nurturing his interests along the way. Emmett has taught us so much throughout this process, and watching him immerse himself so deeply in a subject he cares about has been truly inspiring.”
Emmett might write more books in the future, he said – but for now, he’s planning to take a well deserved break to revel in his status as a 14-year-old published author.
epond@durangoherald.com
