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Ba đứa trẻ và người thủ thư tốt bụng
Năm 1940, William, 12 tuổi, Edmund, 11 tuổi và Anna, 9 tuổi, lại tiếp tục mất đi người bà đã chăm sóc chúng kể từ khi bố mẹ chúng qua đời. Thực lòng, chúng không cảm thấy quá đau buồn trước sự kiện đó vì bà của chúng chưa bao giờ thực sự là một người bà hiền từ đúng nghĩa. Nhưng bọn trẻ thực sự cần một người giám hộ, và trong những ngày đen tối của Thế chiến II ở London, những người như vậy rất hiếm, đặc biệt khi anh em chúng vẫn hy vọng được sát cánh bên nhau. Liệu cuộc di tản hàng loạt trẻ em khỏi London đến vùng nông thôn trong thời chiến có phải là câu trả lời cho tình cảnh của chúng không?
Khi đi sơ tán, bọn trẻ phải chịu đựng sự lừa dối tàn nhẫn của những người anh em nuôi, cái lạnh thấu xương của nhà vệ sinh ngoài trời và sự trống rỗng của cái bụng đói.
Nhưng ít nhất chúng cũng tìm thấy sự thoải mái trong thư viện làng - một nơi trú ẩn ấm cúng giúp chúng tạm thời thoát khỏi sự khắc nghiệt của cuộc sống thường ngày, chứa đầy những câu chuyện mà chúng yêu thích và sự đồng hành lặng lẽ của cô Nora Müller, một thủ thư tốt bụng. Những đứa trẻ tự hỏi liệu cô Nora có phải là gia đình mà chúng đang tìm kiếm hay không... Nhưng bóng đen của chiến tranh và tung tích không rõ của người chồng Đức của cô bỗng khiến mọi chuyện trở nên phức tạp...
Khi đi sơ tán, bọn trẻ phải chịu đựng sự lừa dối tàn nhẫn của những người anh em nuôi, cái lạnh thấu xương của nhà vệ sinh ngoài trời và sự trống rỗng của cái bụng đói.
Nhưng ít nhất chúng cũng tìm thấy sự thoải mái trong thư viện làng - một nơi trú ẩn ấm cúng giúp chúng tạm thời thoát khỏi sự khắc nghiệt của cuộc sống thường ngày, chứa đầy những câu chuyện mà chúng yêu thích và sự đồng hành lặng lẽ của cô Nora Müller, một thủ thư tốt bụng. Những đứa trẻ tự hỏi liệu cô Nora có phải là gia đình mà chúng đang tìm kiếm hay không... Nhưng bóng đen của chiến tranh và tung tích không rõ của người chồng Đức của cô bỗng khiến mọi chuyện trở nên phức tạp...
236 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2021
728 people are currently reading
26946 people want to read
About the author
Kate Albus
2 books662 followersKate Albus grew up in New York but now lives in rural Maryland with her husband and children. She loves reading, baking, knitting, hiking, and other activities that are inherently quiet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,506 reviews
September 8, 2021
5 stupendously shining stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!
Lo and behold:
💜 the new Children's Classic and Classic for all ages 💛
✔️ the sweetest 🍯 book in existence;
✔️ the quintessential antidote ⚗️ to any childhood qualms, as well as;
✔️ the very essence of diamond 💎 perfection and preciousness
❤️❤️❤️
A delicately tender, heart-warming, and moving tale that will leave an everlasting imprint on every living soul.
THE STORY:
Young Anna (9), Edmund (11) and William (12) are extraordinary kids. Yet with no other known relative in existence and the war positively raging, they must follow their late grandmother's solicitor, Mr Engersoll, in his advice to join a group of child evacuees to the considerably greater safety of the country and hope, there, to eventually find a a place to hang the moon🌙; though a more "preposterous plan" could hardly have been magicked out of Mary Poppins' bag...or could it?...
Out in the country, they must contend with the most unsuitable billets, and their hopes of ever finding a loving family to call their own gets more punctured with every move, the list of people willing or able to take in three siblings at a time being admittedly limited to begin with. From Forresters to Griffiths, their one and only constant amidst much heart-wrenching torment and mistreatment is the happy warmth of the library 📚 and the infinite stories awaiting the touch of their frozen fingers, yearning for the solace they derive from words: "Over many pages, each of them had cobbled together a sense of what the family of their dreams might look like".
Mrs Nora Müller, the kind-hearted librarian who is struck by the precious extraordinariness of the kids from the start, unconsciously acts motherly towards them many a time, and the children soon start harbouring - deep within the most vulnerable and aching corners of their hearts - desperate hopes of being entrusted to her care. Yet Mrs Müller is deemed "unsuitable" by many a figure of authority, and she must battle her demons to prove that she is anything but...
🧣🧤🧦
Writing through your tears is quite the challenge, as is selecting the most wondrous words to define a book you will cherish forever. The task is daunting for the best-equipped word experts amongst us.
Suffice to say that this book will alter the colour of your mind, and draw up the tenderest of timeless emotions. Emotions reminiscent of Matilda's union with Miss Temple; of those many miscellaneous feelings and memories of sorrow or nostalgia that make up the collage that is our childhood...
Perspective is purely and exquisitely unaffected and innocent, amusing as only a child's can be. Momentous junctures, poignant and heart-breaking moments, are softly tempered by the children's funny and alleviating powers of observation. While Mr Engersoll expounded on their troubling fate, "Edmund, for his part, was studying the tufts of hair sprouting from the solicitor’s ears. And none on top, Edmund thought. Rough, that" 😂. Edmund in particular, is well-known for his Edmundishness but recurrent playfulness with words coupled with the honest and unbridled manifestation of emotions sustain the ubiquitous voice and feeling of child representation.
🧦🧤🧣
❗WARNING❗
Be sure to have ample tissues in close proximity - you will be needing an indefinable number, and you will hardly wish to interrupt your reading. Preparation is key.
📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
Whichever book you might be reading, as delightful and enchanting as it may or may not be, CAN WAIT. ❤️ THIS is the book you WANT to be reading. ❤️
BEAUTIFUL QUOTES 🌹:
"It is often the case that, at times of great anxiety, when the diversion of a good story should seem most welcome, one is least equipped to focus one’s mind on reading."
"You’ve experienced a variety of bedtime stories, I’m certain. You know their magic. A well-chosen bedtime story sets you on the path to the dream you most need to have. Some speak of adventure—but our threesome had had quite enough of that already. Some frighten you deliciously enough to look under your bed before nodding off, just in case…well, no more need be said about that sort of story. This story, this night, was unlike any other. As the children sank into sleep, the words of the familiar rhyming tale were comfort and tenderness, ritual and home. A sort of prayer. A sort of lullaby. It set them on the path to dreams that felt rather like hope."
“I believe it was the poet, Mr. Yeats, who said that the world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper?”
Lo and behold:
💜 the new Children's Classic and Classic for all ages 💛
✔️ the sweetest 🍯 book in existence;
✔️ the quintessential antidote ⚗️ to any childhood qualms, as well as;
✔️ the very essence of diamond 💎 perfection and preciousness
❤️❤️❤️
A delicately tender, heart-warming, and moving tale that will leave an everlasting imprint on every living soul.
THE STORY:
Young Anna (9), Edmund (11) and William (12) are extraordinary kids. Yet with no other known relative in existence and the war positively raging, they must follow their late grandmother's solicitor, Mr Engersoll, in his advice to join a group of child evacuees to the considerably greater safety of the country and hope, there, to eventually find a a place to hang the moon🌙; though a more "preposterous plan" could hardly have been magicked out of Mary Poppins' bag...or could it?...
