This book was read for the Reading My Name, Book Awards and Back to History challenge. This book falls under the Reading my Name challenge because Kit’s real name is Kathleen, like mine.
NOTE: This is the first book in a trilogy. The others are: Looking at the Moon and The Lights Go On Again by Kit Pearson. It is also available in one volume.
Summary: It is the summer of 1940, and all of England fears an invasion by Hitler’s army. Norah lies in bed listening to the anxious voices of her parents downstairs. She knows other parents are sending their children to safety overseas, but she is sure her own would never send her away.
Then Norah is told that she and her brother Gavin, are being sent to Canada. The voyage across the ocean is exciting, but at the end of it Norah becomes more and more miserable. The rich woman in Toronto who takes them in prefers Gavin to her, the children at school taunt her, and as the news from England becomes worse, she is filled with numbing homesickness. But as Christmas approaches and Norah begins to make friends, she discovers a surprising responsibility that helps her to accept her new country.
This is the third book by Kit Pearson I’ve read so far (A Handful of Time and The Daring Game) and I loved it as well. I don’t even know what it is but I love her books.
This book was enthralling and heart wrenching. I can’t imagine sending my children away even in the middle of a war although I wouldn’t judge someone for doing so since they are in the situation and I am not. Who knows what decision I’d really make if the time came (which I hope it doesn’t!) This book is a great introduction to this situation, which really did happen, albeit not exactly as in the book.
Kit Pearson includes an afterword that explains the basis for her fictional novel. Here is a quote:
“During World War II around 15,000 British children were evacuated overseas. Nearly 8,000 of them came to Canada; most were privately sponsored but 1500 were assisted by the Children’s Overseas Reception Board. Of these government-sponsored children about one third, like Norah and Gavin, went to the homes of complete strangers.
About Kathleen
