May 2024 Book of the Month | Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8
Surrounded by fells and farms Tarn lives in the Lake District village of Grasmere; World War Two rages far away, but its impact is felt throughout her small community. Tarn and her friends spend their days studying the skies above the fells searching for early signs of the much-feared Nazi invasion. Whilst silently Tarn mourns for her adored older brother, killed at Dunkirk. Meanwhile, a strange, reclusive young man haunts the hills high above them, too traumatised to reveal himself but deeply connected to the village and its residents.
The third in Palmer’s much loved World War Two Lakeland series, and possibly the best yet. Full of heart, wisdom and kindness, this is a book that young readers will adore. Published by Barrington Stoke, the accessible format with cream pages and dyslexia-friendly font opens up Tarn’s world to struggling and non-traditional readers. Whilst the powerful storytelling never condescends, instead offering a full and heartfelt story alive with vibrant characters.
Highlighting the long-lasting pain and mental anguish experienced by young soldiers after the Dunkirk retreat, Angel of Grasmere offers a fresh look at a huge historical event. At the same time, we see the impact experienced by those left at home, struggling to survive whilst missing loved ones. As the story progresses from 1939 to 1942 village life and the impact of the war is expertly brought to life, alongside a deeper story of the importance of love, compassion and humanity.
Sure to become a firm favourite, this is a skilful and engrossing tale of wartime rural life.
Tarn grapples with the loss of her brother at Dunkirk as she faces the threat of Nazi invasion in the Cumbrian countryside in this gripping wartime tale from Tom Palmer.
July 1940 – as Tarn struggles to come to terms with the loss of her beloved brother in the chaos of the British retreat at Dunkirk, she and her friends scour the hills around their Lake District home, watching for any signs of the long-dreaded Nazi invasion. But as the war drags on, with little good news from the front, the locals become aware of someone carrying out anonymous acts of kindness, such as saving a flock of sheep from a snowdrift and getting help for an injured farmer who might other wise have died.
With no one claiming credit, they come to think of this unidentified stranger as a kind of guardian angel, but when his identity is finally revealed can Tarn come to terms with the truth…?
“A lovely story about what it really means to be brave.” Dan Smith
Praise for After the War;
“Historical fiction doesn’t get much better than this” – LoveReading4Kids
“The best children’s book I’ve yet read about the Holocaust” – Tim Robertson, CEO Anne Frank Trust
Praise for Resist;
'Tom Palmer is the master of accessible historical fiction … A heart-wrenching story of strength, courage and sacrifice' – Kate Heap, Scope for Imagination
Author
About Tom Palmer
Tom Palmer was a reluctant reader as a child and credits articles about football with getting him into reading. He is now the multi-award-winning author of many books including the acclaimed reboot of the Roy of the Rovers series and the Carnegie Medal longlisted After the War.
In 2019 Tom was awarded the National Literacy Trust’s Ruth Rendell Award in recognition of his significant contribution to literacy work in the UK.
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