Out in the country, they must contend with the most unsuitable billets, and their hopes of ever finding a loving family to call their own gets more punctured with every move, the list of people willing or able to take in three siblings at a time being admittedly limited to begin with. From Forresters to Griffiths, their one and only constant amidst much heart-wrenching torment and mistreatment is the happy warmth of the library 📚 and the infinite stories awaiting the touch of their frozen fingers, yearning for the solace they derive from words: "Over many pages, each of them had cobbled together a sense of what the family of their dreams might look like".
Mrs Nora Müller, the kind-hearted librarian who is struck by the precious extraordinariness of the kids from the start, unconsciously acts motherly towards them many a time, and the children soon start harbouring - deep within the most vulnerable and aching corners of their hearts - desperate hopes of being entrusted to her care. Yet Mrs Müller is deemed "unsuitable" by many a figure of authority, and she must battle her demons to prove that she is anything but...
🧣🧤🧦
Writing through your tears is quite the challenge, as is selecting the most wondrous words to define a book you will cherish forever. The task is daunting for the best-equipped word experts amongst us.
Suffice to say that this book will alter the colour of your mind, and draw up the tenderest of timeless emotions. Emotions reminiscent of Matilda's union with Miss Temple; of those many miscellaneous feelings and memories of sorrow or nostalgia that make up the collage that is our childhood...
Perspective is purely and exquisitely unaffected and innocent, amusing as only a child's can be. Momentous junctures, poignant and heart-breaking moments, are softly tempered by the children's funny and alleviating powers of observation. While Mr Engersoll expounded on their troubling fate, "Edmund, for his part, was studying the tufts of hair sprouting from the solicitor’s ears. And none on top, Edmund thought. Rough, that" 😂. Edmund in particular, is well-known for his Edmundishness but recurrent playfulness with words coupled with the honest and unbridled manifestation of emotions sustain the ubiquitous voice and feeling of child representation.
🧦🧤🧣
❗WARNING❗
Be sure to have ample tissues in close proximity - you will be needing an indefinable number, and you will hardly wish to interrupt your reading. Preparation is key.
📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
Whichever book you might be reading, as delightful and enchanting as it may or may not be, CAN WAIT. ❤️ THIS is the book you WANT to be reading. ❤️
BEAUTIFUL QUOTES 🌹:
"It is often the case that, at times of great anxiety, when the diversion of a good story should seem most welcome, one is least equipped to focus one’s mind on reading."
"You’ve experienced a variety of bedtime stories, I’m certain. You know their magic. A well-chosen bedtime story sets you on the path to the dream you most need to have. Some speak of adventure—but our threesome had had quite enough of that already. Some frighten you deliciously enough to look under your bed before nodding off, just in case…well, no more need be said about that sort of story. This story, this night, was unlike any other. As the children sank into sleep, the words of the familiar rhyming tale were comfort and tenderness, ritual and home. A sort of prayer. A sort of lullaby. It set them on the path to dreams that felt rather like hope."
“I believe it was the poet, Mr. Yeats, who said that the world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper?”
March 10, 2022
DANG this was so good. I just loved it.
June 20, 2021
This was so good I feel like crying. One for my favorites shelf!
Charming! Engaging. Three children, siblings each with a unique personality and all endearing. It’s a lovely story!
A page-turner!
Orphans. Check.
Characters who like books & reading, and literary references. Check.
Historical fiction. Check. WWII era. Check.
England. Check.
Check. Check. Check.
There were some upsetting things but they were made a bit less upsetting to read because of the way the kids reacted. In one particular case the fact that the children involved were as upset as I was really helped the situation feel more endurable.
Some quotes that I loved (some in context):
“It is often the case that, at times of great anxiety, when the diversion of a good story should seem most welcome, one is least equipped to focus one’s mind on reading.”
“Fibs, you must know, are entirely acceptable when they serve the purpose of getting one to the library.”
“The librarian chuckled. “I suppose there are rather a lot of orphan stories out there.” “Why do grown-ups write so many of them?” William asked. “I hadn’t really thought about it,” Mrs. Müller confessed. “Perhaps they think children fancy the notion of living on their own, without adults to tell them what to do. It’s quite daft, if you think about it, isn’t it?””
““Besides which, I really ought to send her a book instead. Though she’s not much of a reader.” She paused. “Evidence as to her character.””
“The librarian took this all in, standing by the fire and observing the children for a while, letting the silence be. Somehow, it didn’t feel awkward, the way silences often do. Perhaps librarians are more used to quiet than most.”
There are two pages at the end with the list of books read by the children in the book, presented as book recommendations from William, Edmund, and Anna, the three children.
The two pages Acknowledgements section was touching.
Recommended for: all the usual suspects!!! I will be sending out recommendations. I suggest NOT reading the book description field before reading the book. *sigh* It’s not as though there are major spoilers but as I was reading I noticed that I wished I had gone into the book more blind than usual about what would happen. Not too far in it’s predictable what will happen at the end but it was lovely being absorbed in the story and waiting and seeing as events unfolded.
ETA: There is some wonderful humor also! I loved the vegetable gardening too. I’m so determined not to give any spoilers that I don’t want to say too much. Some readers might not appreciate the predictability that is there but it was fine with me.
Charming! Engaging. Three children, siblings each with a unique personality and all endearing. It’s a lovely story!
A page-turner!
Orphans. Check.
Characters who like books & reading, and literary references. Check.
Historical fiction. Check. WWII era. Check.
England. Check.
Check. Check. Check.
There were some upsetting things but they were made a bit less upsetting to read because of the way the kids reacted. In one particular case the fact that the children involved were as upset as I was really helped the situation feel more endurable.
Some quotes that I loved (some in context):
“It is often the case that, at times of great anxiety, when the diversion of a good story should seem most welcome, one is least equipped to focus one’s mind on reading.”
“Fibs, you must know, are entirely acceptable when they serve the purpose of getting one to the library.”
“The librarian chuckled. “I suppose there are rather a lot of orphan stories out there.” “Why do grown-ups write so many of them?” William asked. “I hadn’t really thought about it,” Mrs. Müller confessed. “Perhaps they think children fancy the notion of living on their own, without adults to tell them what to do. It’s quite daft, if you think about it, isn’t it?””
““Besides which, I really ought to send her a book instead. Though she’s not much of a reader.” She paused. “Evidence as to her character.””
“The librarian took this all in, standing by the fire and observing the children for a while, letting the silence be. Somehow, it didn’t feel awkward, the way silences often do. Perhaps librarians are more used to quiet than most.”
There are two pages at the end with the list of books read by the children in the book, presented as book recommendations from William, Edmund, and Anna, the three children.
The two pages Acknowledgements section was touching.
Recommended for: all the usual suspects!!! I will be sending out recommendations. I suggest NOT reading the book description field before reading the book. *sigh* It’s not as though there are major spoilers but as I was reading I noticed that I wished I had gone into the book more blind than usual about what would happen. Not too far in it’s predictable what will happen at the end but it was lovely being absorbed in the story and waiting and seeing as events unfolded.
ETA: There is some wonderful humor also! I loved the vegetable gardening too. I’m so determined not to give any spoilers that I don’t want to say too much. Some readers might not appreciate the predictability that is there but it was fine with me.
May 20, 2021
May 2021:
I finished reading aloud A Place to Hang the Moon yesterday and my kids would like to add their voices to mine in recommendation!
