It’s 1940, Liverpool, and the Blitz has just started for Joan and her family. Joan and her best friend Doreen miss the luxuries of pre-war life and the peaceful nights. Instead, Joan and her sisters, mum and brother live through the Blitz, close enough to the docks to hear the bombing.
War life is as busy as ever, collecting salvage, digging for victory and basically doing anything for the war effort. Joan and Doreen enjoy the rare cinema trips but dread the parties. Unlike Jan, her sister Audrey is partying away in Liverpool with her beloved sweetheart, Dai. What with studious but angry Brian, and Judy, the perfect Shirley Temple (but really the fussiest six-year-old in the world), Mum has a lot on her plate.
Ever since the Armitages’ father died things have been different. But why does Captain Harper Jones always come to their house with luxury gifts? Does he think he can replace Dad? And who is that person, whistling in the dark? What’s up with new girl Anna? Or the black market?
This is Shirley Hughes’ second novel about the second world war and and I found it amazing: Hughes writes from experience. There aren’t any made-up things, just the truth about Britain during the second world war. This is what no other book offers (apart from Judith Kerr’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit).
Hughes made this book from the heart, with unexpected twists to the story. I really hope she carries on writing children’s novels as they are really good.
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