Award-winning Barbara Mitchelhill brings Billy’s war-struck childhood vividly to life in this dramatic story of survival. Billy’s dad is away fighting and Billy’s mum thinks that the war will always be far away from their home in South London. As the threat gets close, Billy’s friends are evacuated to safety in the country. But not Billy or his sister Rose. His mum is sure that he will be safe at home. But will they? When the Blitz starts and the bombs begin to fall Billy faces real danger.
When War breaks out, Billy's dad joins the army and most of his friends are evacuated from Balham, South London. But Billy's mum doesn't believe the bombs will ever fall on them and she refuses to send him and his sister Rose away. Life in Balham has certainly changed for Billy: no school, no friends and, because of rationing, no treats. But by September 1940, things are about to get a lot worse. Hitler has a plan for the destruction of London and soon Billy is caught up in the Blitz: an event so terrifying, it will take every ounce of courage for him to survive in war-torn Balham and keep his family together.
Barbara Mitchelhill was born in Rochdale and trained as a teacher. While she was teaching, she began writing for BBC children's TV and went on to write for educational publishers, before writing novels for children. She makes school visits all over the country, and enjoys appearing at literary festivals and talking to teachers and librarians, some as far away as the Caribbean. Her hobbies include reading, theatre, music, gardening and walking her border terrier, Ella. She lives in Staffordshire and has two grown-up daughters and four grandchildren.