I flew through this book in March in just 24 hours and absolutely loved it. But its one of those stories that is just magical as a read aloud. The main characters feel so real and relatable, their bookworm tendencies and habits so similar to our own, and their struggles and difficulties had my kids never satisfied when I said we had to stop reading. We laughed (a lot), we talked through different parts, we learned new vocabulary along with the children and gathered a few more read aloud recommendations.
Recommended for ages 8+ to read independently, but fantastic for younger listeners as well.
March 2021:
It's been a long time since I was able to inhale a book in just 24 hours, and this weekend was absolute perfect timing for A Place to Hang the Moon. This book is gold. Set in WWII Britain as children are evacuated to the country, I immediately fell in love with the three main characters, William, Edmund, and Anna. They are tenacious and fiercely loyal, reminiscent of the Pevensies, the Incorrigibles, and the Blythes.
The writing was just top notch, a stunning debut book. Middle grade perfection for kids and adults alike. A love story to the power of family, perseverance, love, and libraries. This book reads like a classic, with turns of phrase you'll have to stop and copy down, plus a built-in book list if you are in search of something else to read when you turn the final page.
This felt like hope in book form. A story of rescue.
I usually try to restrain my reviews because I know no single book is perfect for everyone. But you're probably going to want to request this one from your library ASAP. Or buy a copy for yourself before handing it off to your kids. Recommended for 8+, but this would be an excellent read aloud with younger ages too.
I finished reading aloud A Place to Hang the Moon yesterday and my kids would like to add their voices to mine in recommendation!
I flew through this book in March in just 24 hours and absolutely loved it. But its one of those stories that is just magical as a read aloud. The main characters feel so real and relatable, their bookworm tendencies and habits so similar to our own, and their struggles and difficulties had my kids never satisfied when I said we had to stop reading. We laughed (a lot), we talked through different parts, we learned new vocabulary along with the children and gathered a few more read aloud recommendations.
Recommended for ages 8+ to read independently, but fantastic for younger listeners as well.
March 2021:
It's been a long time since I was able to inhale a book in just 24 hours, and this weekend was absolute perfect timing for A Place to Hang the Moon. This book is gold. Set in WWII Britain as children are evacuated to the country, I immediately fell in love with the three main characters, William, Edmund, and Anna. They are tenacious and fiercely loyal, reminiscent of the Pevensies, the Incorrigibles, and the Blythes.
The writing was just top notch, a stunning debut book. Middle grade perfection for kids and adults alike. A love story to the power of family, perseverance, love, and libraries. This book reads like a classic, with turns of phrase you'll have to stop and copy down, plus a built-in book list if you are in search of something else to read when you turn the final page.
This felt like hope in book form. A story of rescue.
I usually try to restrain my reviews because I know no single book is perfect for everyone. But you're probably going to want to request this one from your library ASAP. Or buy a copy for yourself before handing it off to your kids. Recommended for 8+, but this would be an excellent read aloud with younger ages too.
July 9, 2021
A cozy and charming enough read but lacks depth and believability.
The reason I didn't come away loving this book as much as I thought I would is that the characters were one dimensional or so over the top with stereotypes. The cross teacher with the pinched face who immediately decides she doesn't like the three children and won't listen to anything they say (until the breakthrough moment towards the end). The oldest child is super responsible and academic, the middle child is cheeky and causes trouble but is really always justified in his actions, and the youngest girl is sweetness an innocence personified. And of course they are all three bookworms while no one else in the story seems to ever read (because good people read but bad people don't or only read comics or a woman's magazine, at best.) And don't forget the sweet, kindly, pretty librarian suffering under her own burden but still managing to keep the stiff upper lip.
I think the cliché that bothered me the most was the ol' poor people equal nasty, mean spirited, dirty people one. The character that was the most impoverished is the nastiest one in the book. There are people who live with less that still manage to keep their homes clean, change their children's diapers, have a lovely countenance and just generally not be nasty. But no, lets play into the horrible stereotype that impoverished people are dirty, ugly, and mean. And of course that character is juxtaposed with the sweet, kind, clean, pretty, bookish librarian who is so self-sufficient that she has oodles of sweets and rationed food to rain down on the children.
I love reading books about WWII evacuees. This book did fit that bill but is not joining my list of favorites like Nina Bawden's Carrie's War, Michelle Magorian's Good Night, Mr. Tom or Noel Streatfeild's When the Siren's Wailed.
The reason I didn't come away loving this book as much as I thought I would is that the characters were one dimensional or so over the top with stereotypes. The cross teacher with the pinched face who immediately decides she doesn't like the three children and won't listen to anything they say (until the breakthrough moment towards the end). The oldest child is super responsible and academic, the middle child is cheeky and causes trouble but is really always justified in his actions, and the youngest girl is sweetness an innocence personified. And of course they are all three bookworms while no one else in the story seems to ever read (because good people read but bad people don't or only read comics or a woman's magazine, at best.) And don't forget the sweet, kindly, pretty librarian suffering under her own burden but still managing to keep the stiff upper lip.
I think the cliché that bothered me the most was the ol' poor people equal nasty, mean spirited, dirty people one. The character that was the most impoverished is the nastiest one in the book. There are people who live with less that still manage to keep their homes clean, change their children's diapers, have a lovely countenance and just generally not be nasty. But no, lets play into the horrible stereotype that impoverished people are dirty, ugly, and mean. And of course that character is juxtaposed with the sweet, kind, clean, pretty, bookish librarian who is so self-sufficient that she has oodles of sweets and rationed food to rain down on the children.
I love reading books about WWII evacuees. This book did fit that bill but is not joining my list of favorites like Nina Bawden's Carrie's War, Michelle Magorian's Good Night, Mr. Tom or Noel Streatfeild's When the Siren's Wailed.
November 5, 2023
Would have been a perfect five star read if not for some problematic issues (unnecessary violence towards a child, disturbing harm towards animals).
You will get to know a lot of irresponsible adult characters though we can understand their shortcomings during this period the story happened.
I love the kids so much. I shouldn’t choose favourites and this time I am facing no issues. I would say my favourite is William, Anna and Edmund. They are so adorable and responsible! I want to adopt them!
These kids coming from a very prosperous family are left homeless when their indifferent grandmother passed away. They had to find a foster family which would take all the three of them in. I understand it must have been a very difficult situation. However, I seriously hate those who took them in making their situation worse.
My most favourite parts would be the times the three of them would constantly talk about books and Anne is like the ultimate bibliophile! I adore her so much!
My most favourite adult character would be of course the librarian who’s the kindest towards them and ultimately took them in.
You will love this book. Just read it once!
You will get to know a lot of irresponsible adult characters though we can understand their shortcomings during this period the story happened.
I love the kids so much. I shouldn’t choose favourites and this time I am facing no issues. I would say my favourite is William, Anna and Edmund. They are so adorable and responsible! I want to adopt them!
These kids coming from a very prosperous family are left homeless when their indifferent grandmother passed away. They had to find a foster family which would take all the three of them in. I understand it must have been a very difficult situation. However, I seriously hate those who took them in making their situation worse.
My most favourite parts would be the times the three of them would constantly talk about books and Anne is like the ultimate bibliophile! I adore her so much!
My most favourite adult character would be of course the librarian who’s the kindest towards them and ultimately took them in.
You will love this book. Just read it once!
May 1, 2022
Finally read this book that I was hoping to love so much! It's a five star prediction so I'm saving my rating and review til I finish the others and film that video. Stay tuned...
February 16, 2022
"William swallowed thickly. A thought entered his mind--a wish, you might even say--but somehow Edmund's voice rang in his head. 'Now that you've got me a bicycle, I wonder if you'd also fancy being my mum?'" (PG. 277)
This was such a wonderful surprise to read. I grabbed it from the library based on the title. I immediately wanted to know about the 3 orphans William, Edmund and Anna and how the war was going to impact their finding a proper place to call home.
