Letters from the Lighthouse: ‘THE QUEEN OF HISTORICAL FICTION’ Guardian
Emma Carroll
Subjects
- Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
We weren't supposed to be going to the pictures that night. We weren't even meant to be outside, not in a blackout, and definitely not when German bombs had been falling on London all month like pennies from a jar. February, 1941. After months of bombing raids in London, twelve-year-old Olive Bradshaw and her little brother Cliff are evacuated to the Devon coast. The only person with two spare beds is Mr Ephraim, the local lighthouse keeper. But he's not used to company and he certainly doesn't want any evacuees. Desperate to be helpful, Olive becomes his post-girl, carrying secret messages (as she likes to think of the letters) to the villagers. But Olive has a secret of her own. Her older sister Sukie went missing in an air raid, and she's desperate to discover what happened to her. And then she finds a strange coded note which seems to link Sukie to Devon, and to something dark and impossibly dangerous.
Reviews
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is not just one for children; its poignant message has stuck with me for many days since finishing. This gives children a real insight into evacuation, WW2, persecution, the Holocaust, the Kindertransport and the experience of refugees which will have such a huge impact in today's landscape. It is a fast paced adventure filled with not only History, but friendship, love, adventure and family trials. I cannot wait to start my English unit on this book.
Miss Hodson
A beautiful book. Well written and engaging throughout.
Megjess
Beautifully written.
a.siddall
Superb storyline, twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. Historical information helps to understand what life was like for ww2 evacuees. The lenght of the story helped to keep me captivated.
Lizclaridge
This is a lovely story, with many twists and turns, told from the point of view of an evacuee and her younger brother. After a bombing incident, a member of the family is missing but there is no time to investigate as the children are evacuated to the coast to stay with a family friend. They are made welcome but feel that things are being kept from them, they are surrounded by secrets and are desperate to find answers. The book has a good pace and it is easy to become invested in the characters as you share their journey to the truth.
MrsB@Underwood2013
Emma Carroll makes links to local places and creates an instantly likeable character in Olive. The horrors of WW2 are brought to life in an engaging way for children and adults alike.
scottbooth03
A good historical tale showing the feelings of both evacuees and refugees. Strong emotions throughout. Perfect for classes studying World War 2 or those interested in history. Strong female characters and a tale of friendship and family through difficult times.
LAckland89
I really enjoyed this book. It has a good pace and gives you a real feel of how the children who were evacuated must have felt. I plan on reading this with my class in September.
Jo-Ann G
Great story set during WW2, exploring the experience of evacuees with a mystery thrown in. Added dimension of kinder transport child's perspective. I would recommend this book.
motherease
Amazing book, couldn't put it down as needed to keep reading the next chapters. I like the main character the best. She is brave and heroic and won't stop until she gets the answers she needs.
Emma42
I found the book really intriguing - I felt that Cliff was unnecessarily shallow as a character though. The story is essentially about Oliver and her quest to find out what happened to Sukie. The big surprise was her mum's involvement. I wasn't aware of the arrival of Jewish people in clandestine boats - it was a poignant reminder of the current plight of refugees, having to cross the Channel on inadequate vessels. I could really see how this book could bring up lots of discussions about current issues and how the native population reacted to the refugees. Interesting that even then, the refugees had to move on to other places.
LCorin
Outstanding book! So accessible for Year 5 & 6. Great character development. You really connect with the issues faced by the main character and her family and friends throughout the book. The story explores so many aspects of ww2 in such a child friendly way. From evacuation to kinder transport…it’s an emotional but heartwarming story. A must read when studying WW2.
sarah.bell
This is a fantastic book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading and would highly recommend to others. I will use this book in Year 6 as part of our WW2 topic. Very emotive story and likeable characters, full of twists and turns and exciting moments. Themes of loss, love, war, refugees, segregation, death and family run through this novel. An excellent insight into being evacuated and some of the horrors that refugees from Europe faced during the war.
Srossolol
An amazing book with several cliff hangers that leave you wanting more. Each of my classes over the last 3 years have tried so hard to solve the mystery of Sukie's disappearance. I highly recommend Emma Carroll to anyone.
What a dream of a book. So utterly readable with warmth and intrigue. I loved the take on the evacuation including the Kindertransport aspect. It was beautifully written.
twest
A well written and easy to read novel. Full of factual information about the impact of World War II on children who have experienced a bombing raid and have been evacuated. The information is not trivialised but neither is it presented in a way to be upsetting or alarming to children who read it. The story covers issues such as bereavement and loss and how Jews were treated by the Nazi regime. A worthwhile read if you are covering WW II in class. Recommended read for Y5 / Y6.
Clouds
Perfect text for use during topic on WW2 for Upper KS2. The characters are engaging and the plot keeps you guessing until the end. Nice links to evacuation and life on the home front during the war.
lbence
An excellent book for a WW2 topic. A very well written story educating on life in WW2 Britain with an exciting mystery weaved through with twists and turns to keep the reader hooked. After a raid in London, Olive is evacuated to the Devon coast with her brother. During the raid they were caught up in, their sister - Sukie - went missing in mysterious circumstances. They move in with the local lighthouse keeper and seek to solve a coded note that they think could be key to solving the mystery of their sister's disappearance. A gripping story with a powerful message.
MissC1
I thought this book was excellent. It was really set out well and gives the opportunity to study various aspects of the war with each chapter. I really enjoyed reading it!
MissTJ
Just brilliant! A fantastic piece of fiction focussing on the evacuees from London. Perfect for a Year 4 class reader this term.
Lotty79