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Five Children On The Western Front by Kate Saunders

Aug29

The Bonds Of Love

Five Children On The Western Front by Kate Saunders is a charming children’s historical tale. It follows on from E. Nesbit’s Five Children And It written a century earlier. This novel is set from 1914 onwards and two more children have been born into the original family. It is every bit as delightful and retains the same enchanting quality as the original.

The reader witnesses the love, care and compassion the family members have for each other. The Psammead is a charming but grumpy sand fairy who has a loving bond with the children. The adventures they have are charming.

The Psammead has always been rather selfish and full of himself. His powers are diminished until he learns to repent. We follow his journey through the war years as he softens and learns valuable lessons along the way.

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Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Majorian

May12

Beautiful But Heart Breaking

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian is a heart breaking but beautiful children’s historical novel set during World War II.

William, a tiny scrap of a boy, is evacuated to the country to stay with Mr Tom, an older man who has kept his own company since his wife and son died years earlier. Both are broken souls in need of love and care.

Mr Tom’s heart is softened by William whose spirit has been broken, along with his body, by his mum. “He was such a bad boy, he knew that… She [Mum] only gave him soft beatings.” William has grown to expect cruelty from everyone. He believes he deserves it. The reader’s heart breaks. His mother has brought William up on a twisted form of religion. “Mum told him that whenever he was good she liked him but when he was bad, she didn’t. Neither did God … It was very lonely being bad.”

It is heart breaking to see the shell of a boy who believes he is bad. It is beautiful to watch him bud and blossom under the love and care of Mr Tom. Together, as their lives open up, they begin to let others in. The whole village is blessed by knowing them.

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The Life Of The Peculiar Madeira Wood by Gracie Glick

May6

Really Fun

The Life of The Peculiar Madeira Wood by Gracie Glick is a delightfully fun contemporary novel just perfect for ages eight and over. Whatever your age this is a wonderful feel-good novel that will transport you back through the years to memories of your school days. It is a novel full of adventure due to Madeira’s over active imagination and full of kindness due to her big heart. It is amusing too and I did laugh out loud at times.

Madeira Wood is an eleven year old girl with a big heart and big opinions. She notices the lost and the hurting, and is always motivated by kindness. The reader is immersed into her world – real and imagined.

There are nuggets of godly wisdom peppered throughout, with life lessons for us all.

There is an openness to the story which enhances our feelings of gratitude for the peek into the life of Madeira Wood.

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The Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey Mystery by Julia Golding

Apr23

Captivating

The Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey Mystery by Julia Golding is a YA historical novel. The action follows thirteen year old Jane in the late eighteenth century.

Our heroine is well drawn. She is a delightful mixture of curious, clumsy and clever. It is in her nature to seek out the answers to mysteries. It is this curiosity that has a tendency to land her into trouble.

We witness the power that the landed gentry wield. They put their faith in wealth and power over honesty and poverty. Young Jane sees beyond the wealth, or lack of it, to the heart within.

There are injustices that need to be righted. Jane Austen calls on her powers of amateur sleuthing.

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