I loved that the book wasn't the typical WWII story of bloodshed. It was a sweet innocent story of finding love and warmth in a time of war and uncertainty.
The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star review was that it reminded me too much of "The War That Saved My Life." 'Moon' felt "inspired" by 'Life' but it was too coincidental.
Very wonderful story that YA and Adults will love. Such a fabulous debut novel. I hope Kate Albus is inspired to do more
This was such a wonderful surprise to read. I grabbed it from the library based on the title. I immediately wanted to know about the 3 orphans William, Edmund and Anna and how the war was going to impact their finding a proper place to call home.
I loved that the book wasn't the typical WWII story of bloodshed. It was a sweet innocent story of finding love and warmth in a time of war and uncertainty.
The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star review was that it reminded me too much of "The War That Saved My Life." 'Moon' felt "inspired" by 'Life' but it was too coincidental.
Very wonderful story that YA and Adults will love. Such a fabulous debut novel. I hope Kate Albus is inspired to do more
August 8, 2022
This was a lovely story that got even better as the book went on and left us hoping there might be a sequel. we read this as a read aloud, there were some wonderful characters, some villains, some much loved and some interesting ones in-between.
There was one downside, this is set in England during WWII but was written by a US author and had so many US terms in it, we had to keep stopping reading to find out what the terms meant! If this had been a US set story we would have found this a bonus but it was distracting from the story, these were words people in the UK would just have never used. We started to keep a list so we could search what some of them meant, here's a few -
trunk - meaning the boot of a car
cookie - meaning biscuit
fall - meaning autumn
braids - meaning plaits
washroom - meaning bathroom
icebox - meaning fridge
slowpoke - meaning slowcoach
someplace - meaning somewhere
nubby cardigan - meaning bobbly cardigan
troublesome - meaning worrying
rocky boots - looking this up it appears to be a brand of US boots
boxwood - meaning box hedging
beets - meaning beetroot, in the UK beets either make sugar or are a type fed to cattle
sure we do - meaning of course
diapers - meaning nappies
flashlight - meaning torch
quit - meaning leave
have at it - meaning have a go/ go for it, but even the UK translation wouldn't have been used in WWII
gross - meaning yucky
baking sheet - meaning baking tray
I guess - meaning I suppose
gotten us - meaning got us
countertop - meaning worktop
sweater - meaning jumper / Jersey / Guernsey
real estate - meaning estate agent
yeah - meaning yes / okay/ rather
closet - meaning cupboard/ wardrobe
mussed - meaning messed up
basin - meaning sink
eraser - meaning rubber
There were some words we just don't have a translation for such as 'funk of sadness'. There were some anachronisms such as duvet, nobody had a duvet during WWII, they started to be used in the 1980s, before that you could have had an eiderdown or a quilt but would most likely have had sheets and blankets. Unless the Daily Mail has drastically changed, which it might have, someone like the librarian would not have read such a newspaper, it is seen as celebrity gossip and trashy news.
The author thanks her editor for her hawk-like eye for detail, that really made us laugh!
Mistakes aside this was a very nice story, we did repeatedly say in exasperated tones from the start. We did want more happy times, and were longing to hear more from their final home, which came near to the end of the book.
Some reviewers have likened this to The War That Saved My Life, for us this didn't come close but it was a very lovely story.
Recommended to me by Lisa Vegan
There was one downside, this is set in England during WWII but was written by a US author and had so many US terms in it, we had to keep stopping reading to find out what the terms meant! If this had been a US set story we would have found this a bonus but it was distracting from the story, these were words people in the UK would just have never used. We started to keep a list so we could search what some of them meant, here's a few -
trunk - meaning the boot of a car
cookie - meaning biscuit
fall - meaning autumn
braids - meaning plaits
washroom - meaning bathroom
icebox - meaning fridge
slowpoke - meaning slowcoach
someplace - meaning somewhere
nubby cardigan - meaning bobbly cardigan
troublesome - meaning worrying
rocky boots - looking this up it appears to be a brand of US boots
boxwood - meaning box hedging
beets - meaning beetroot, in the UK beets either make sugar or are a type fed to cattle
sure we do - meaning of course
diapers - meaning nappies
flashlight - meaning torch
quit - meaning leave
have at it - meaning have a go/ go for it, but even the UK translation wouldn't have been used in WWII
gross - meaning yucky
baking sheet - meaning baking tray
I guess - meaning I suppose
gotten us - meaning got us
countertop - meaning worktop
sweater - meaning jumper / Jersey / Guernsey
real estate - meaning estate agent
yeah - meaning yes / okay/ rather
closet - meaning cupboard/ wardrobe
mussed - meaning messed up
basin - meaning sink
eraser - meaning rubber
There were some words we just don't have a translation for such as 'funk of sadness'. There were some anachronisms such as duvet, nobody had a duvet during WWII, they started to be used in the 1980s, before that you could have had an eiderdown or a quilt but would most likely have had sheets and blankets. Unless the Daily Mail has drastically changed, which it might have, someone like the librarian would not have read such a newspaper, it is seen as celebrity gossip and trashy news.
The author thanks her editor for her hawk-like eye for detail, that really made us laugh!
Mistakes aside this was a very nice story, we did repeatedly say in exasperated tones from the start. We did want more happy times, and were longing to hear more from their final home, which came near to the end of the book.
Some reviewers have likened this to The War That Saved My Life, for us this didn't come close but it was a very lovely story.
Recommended to me by Lisa Vegan
April 21, 2021
All they want is a mother who thinks they hang the moon. For three orphans that is a tall order, especially in the midst of the Blitz. Their solicitor is at a loss. The deceased grandmother did not name a new guardian and there is no immediate family available. So, William, Edmund, and Anna take a chance on meeting someone as evacuees. They encounter prejudice, bullying, poverty, and despair. Now it is Christmas and they reach a pivotal moment at their billet. Your heart will break for these young people and the desperate circumstances they face. William is doing his best as the oldest brother to keep them together and plan a future for them. That is a heavy burden for a boy who is twelve, just turning thirteen. What do you think his birthday wish is? Will it come true? I loved the way the library provided refuge and books an escape. The librarian is also a beacon of hope and help. Includes a list of the books that the children enjoy throughout. Comparisons to 'The War That Saved My Life' are right on.
Thank you to Margaret Ferguson Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Margaret Ferguson Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2022
It’s like reading a classic in the making. Warm and tender. Mrs. Muller is an all around a Mrs. Honey—her home cozy and inviting and full of love. Oh how this book captured my heart.
June 9, 2021
What a read! This was phenomenal! It got a big book hug when I finished, & it left me with all the happy feels. I was 12% through this when I picked it up yesterday-then I finished the rest in 2 separate sittings yesterday. I didn’t want to put it down.
These kids are each amazing in their own right. I loved the sibling dynamic in this story. As the oldest, William has had so much on his shoulders that no 12 year old should have to bear. My heart ached for all of them, but especially him. Mrs. Müller has my heart. What a classy, loving, amazing woman. My heart broke for her too for so many reasons. I absolutely loved that she was a librarian, & loved all of the cozy library scenes. I felt like I was curled up w/a book right along side them.
This had amazing characters obviously lol, amazing historical detailing, a great plot, great character development, & amazing writing. This feels like an instant classic. I can see people 100 years from now still reading & talking about this like A Little Princess is. It FEELS like a loved classic already. Watching these kids go through what they do, how the story develops, & the ending-all done in such a way, & built up perfectly in a such a way, that you just become so invested & in love w/these characters & story.
