12 February 2012 Last updated at 00:58

How war stories inspire children to learn

For many school pupils, the dramatic events of WWI and WWII have not been solely learned through studying dusty history textbooks. Many fictional tales of loyalty and survival - often based on true wartime events - have also helped children to understand what happened.

At Imperial War Museum North in Greater Manchester, a new exhibition - Once Upon a Wartime - celebrates novels that have helped youngsters engage with the battlefield horrors and domestic hardships at times of conflict.

Dr Geoff Fox is one of the exhibition's advisers. Here, with the help of archive images and photos of items on display in Greater Manchester, he looks at three such books - The Machine Gunners, Carrie's War and War Horse.

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Once Upon A Wartime can be seen at Imperial War Museum North, Greater Manchester, from 11 February to 2 September 2012.

All images subject to copyright. Please click captions for image information.

Images courtesy Imperial War Museum, AP and Getty Images. Book excerpts dramatised by Oldham Theatre Workshop.

Music by Flanagan and Allen, Dame Vera Lynn and KPM Music.

Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 12 February 2012.

Related:

Imperial War Museum North

Oldham Theatre Workshop

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Working with Lucian Freud