Joe Giorello teaches a highly popular middle-grade class for boys called "Great Battles," based on this book series. Growing up in a large Italian family in Queens, New York, Joe listened to firsthand stories of relatives who served in World War II and Vietnam. Their experiences sparked his love of history and spurred him to study military history. He's since acquired a vast library of books that stretch from ancient battles to modern warfare. As both a teacher and an author, Joe's goal is to show young people that "freedom isn't free" and that history is anything but boring. When he's not teaching about historic battles, weapons, and warfare, Joe can be found playing blues around the Seattle area with his band, The Fabulous Roof Shakers. He enjoys hearing from readers. Contact him at his website, www.greatbattlebooks.com, and at the Facebook page for Great Battles: https: // www.facebook.com/greatbattles