I’ve never rolled my eyes so hard as I did when a certain character worries if she will still be able to get French perfume when France falls to the Germans. Lol Even stuff like that added so much to the story. Ignorant people like that & the horrible people we encounter in the book really existed-not these literal people, but people LIKE them. Sad. These frightened kids evacuating & leaving their family & their homes..the way some people treated them & the things they said-makes me so angry. Or the ones that only cared about the payment they got for taking in evacuees. Ugh! The Ratting broke my heart in a million pieces-what a scene. Such a powerful 1 at that. I also love that the question is asked why so many authors write orphan stories, because I’ve always wondered too lol not that I’m complaining-they seem to be some of my favorites.
There are many characters that could be seen as the “villains” to the story, but I don’t think you could have a story including WWII & not say Hitler is the real villain. Still infuriates me how some people were treated for simply being attached in some way to someone who happened to be German(not Nazi, just German), or were German but hadn’t been there or lived there in ages. Or even if they were from a country that fell to Germany they were treated like they were Nazis themselves. Ignorant & absurd! All of those poor people all affected by the war in horrible ways, & all so many different ways. From the horrific Holocaust itself all the way down to evacuated children, & all of the others in between the two.
Anyway, the ending chapters til the end itself gave me such a warm happy feeling, I never wanted the book to end. I can’t recommend this enough. I think it hung the moon! I need more from this author! Absolutely beautiful cover by Jane Newland too! Stunning!💜
These kids are each amazing in their own right. I loved the sibling dynamic in this story. As the oldest, William has had so much on his shoulders that no 12 year old should have to bear. My heart ached for all of them, but especially him. Mrs. Müller has my heart. What a classy, loving, amazing woman. My heart broke for her too for so many reasons. I absolutely loved that she was a librarian, & loved all of the cozy library scenes. I felt like I was curled up w/a book right along side them.
This had amazing characters obviously lol, amazing historical detailing, a great plot, great character development, & amazing writing. This feels like an instant classic. I can see people 100 years from now still reading & talking about this like A Little Princess is. It FEELS like a loved classic already. Watching these kids go through what they do, how the story develops, & the ending-all done in such a way, & built up perfectly in a such a way, that you just become so invested & in love w/these characters & story.
I’ve never rolled my eyes so hard as I did when a certain character worries if she will still be able to get French perfume when France falls to the Germans. Lol Even stuff like that added so much to the story. Ignorant people like that & the horrible people we encounter in the book really existed-not these literal people, but people LIKE them. Sad. These frightened kids evacuating & leaving their family & their homes..the way some people treated them & the things they said-makes me so angry. Or the ones that only cared about the payment they got for taking in evacuees. Ugh! The Ratting broke my heart in a million pieces-what a scene. Such a powerful 1 at that. I also love that the question is asked why so many authors write orphan stories, because I’ve always wondered too lol not that I’m complaining-they seem to be some of my favorites.
There are many characters that could be seen as the “villains” to the story, but I don’t think you could have a story including WWII & not say Hitler is the real villain. Still infuriates me how some people were treated for simply being attached in some way to someone who happened to be German(not Nazi, just German), or were German but hadn’t been there or lived there in ages. Or even if they were from a country that fell to Germany they were treated like they were Nazis themselves. Ignorant & absurd! All of those poor people all affected by the war in horrible ways, & all so many different ways. From the horrific Holocaust itself all the way down to evacuated children, & all of the others in between the two.
Anyway, the ending chapters til the end itself gave me such a warm happy feeling, I never wanted the book to end. I can’t recommend this enough. I think it hung the moon! I need more from this author! Absolutely beautiful cover by Jane Newland too! Stunning!💜
March 4, 2023
Ok this is one of the best middle grades I've ever read. The number of times I teared up... My heart!!!
July 20, 2021
3.5 stars
If I had to describe this middle-grade book, I would say it was quaint. If I'm allowed to add a couple more words, I'd say it was a bit sad at times, but also sweet.
I loved seeing the siblings care for and their love for each other--especially the things some might call "little things"--but also William and Edmund protecting Anna's sensitive heart from the harsh world. Overall it was a very enjoyable book and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I was going to give this four stars, but because of the rat catching scene (blah! 🤢), I'm putting it down to three and a half.
Content:
The children's grandmother wasn't exactly loving by any means (though no abuse is said), so they don't feel particularly sad about her passing; Edmund calls a couple mean women an "old cow/miserable cow" or a "wicked old witch"; Minor cussing including: a 'blasted', a 'crimes', five 'stupid's; "For heaven's sake" and "for God's sake" are also said once each by adults; A mention of not giving two figs about something; Mentions of prejudice names towards the evacuees; A bit of eye rolling.
Edmund is slapped by an adult; Edmund is held in a pile of snow by two mean boys (up to semi-detailed, William punches one of them because he thought they were going to murder his brother); William and Edmund have to go "ratting" & are very shaken by having to kill rats and the carcasses left over (semi-detailed, but it easily turned my own stomach); Many mentions of the war going on, bombs, deaths, & those facing prejudice because of their German names/roots; Mentions of using the bathroom, dirty diapers, & throwing up (also an male infant's surprise when changing his diaper, all up to semi-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying (the solicitor tells the children to omit the truth about their circumstances to new people); Mentions of raising rabbits for food & the children wonder how she kills them (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a dead snake (semi-detailed); A few mentions of vandalism; A couple mentions of hatred & hating someone; A couple mentions of an Agatha Christie murder mystery; A mention of a zombie.
A girl around William's age seems to be interested in him & he's very uncomfortable around her; Mentions/Discussions of Lady Godiva & the story of her riding a horse naked.
Spiritual Content wise: The children are part of a Nativity play at the school & there's mentioned of important figures in the story (baby Jesus, Mary and Jospeh, the wise men) and related hymns; There's a few mentions of a vicars, a sermon at a funeral, & cathedrals/churches; A few "God bless you"s after a sneeze and "Lord love you" is said to a child; A few mentions of magic from a book; A mention of foster mother praying too much for a boy's liking; A mention of a cursory blessing over food; A mention of that day's paper rationing can go to the devil; A mention of there being special fires down below for those who throw snowballs at small children; A mention of Greek mythology.
If I had to describe this middle-grade book, I would say it was quaint. If I'm allowed to add a couple more words, I'd say it was a bit sad at times, but also sweet.
I loved seeing the siblings care for and their love for each other--especially the things some might call "little things"--but also William and Edmund protecting Anna's sensitive heart from the harsh world. Overall it was a very enjoyable book and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I was going to give this four stars, but because of the rat catching scene (blah! 🤢), I'm putting it down to three and a half.
Content:
The children's grandmother wasn't exactly loving by any means (though no abuse is said), so they don't feel particularly sad about her passing; Edmund calls a couple mean women an "old cow/miserable cow" or a "wicked old witch"; Minor cussing including: a 'blasted', a 'crimes', five 'stupid's; "For heaven's sake" and "for God's sake" are also said once each by adults; A mention of not giving two figs about something; Mentions of prejudice names towards the evacuees; A bit of eye rolling.
