In “Maus,” his singularly inspired graphic novel about the Holocaust and its aftermath, Art Spiegelman let readers into the inner lives of Jews by depicting them as mice. Similarly, Pierre-Jacques Ober elicits emotions through unlikely characters — painted figurines — to recount the experiences of soldiers in wartime. THE GOOD SON: A Story From the First World War Told in Miniature (Candlewick Studio, 104 pp., $22; ages 14 and up) is the simple but no less heart-rending tale of Pierre, a young French soldier who faces execution for having deserted his regiment for two days to visit his widowed mother at Christmastime. Ober, whose grandfather was an officer in the Great War, played with toy soldiers as a child, recreating battles in his bedroom. His lifelong passion for the subject shines through in his exquisite tableaus that display marches, scenes of carnage and quiet moments, as when Pierre awaits his fate locked in a barn, moonlight from a lone window illuminating his face. Although it is based on a real story, the book has the force of a timeless fable, thanks to minimal, poetic text. Shallow depth-of-field photography by Ober’s wife, Jules, and digital enhancements by Felicity Coonan make the images especially lifelike. These striking miniatures have the power to put us in the minds of the true “little soldiers,” the common men who fought in a long-ago war and yet whose story feels so present here.

Brutality, death, war: These hard things are similarly turned into a kind of anguished beauty in “The Good Son” (Candlewick, 104 pages, $22), a substantial picture book for readers ages 8 and older written by Pierre-Jacques Ober. The subject here is World War I. “They called it the Great War,” we read, “but it was fought by little soldiers.” In the book’s extraordinary artwork, the soldiers really are little; they’re hobby-store military miniatures set in tiny, intricate dioramas, which Jules Ober has photographed and Felicity Coonan has enhanced digitally. The story, based on true events, follows a young French soldier named Pierre who is arrested after slipping away from his regiment for two days to visit his mother at Christmas. Confined to an old barn, under guard and facing execution as a deserter, Pierre reflects on what has brought him to this place. He remembers his patriotic ardor and the ghastly losses of battle. He recalls the valor of friends, especially his protector, “strange Gilbert,” and longs for family and the future he will not see. Moody, expressive illustrations matched with a spare, heart-rending story make this a powerful meditation on love and wartime sacrifice.

Presenting one soldier’s experience of the Western Front in World War I, The Good Son borrows visual storytelling technique from the cinema. Using ‘toy’ figures in miniature settings the book offers the reader points of view both distant and intimate. Every scene is thoughtfully framed and illuminated, with variation between panorama and close-up. The words are few because few are needed. The reader experiences the fate of a man who is both an individual and a tool of the nation-state. This is the story of a ‘deserter’, but it compels the reader to suspend his or her assent to that word’s usual meaning. By enabling the reader to see Pierre as both an individual (‘the son’, ‘the friend’) and as an abstraction (another soldier), the visual idiom of The Good Son gives emotional force to its questions: to whom are we responsible? What does it mean ‘to serve’? The Good Son makes Pierre intelligible both as a person — connected to family and to all of humanity — and as a tragic figuration of war between nations.

This is a powerful illustrated story based upon a factual incident during the First World War. Though it might seem to be co-opted as a story with a simple anti-war message, it is much more than that. This is a tale of men trapped in situations where their individual wills and even their individual lives are subject to decisions made by those in power who act for a greater cause or a wider vision. At the beginning of the book, the soldier Pierre, who is at the centre of this tale, is facing court martial and execution on the battle front because he stayed at home for two days beyond his leave in order to be with his mother over Christmas. And now that he has returned to his battalion, expecting to fight with them, he has been arrested. He must become an example to the others of what is in store for anyone who does not rigidly keep to military discipline. This is the kind of example demoralised soldiers must apparently witness, if they are to continue to submit their lives to enormous risks in such a war as this. There is more to the story than this incident, creating layers of irony and tragedy and human pathos—offering us much to reflect upon and struggle with as we find ourselves deeply disturbed by the unfolding events. The book is remarkable too, for the way it has been produced. Small plastic figures in scaled landscapes have been shaped to create tableaux of each incident and moment important to the story. Then these scenes have been photographed using a shallow depth-of-field, which creates luminous and highly charged effects. We do not feel out of place for having deep and strong emotions as we look at these scenes. The text is minimal, and runs below the images on each page. Often just one short sentence is enough to move the story along. This superbly restrained approach to the telling of the story helps to keep our focus on the experiences of the characters, and invites us to imagine their lives as fully as we can. Parents should be warned that this tale (like many of the Grimms’ Fairy Tales) does not have a happy ending, so might require some quiet and calming discussion afterwards. Highly recommended for children 8 to 14, and anyone interested in the real history of real war.

One of the reviews from another I read stated if this book was weighed by emotion, it would weight over 100 pounds. I tend to agree whole heartedly. I would say I also have never encountered a book quite like this, yet, it will remain in my memory forever.

A very special book: "The Good Son" When I first heard about this book from Candlewick Press, I was intrigued. A story of World War I, written for a tween/teen audience, told through sparse text and photographs of miniatures depicting the scenes being described. What, I wondered, could that possibly look like? The Good Son is remarkable. It's kind of a coffee table book format, but the narrative is haunting. A soldier recounts his experiences leading up to his imprisonment for going AWOL during Christmastime in 1914. He talks about the beauty of the countryside, his patriotism, and the harsh realities of battle where even when you've won, it is terrible. I can't even describe to you the power of these images--they tell far more than the few words on each page. I've read The Good Son twice now and each time it moved me. I think this would be an amazing book to share with young people, particularly as the story is based on actual events in a young man's life.

You have really done some serious groundbreaking work here. I am deeply impressed about the whole thing. The modelling, the setup and environments surrounding the soldiers, the lighting and photography (and especially the candle lighting in the barn and the night shots), the small details that creates the perfect mood like the feeling of morning with the woman standing in the doorway pouring out a bucket. It´s all perfect! I love the way the story is told, with the jumps back in time and all. I had almost the same kind of feeling as I do when watching a movie, the way the story is presented. The way the characters are introduced to the reader through dialogue is a very nice way to get to know them. I think the story will appeal to both the “ordinary reader” and to those who have some insight into model building, and I'm sure everyone will marvel over the fantastic displays created in miniature and appreciate the immense amount of work you must have put into just the modelling alone. Congratulations on this absolutely stunning novel!

I have seen your images over time and have always been amazed at your artistry and attention to every detail. Seeing them all come together telling this incredible story of the cost of war is almost overwhelming. In your images and your narrative you speak truth that is sometimes difficult to hear about war... its violence, its pain and suffering, the heartbreak of lost and wounded lives of men and women who all just wanted to do the right thing on all sides, no matter their country. Your book tells us most of all about the humanity we share with all nations of the world. Oh, that men would learn that war is not the answer, but mankind is flawed at best, and history shows that war is always with us. The price is always higher than anyone ever thinks it will be. Your novel is beautiful. It makes me stop to remember the generations of lost lives, and even though life does go on after such events, it is so important to recognize that everyone who has ever been born has value. How heartbreaking it is especially when those lives are cut short because of the decisions of their fellow man. So much to think about! Your novel is so powerful. I thank you.