From the author who wrote The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is the story of five year old Alfie Summerfield and how the outbreak of war in 1914 affects his family and neighbours.
I’m liking
We often get told that children no longer know about history. This is a great novel to share with your young people and give them a taste of a different time period.
This engaging novel draws the reader into the world of Alfie at his fifth birthday and all the years in between where there were no longer birthdays celebrated. Told from Alfie’s perspective it is a rare opportunity to see the first world war from the perspective of a child. This book covers many uncomfortable issues. From ‘conchies’ to school no longer being interesting as all the teachers are away at war. We also see injustice as Alfie’s best friend Kalena and her father are labelled as traitors and taken to the Isle of Man as her father was born in Prague, even though he had never been to Germany.
At nine, Alfie takes up the role as a shoe shine at London’s Kings Cross. Through his customers we hear the stories of bank managers, soldiers, doctors and even the Prime Minister. They explain their story to Alfie who dutifully listens and shines their shoes.
It is through these interactions that Alfie pieces together the puzzle of his father’s disappearance. He is back in England after all and he is determined to find him.
Things that made me go hmmmm
This book does not hide the brutality of war. It looks closely at the impacts of shell shock and the injuries suffered by the soldiers as a result of the battles. Parental discretion needs to be used as some of the descriptions are upsetting.
The book is set in England and some things are not explained. For example Liverpool Street is used in a sentence without explaining it is a train station. This is just a minor issue and will not detract from the story.
The conclusion
This novel is a great way to introduce your children to a different time period and see how events can affect the lives of everyday people.