Edmund is slapped by an adult; Edmund is held in a pile of snow by two mean boys (up to semi-detailed, William punches one of them because he thought they were going to murder his brother); William and Edmund have to go "ratting" & are very shaken by having to kill rats and the carcasses left over (semi-detailed, but it easily turned my own stomach); Many mentions of the war going on, bombs, deaths, & those facing prejudice because of their German names/roots; Mentions of using the bathroom, dirty diapers, & throwing up (also an male infant's surprise when changing his diaper, all up to semi-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying (the solicitor tells the children to omit the truth about their circumstances to new people); Mentions of raising rabbits for food & the children wonder how she kills them (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a dead snake (semi-detailed); A few mentions of vandalism; A couple mentions of hatred & hating someone; A couple mentions of an Agatha Christie murder mystery; A mention of a zombie.
A girl around William's age seems to be interested in him & he's very uncomfortable around her; Mentions/Discussions of Lady Godiva & the story of her riding a horse naked.
Spiritual Content wise: The children are part of a Nativity play at the school & there's mentioned of important figures in the story (baby Jesus, Mary and Jospeh, the wise men) and related hymns; There's a few mentions of a vicars, a sermon at a funeral, & cathedrals/churches; A few "God bless you"s after a sneeze and "Lord love you" is said to a child; A few mentions of magic from a book; A mention of foster mother praying too much for a boy's liking; A mention of a cursory blessing over food; A mention of that day's paper rationing can go to the devil; A mention of there being special fires down below for those who throw snowballs at small children; A mention of Greek mythology.
June 25, 2022
So... how good was this book?
I started it with the intention of seeing if I'd like it. Five chapters. That was the goal. After all, I'm in the middle of a few other books that I am really enjoying. But it's been sitting on my little stove in my shed-i-ffice taunting me. I figured if five chapters didn't grab me, I'd shuffle it off to my daughter and get it out of my way.
A few hours later (had to sleep in the middle there), I'm drunk on a story that feels like someone combined Elizabeth Enright's Melendy books and C.S. Lewis' Narnia into one, unforgettable, endearing novel.
With a killer first line (that should have been my first clue) and hilarious similar ones sprinkled liberally throughout the book, A Place to Hang the Moon lives up to hype that it should have but I haven't personally seen.
Books like this are proof of why everyone should read middle-grade novels. Fabulous characters with real and amusing flaws and delightful virtues, neither of which ruin the story, a setting that feels so very familiar even to those of us who've never been to the English countryside, and a point to the story that ties the frazzled ends of hearts back together again, you won't go wrong with this book.
I started it with the intention of seeing if I'd like it. Five chapters. That was the goal. After all, I'm in the middle of a few other books that I am really enjoying. But it's been sitting on my little stove in my shed-i-ffice taunting me. I figured if five chapters didn't grab me, I'd shuffle it off to my daughter and get it out of my way.
A few hours later (had to sleep in the middle there), I'm drunk on a story that feels like someone combined Elizabeth Enright's Melendy books and C.S. Lewis' Narnia into one, unforgettable, endearing novel.
With a killer first line (that should have been my first clue) and hilarious similar ones sprinkled liberally throughout the book, A Place to Hang the Moon lives up to hype that it should have but I haven't personally seen.
Books like this are proof of why everyone should read middle-grade novels. Fabulous characters with real and amusing flaws and delightful virtues, neither of which ruin the story, a setting that feels so very familiar even to those of us who've never been to the English countryside, and a point to the story that ties the frazzled ends of hearts back together again, you won't go wrong with this book.
May 11, 2022
I am shocked that this has such high ratings. I'm glad that other people have enjoyed this so much, but I found a lot to critique about the overly sentimental story, its completely predictable trajectory, the one-dimensional characters, and the children's unnecessary snobbishness. They think they're better than everyone else because they like to read, and the author's portrayal of the ever-sweet, totally underdeveloped librarian character seems like an attempt to pander to women in the profession.
The children are also snobbish from a class perspective. All through the children's second billet, the book perpetuates stereotypes about poor people, implying that poor people inevitably have nasty dispositions, have filthy homes, and can't manage their lives. There certainly are poor people who would fit that description, but this novel unjustly equates the host family's unpleasantness to their poverty, without nuance to show that poverty does not necessarily correlate to slovenliness or ill temper.
I expected to love this, since I enjoy World War II stories so much, but it seemed like a shallow, over-the-top, tear-jerking Hallmark special. If that's what someone is looking for, they'll be delighted, and the book can appeal to a broad age range as a family read-aloud, but even though I can see how this book would be enjoyable and valuable, I found it thoroughly disappointing.
This book invites comparisons to The War That Saved My Life, but it's the treacly, watered-down, Hallmark version. This can't possibly hold a candle to the depth, historical accuracy, intensity, or emotional heft of the other book, and it doesn't compare well to older books about evacuee experiences, either. It is entirely too undeveloped and twee, and very rarely engages with the real cost of the war, either.
I'm glad that so many people have enjoyed this book so much, but it is best for people looking for a cozy, sentimental read about book-loving children. If someone is specifically looking for a novel about evacuees during the Blitz, there are many better options, and I have read far too much fiction and nonfiction about that time to be satisfied with this.
The children are also snobbish from a class perspective. All through the children's second billet, the book perpetuates stereotypes about poor people, implying that poor people inevitably have nasty dispositions, have filthy homes, and can't manage their lives. There certainly are poor people who would fit that description, but this novel unjustly equates the host family's unpleasantness to their poverty, without nuance to show that poverty does not necessarily correlate to slovenliness or ill temper.
I expected to love this, since I enjoy World War II stories so much, but it seemed like a shallow, over-the-top, tear-jerking Hallmark special. If that's what someone is looking for, they'll be delighted, and the book can appeal to a broad age range as a family read-aloud, but even though I can see how this book would be enjoyable and valuable, I found it thoroughly disappointing.
This book invites comparisons to The War That Saved My Life, but it's the treacly, watered-down, Hallmark version. This can't possibly hold a candle to the depth, historical accuracy, intensity, or emotional heft of the other book, and it doesn't compare well to older books about evacuee experiences, either. It is entirely too undeveloped and twee, and very rarely engages with the real cost of the war, either.
I'm glad that so many people have enjoyed this book so much, but it is best for people looking for a cozy, sentimental read about book-loving children. If someone is specifically looking for a novel about evacuees during the Blitz, there are many better options, and I have read far too much fiction and nonfiction about that time to be satisfied with this.
August 16, 2023
NOTE: I listened to this on audio. Please forgive any egregious misspellings.
I don't remember exactly who it was, but I first heard about this book on the blog of one of my bookish friends. Even as an adult, I love Middle Grade, and I love historical stories, so this sounded exactly like my cup of tea. Thankfully, my library had it on audio, and I was able to snatch it up immediately.
To be honest, I was almost surprised to see that this was published in 2021. The author did such a good job of writing it so that it felt like a timeless children's classic.
I was also a little surprised that it opens on a funeral. Namely, the funeral of the siblings' grandmother, who was their only living family. Unfortunately, she was never very loving towards them and didn't care for them since she hired someone to do that for her. As one might expect in such a situation, her young grandchildren didn't grieve for her because they didn't really know her. But this sets up the rest of the story where the children are looking for a family who will truly love them in a way they haven't felt for a very long time.
Despite the sad start, and some unfortunate and frustrating struggles the children go through during the story, I really loved this book. Set in WWII era England, Anna, Edmund, and William quickly become evacuees, having to leave their home and go to the countryside to be protected from bombings. The author did an amazing job showing what a varied experience evacuees had, and the fear children would naturally feel during that time. Some adults saw them as burdens that added to the hardship of war time. Similarly, some children looked down on the evacuees and didn't want them around. But there were good and kind people as well, who genuinely cared for these children, lifted their burdens instead of acting like they were burdens, and made the time a bit more pleasant. The relationship between the siblings was lovely as they cared for each other no matter what. Their relationship with the librarian lady was also so sweet. She knew what it was like to feel like an outcast, all because of her German last name, and she helped the children feel seen and wanted. She accepted when others rejected and treated the children with gentleness and concern that they hadn't felt in a long time, if they remembered ever feeling it at all. I wanted to cheer when she finally took them in, no matter what anyone else in the community thought of it. The ending of the story was so sweet and beautiful and made me so happy. <3
I think this would be a wonderful read for families to read together, and generally for readers of any age.
