Kenneth Burres’ Illustrated Book – Bringing WWII to Life for Readers

World War II was one of the most significant events in world history that transformed global politics and had long-term economic implications for the world economy. The global conflict continued for over six years, from 1939 to 1945, with over 30 countries on the Allied and Axis sides. The war was also one of the deadliest conflicts in history, with about 70 million casualties. The immediate and direct cause of WWII was Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland. However, several other factors led to the invasion and global conflict. The stage for WWII was set after WWI, from economic depression, the Treaty of Versailles, and the imperialistic and military aggression of Germany and Japan. WWI led to a worldwide economic recession and adversely affected Germany because it lost territory, had to pay reparations, and was prevented from forming a military. The adverse effects significantly increased political frustration in Germany, which invaded Poland under Hitler’s leadership and his philosophy of dominance.

The deadliest war in world history stemmed from numerous complex causes, with several prominent events and adverse effects on the world population. WWII involved numerous notable events and represented stark differences in global economic and political systems. However, many people, especially children, cannot fathom the causes, events, and effects of WWII due to the complex and exhaustive text of history books. Portraying the events, circumstances, and causes of WWII through illustrations or doodles can significantly improve the reader’s understanding of the war’s various aspects. Illustrations or drawings of particular historical events paint vivid pictures, enabling audiences to understand the circumstances and involved people or groups. Kenneth Burres is an aspiring artist, illustrator, and author who published a book depicting the events of WWII through interesting doodles and illustrations.

The book authored and illustrated by World War II: As Seen by a Young Artist and Historian is a unique publication because it offers a new style for portraying WWII events. It is also essential for children and young readers to understand the circumstances before, during, and after WWII. Burres’ book utilizes a unique comic style to depict WWII through illustrations and cartoons, making it easy for children and young readers to understand what happened during the war. The book contains 28 sections, each describing and portraying a particular event, leader, or situation through an original doodle style utilized by Kenneth Burres. The captions accompanying the illustrations enable readers to understand the event, personality, and situation depicted in the image.

The artist and illustrator portrayed several prominent WWII events through his illustrations and drawings, including Pearl Harbor, D-Day, the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, the atomic bombing, the snipers at Stalingrad, and others. Some prominent illustrations from the book include Benito’s Blunders, Bismark, “Sink the Bismark,” and Bismark. “Release the Kraken,” the Battle of the Atlantic, Churchill and the Bombing, Hitler’s Hype, Pearl Harbor, and the Mushroom Cloud. The book also portrays several world leaders in various sections in black and white, contrasting with the colorful images of the events. The black and white images make the leaders stand out in the images to help readers identify and recognize influential individuals from both sides.

The book’s author is Kenneth Burres, an eleven-year-old artist, and historian passionate about doodling and drawing. The unique artistic style enables Burres to draw and depict events and situations effectively while expressing his creativity on paper. His obsessions with American history compelled him to watch numerous movies and documentaries about WWII while completing several illustrations revolving around the topic. Burres’ interest in history increased significantly after taking online middle and high school classes. He developed Dumbfounded comics from his passion for doodling and started drawing and doodling.

The illustrator and author drew pictures or doodles on various historical topics, including World War II. Burres has been doodling since early childhood and creates drawings anywhere and anytime due to compulsion. He is the oldest in his family of three brothers. He is the only artist due to his creativity and passion for drawing. Burres is also an intelligent student studying a year ahead of his peers in sixth grade at the School for Advanced Studies (SAS) in Los Angeles, CA. He also speaks German and Spanish fluently, apart from doodling and drawing. Kenneth Burres utilizes his drawing, doodling, and illustration talent to bring WWII to life through World War II: As Seen by a Young Artist and Historian.