About The Book
Willie Beech is evacuated to a tiny English village in the country just before the outbreak of World War II. A lonely and deprived child, he finds himself living with the reclusive, gruff old widower, Thomas Oakley. Although the two find it hard to adjust to their life together at first, they gradually develop a strong, mutual bond. Willie begins to enjoy life and make new friends in the village.
However, everything is thrown into confusion when Willie is suddenly recalled to London by his neglectful and abusive mother. After several weeks with no letter from Willie, Tom Oakley becomes concerned for his welfare and sets out to London in search of him.
Michelle Magorian’s classic wartime story is a superbly written and deeply moving tale, which shows that even the most unlikely people can become exceptional parents.
About The Author
British children’s author Michelle Magorian – author of the celebrated Goodnight, Mr. Tom (1981), which won The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize – was born in Southsea, Portsmouth, in 1947. She trained to be an actress, studying at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, and at Marcel Marceau’s L’école Internationale de Mime in Paris. While pursuing an acting career, Magorian became interested in children’s books, writing her first novel for young readers (Goodnight, Mr. Tom) over the course of four and a half years.