Content Advisory:
No profanity.
No sexual content.
No drug/alcohol content
Spiritual content is limited to passing mentions of prayer over meals, nativity plays, church, and "the fires down below".
A couple of boys are very unkind to our main characters and to evacuees in general. They invent the slur, "filthy vaccies" (sp?) and bully them emotionally and physically, even lying to their parents and blaming Ana, Edmund, and William for things that they didn't do. They also threaten to destroy a community garden just because it was the evacuees' idea, but they aren't given the opportunity.
Many of the adults are also unkind and uncaring toward the children, outright calling the evacuees "burdens" in front of them.
A solicitor basically tells the siblings to lie about being orphans so that the families taking them in during the evacuation won't feel some kind of pressure to adopt them.
Edmund gets angry when a very young child destroys his and his siblings books, which were some of their only belongings from home, and the foster mother didn't stop it from happening, and in fact, let the child in their room unsupervised. This is one of many moments of feeling injustice and uncared for and he speaks disrespectfully to the foster mother, scolding her for allowing the destruction of his siblings' belongings and calling her an "old cow." She slaps him hard enough to leave a welt.
Edmund also refers to a mean teacher as "wicked old witch" multiple times, but doesn't say it to her face.
Some occasional talk and fears about war and bombings but nothing graphic.
A boy gets motion sick on a train and vomits. The smell is described.
William and Edmund are forced to participate in clearing out and killing rats in a barn via clubbing them to death. Some dogs also shake some rats to death. Most of the rat deaths aren't described, though the boys consider the happenings "grizzly" and are overall upset about having to kill anything. They kill one rat each out of fear of punishment if they don't (an adult actually does get mad at them for not killing more) but it's extremely upsetting to them. The visuals aren't described, but a crunch sound is mentioned and it's mentioned that the rats twitch as they die. William vomits (not described) and it's mentioned that several other boys who were also forced to participate, vomit as well.
Two mean boys grab another boy's arms and push his face into the snow, holding him there until melted snow fills his nose and mouth and he thinks he might suffocate. They only let him go when his brother sees what's happening and punches his attackers (not described.)
I don't remember exactly who it was, but I first heard about this book on the blog of one of my bookish friends. Even as an adult, I love Middle Grade, and I love historical stories, so this sounded exactly like my cup of tea. Thankfully, my library had it on audio, and I was able to snatch it up immediately.
To be honest, I was almost surprised to see that this was published in 2021. The author did such a good job of writing it so that it felt like a timeless children's classic.
I was also a little surprised that it opens on a funeral. Namely, the funeral of the siblings' grandmother, who was their only living family. Unfortunately, she was never very loving towards them and didn't care for them since she hired someone to do that for her. As one might expect in such a situation, her young grandchildren didn't grieve for her because they didn't really know her. But this sets up the rest of the story where the children are looking for a family who will truly love them in a way they haven't felt for a very long time.
Despite the sad start, and some unfortunate and frustrating struggles the children go through during the story, I really loved this book. Set in WWII era England, Anna, Edmund, and William quickly become evacuees, having to leave their home and go to the countryside to be protected from bombings. The author did an amazing job showing what a varied experience evacuees had, and the fear children would naturally feel during that time. Some adults saw them as burdens that added to the hardship of war time. Similarly, some children looked down on the evacuees and didn't want them around. But there were good and kind people as well, who genuinely cared for these children, lifted their burdens instead of acting like they were burdens, and made the time a bit more pleasant. The relationship between the siblings was lovely as they cared for each other no matter what. Their relationship with the librarian lady was also so sweet. She knew what it was like to feel like an outcast, all because of her German last name, and she helped the children feel seen and wanted. She accepted when others rejected and treated the children with gentleness and concern that they hadn't felt in a long time, if they remembered ever feeling it at all. I wanted to cheer when she finally took them in, no matter what anyone else in the community thought of it. The ending of the story was so sweet and beautiful and made me so happy. <3
I think this would be a wonderful read for families to read together, and generally for readers of any age.
Content Advisory:
No profanity.
No sexual content.
No drug/alcohol content
Spiritual content is limited to passing mentions of prayer over meals, nativity plays, church, and "the fires down below".
A couple of boys are very unkind to our main characters and to evacuees in general. They invent the slur, "filthy vaccies" (sp?) and bully them emotionally and physically, even lying to their parents and blaming Ana, Edmund, and William for things that they didn't do. They also threaten to destroy a community garden just because it was the evacuees' idea, but they aren't given the opportunity.
Many of the adults are also unkind and uncaring toward the children, outright calling the evacuees "burdens" in front of them.
A solicitor basically tells the siblings to lie about being orphans so that the families taking them in during the evacuation won't feel some kind of pressure to adopt them.
Edmund gets angry when a very young child destroys his and his siblings books, which were some of their only belongings from home, and the foster mother didn't stop it from happening, and in fact, let the child in their room unsupervised. This is one of many moments of feeling injustice and uncared for and he speaks disrespectfully to the foster mother, scolding her for allowing the destruction of his siblings' belongings and calling her an "old cow." She slaps him hard enough to leave a welt.
Edmund also refers to a mean teacher as "wicked old witch" multiple times, but doesn't say it to her face.
Some occasional talk and fears about war and bombings but nothing graphic.
A boy gets motion sick on a train and vomits. The smell is described.
William and Edmund are forced to participate in clearing out and killing rats in a barn via clubbing them to death. Some dogs also shake some rats to death. Most of the rat deaths aren't described, though the boys consider the happenings "grizzly" and are overall upset about having to kill anything. They kill one rat each out of fear of punishment if they don't (an adult actually does get mad at them for not killing more) but it's extremely upsetting to them. The visuals aren't described, but a crunch sound is mentioned and it's mentioned that the rats twitch as they die. William vomits (not described) and it's mentioned that several other boys who were also forced to participate, vomit as well.
Two mean boys grab another boy's arms and push his face into the snow, holding him there until melted snow fills his nose and mouth and he thinks he might suffocate. They only let him go when his brother sees what's happening and punches his attackers (not described.)
March 24, 2023
Loved this book!
It had a slow start and I was sketch, but by the end I was in love. It made me cry, but the good kind. It was so sweet and hopeful.
William, Edmund, and Anna are looking for guardians. They have a sizable inheritance, but their grandma didn't make arrangements for a guardian after her death. It's the start of WWII and their lawyer recommends they evacuate London with the other children in the hopes they'll find a family they love, that loves them back.
This story is idyllic and that's why I loved it. I would adopt William, Edmund, and Anna in a second. They are such lovely children, almost unbelievably so, but I didn't care. I didn't feel any stress or anxiety, just happiness and a restored hope in the goodness of humanity. It was exactly what I needed.
William broke my heart the most. His unfailing devotion and care for his siblings was so tender.
I can't say enough about this book. I'm even thinking of using it for book club, probably for the 6th-8th graders.
It had a slow start and I was sketch, but by the end I was in love. It made me cry, but the good kind. It was so sweet and hopeful.
