When the Second World War breaks out, young Willie Beech is evacuated to the countryside. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of kind old Tom Oakley. But then his cruel mother summons him back to war-torn London . . . Will he ever see Mister Tom again?

‘Everyone’s idea of a smash-hit first novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions’ Guardian

It is the summer of 1943 and war continues to rage. For Rose and her sister Diana, it’s a time of independence and self-discovery as they find first loves. But when Rose uncovers an extraordinary love story from another war, she is forced to question that love. Rose is about to discover a secret that will change everything.

Michelle Magorian combines her rich style with a refreshing take on wartime women in this classic coming of age story.

The perfect read for everyone who loved Marcuz Zusak’s The Book Thief or Nina Bawden’s Carrie’s War.

Michelle Magorian is the best-selling author of numerous award-winning stories for children, including A Spoonful of Jam, A Little Love Song, and Cuckoo in the Nest and Just Henry. Her extensive list of awards includes the Costa Prize and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award. Michelle has worked in theatre, television and films and has an established reputation as a comedienne, performing in plays and musicals.

Amid the rubble of post-war Britain, Ralph is entranced by the theatre. He loves seeing the performances, talking to the actors, the buzz of the audience, and the corridors and dressing rooms backstage. But how can a working-class boy achieve his dream when there is no opportunity for theatre training?  

Michelle Magorian takes a lens to post-war Britain, revealing its prejudices, its quirks and its warmth. The perfect read for everyone who loved  The Book Thief  or  Carrie’s War.

‘A fascinating story and a vivid picture of Britain in the 1940s’ -  The Times.

Michelle Magorian is the best-selling author of numerous award-winning stories for children, including  A Spoonful of Jam,  A Little Love Song, and  Cuckoo in the Nest  and  Just Henry.  Her extensive list of awards includes the Costa Prize and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award.  Michelle has worked in theatre, television and films and has an established reputation as a comedienne, performing in plays and musicals.

Tom tucked a blanket round him, drew up a chair by the fire and watched Willie fall asleep. The tales he had heard about evacuees didn’t seem to fit Willie. ‘Ungrateful’ and ‘wild’ were the adjectives he had heard used, or just plain ‘homesick’. He was quite unprepared for this timid, sickly little specimen.

Britain, 1940. With World War Two raging all around, young children are being sent from their homes in the city to the countryside for safety. When eight-year-old Willie Beech first arrives on Tom Oakley’s doorstep, neither are quite sure what to make of each another.

Brought up in terrible poverty, Willie is terribly shy, and totally unprepared for village life – but the gruff-but-gentle ‘Mister Tom’ quickly takes him under his wing. Neither he nor Willie could ever have predicted the journey they will go on together – nor the unbreakable bond that will be formed.

Winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, and rightly hailed as a true classic of children’s literature, Goodnight Mister Tom is a beautifully told, deeply moving story about the power of friendship, kindness, hope – and love.

‘Everyone’s idea of a smash-hit novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions’ – Guardian