William, Edmund, and Anna are looking for guardians. They have a sizable inheritance, but their grandma didn't make arrangements for a guardian after her death. It's the start of WWII and their lawyer recommends they evacuate London with the other children in the hopes they'll find a family they love, that loves them back.
This story is idyllic and that's why I loved it. I would adopt William, Edmund, and Anna in a second. They are such lovely children, almost unbelievably so, but I didn't care. I didn't feel any stress or anxiety, just happiness and a restored hope in the goodness of humanity. It was exactly what I needed.
William broke my heart the most. His unfailing devotion and care for his siblings was so tender.
I can't say enough about this book. I'm even thinking of using it for book club, probably for the 6th-8th graders.
November 30, 2021
I soothe myself to sleep with books. When I saw several recommendations for A Place to Hang the Moon, I thought it might a perfect balance to the extra-ness of Thanksgiving week. Uncomplicated, England, cozy. Yes, yes, and yes!
I especially liked the character of Edmund, who mirrors all the second-born sons I know. And knowing and loving boys like him, I cheered each time Mrs. Müller's response to Edmund was spot on.
It was pleasant to read a book in which siblings didn't go for each other's throats. And to see how the three siblings sought solace in reading and books. I don't think I would get much family support for changing the name of our living room to "The Snug" but it is tempting to try.
Pretty sure I'll be reading and/or listening to this again soon.
I especially liked the character of Edmund, who mirrors all the second-born sons I know. And knowing and loving boys like him, I cheered each time Mrs. Müller's response to Edmund was spot on.
It was pleasant to read a book in which siblings didn't go for each other's throats. And to see how the three siblings sought solace in reading and books. I don't think I would get much family support for changing the name of our living room to "The Snug" but it is tempting to try.
Pretty sure I'll be reading and/or listening to this again soon.
January 11, 2022
A really transparent wish fulfillment story where the characters are perfect, poor people are evil, good children only love books, and good characters don't have to evolve over the course of the book because everything wrong that happened was because other people are plain bad and the children didn't do anything bad and thus they are not responsible.
It's a book that takes the boring parts of Matilda and Oliver Twist and Chronicles of Narnia and Bedknobs and Broomsticks and stretches them out until we get to the inevitable happy ending. It's just like eating triscuits. They're fine, they fill you up, but you could do without eating them and they certainly don't change your life.
It's a book that takes the boring parts of Matilda and Oliver Twist and Chronicles of Narnia and Bedknobs and Broomsticks and stretches them out until we get to the inevitable happy ending. It's just like eating triscuits. They're fine, they fill you up, but you could do without eating them and they certainly don't change your life.
August 24, 2021
Lovely story of WWII sibling evacuees.
November 7, 2022
I loved this book.
February 20, 2023
I enjoyed this book for the first time at the 80% mark. The characters all felt one dimensional and as if they were chosen from a list of character traits people love to read about. I think the whole book felt flat and formulaic to me, from their names to their love of books. I did cry at a couple places but I also felt somewhat emotionally manipulated. Some things weren't really resolved, some relationships never mended, and some of the morality a bit iffy. It was very predictable story and I didn't love how it extols reading as a virtue. I love reading, but I do not believe it is a virtue.
"Though she’s not much of a reader.” She paused. “Evidence as to her character.”
It's sad because some kids are more kinesthetic, auditory, etc etc and we try to force them to be readers by giving them poorly written books when the truth is that being a reader isn't the end all in life.
My favorite quote was:
“I’ve had myself a wallow, and now it’s time for a proper do.”
I know my review sounds critical and like I hated this book, but I didn't. I just wasn't impressed. The main characters had integrity and William broke my heart. I skipped over graphic content about killing rats but otherwise it was a clean read. Overall I feel pretty neutral about it; I don't mind my kids hearing me read it but I wish I'd spent that time on a book I really loved.
"Though she’s not much of a reader.” She paused. “Evidence as to her character.”
It's sad because some kids are more kinesthetic, auditory, etc etc and we try to force them to be readers by giving them poorly written books when the truth is that being a reader isn't the end all in life.
My favorite quote was:
“I’ve had myself a wallow, and now it’s time for a proper do.”
I know my review sounds critical and like I hated this book, but I didn't. I just wasn't impressed. The main characters had integrity and William broke my heart. I skipped over graphic content about killing rats but otherwise it was a clean read. Overall I feel pretty neutral about it; I don't mind my kids hearing me read it but I wish I'd spent that time on a book I really loved.
October 26, 2023
2023: This book is such a treasure! It’s so beautifully written and the themes of true family and true home are wonderful. It’s historical fiction and gives a true sense of the time and place but it doesn’t get bogged down in the historical details. 5 stars again!
2021: My favorite middle grade fiction book I’ve read this year. So well written and such an engaging story. I was so excited to get to the end and I wanted it to go on forever.
2021: My favorite middle grade fiction book I’ve read this year. So well written and such an engaging story. I was so excited to get to the end and I wanted it to go on forever.
July 27, 2021
"It's time to start a new story."
This was a Bookstagram book made me do it and so glad I did. My daughter got ahold of it before I did and we got to talk about it.
A sweet and huggable coming home story about three orphans during WW2. Predictable ending but delightful. We all need good endings. Loved all the references to books and reading.
This was a Bookstagram book made me do it and so glad I did. My daughter got ahold of it before I did and we got to talk about it.
A sweet and huggable coming home story about three orphans during WW2. Predictable ending but delightful. We all need good endings. Loved all the references to books and reading.
July 13, 2021
A beautiful middle grade following a set of 3 orphan siblings that evacuate London during WWII in search of a new family. It reminded me a lot of the beginning of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (without the magical world).
September 12, 2025
This book was such a treasure! The story was heart-warming and the main characters were so lovable. I wanted to climb inside the pages, snuggle with a blanket near the fire in the snug with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book with Anna, Edmund, William, and Mrs. Mueller.
March 7, 2024
read this aloud with my kiddos and we all loved it 🥹 so wholesome and suchhh a good story. would love another book on these siblings ♥️
June 21, 2023
Updated review, increased rating from 3⭐s to 4⭐s.
6/17/23 A reread that was definitely more enjoyable the second time.
6/4/22
Delightful. Avid readers will love this historical fiction story, about siblings William, Edmund and Anna who are evacuated from London during World War II, that mentions many classic reads throughout the story.
6/17/23 Whether you are familiar with classic reads or not, those who enjoy stories of those on the home front during World War II (i.e. The War That Saved My Life, The Klipfish Code) or stories about orphans (i.e. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) will like this.
6/17/23 A reread that was definitely more enjoyable the second time.
6/4/22
Delightful. Avid readers will love this historical fiction story, about siblings William, Edmund and Anna who are evacuated from London during World War II, that mentions many classic reads throughout the story.
6/17/23 Whether you are familiar with classic reads or not, those who enjoy stories of those on the home front during World War II (i.e. The War That Saved My Life, The Klipfish Code) or stories about orphans (i.e. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) will like this.
June 12, 2024
Update: My second time reading it, but first time reading it (listening to audiobook) with my kids!
Mixed reviews from the kids, but I think that overall they enjoyed it. 🤗
Truly delightful! I am eager for the author to write another! I was preview-ing it, to figure out if I’d like to read it to my kids, and YES I would. I would put this in the category of “classics”, ignoring the 2021 copyright date. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mixed reviews from the kids, but I think that overall they enjoyed it. 🤗
Truly delightful! I am eager for the author to write another! I was preview-ing it, to figure out if I’d like to read it to my kids, and YES I would. I would put this in the category of “classics”, ignoring the 2021 copyright date. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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