Uprooted: A Canadian War Story

by Lynne Reid Banks

From the author of The Indian in the Cupboard and The L-Shaped Room comes a fascinating story of a wartime childhood, heavily influenced by her own experience.

In 1940 as war rages across Europe, ten-year-old Lindy waves goodbye to England and makes the long journey to Saskatoon, Canada, along with her mother and her cousin Cameron. They may be far from the war but they are also far from home and everyone they know and love. Life in Canada is very different but it is also full of exciting new adventures

This captivating story is inspired by Lynne Reid Banks own childhood experience and her time in Canada."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Canada, Juvenile, Middle Grade, World War II

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2014

About the author

Lynne Reid Banks is a British author of books for children and adults. She has written forty books, including the best-selling children's novel The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 10 million copies and been made into a film.
Banks was born in London, the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. She was evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during World War II but returned after the war was over. She attended St Teresa's School in Surrey. Prior to becoming a writer Banks was an actress, and also worked as a television journalist in Britain, one of the first women to do so. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960.
In 1962 Banks emigrated to Israel, where she taught for eight years on an Israeli kibbutz Yasur. In 1965 she married Chaim Stephenson, with whom she had three sons. Although the family returned to England in 1971 and Banks now lives in Dorset, the influence of her time in Israel can be seen in some of her books which are set partially or mainly on kibbutzim.

Reviews

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Children's middle grade.

Gentle, slowly paced and syrupy story about an evacuee's experiences in Canada during World War II.

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Therese Bigelow for recommending this evacuation story by an author I actually met while working for Avon Books.

It is based on the author's own experience during World War II when she was evacuated to Saskatchewan with her mother and cousin.

3 1/2 stars.

[Sadie Bressler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I loved this book! It was so descriptive and it explored an interesting topic, WWII refugees escaping the bombings in London and looking for a new start in Canada! Why 3 stars then? Well, the ending wasn't great. The main character, Cameron, runs away. This is a big climax. It is resolved by simply stating "And then Cameron came back to us" simple and bad. After all that description did the author just run out of room? It wasn't my preferred ending.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Captivating read about a woman, her daughter, and her nephew, as they brave a new home in Canada during wartime, leaving their homeland of England. Author was able to relay the insecurities of relocating under such circumstances. I especially enjoyed the story, told from the daughter Lindy's viewpoint, unfolding from the very beginning when they set out on the sea voyage and concluding at the very last pages with accounts on how it all turned out years later. Terrific historical fiction about this time in history as families were separated to survive.

[Noelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mom, daughter, and daughter’s cousin go to Canada to escape the war. Sounds like a good premise, right? Wrong. The mom is not faithful to her marriage by letting men flirt with and kiss her. THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE PREMISE OF THE BOOK.
The dad doesn’t even come home at the end of the book. What a waste of time.

[Diane Close · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off so slowly that I almost abandoned it. I stuck with it and it picked up about a third of the way through, but it could best be described as a "day in the life of" type story. It follows a young British girl, her slightly older male cousin, and her mother as they are forced to make their way to, and live in, Canada, after they are evacuated there due to the German bomb threat in England. They end up living in Canada until the end of the war, but this book specifically follows their initial adaptation and the first year of living in the country.

There are some weird timeline problems in the book. The male cousin, Cameron, is at least a year older than our female protagonist, and on the ship over is first placed in a separate cabin due to being a male over the age of 11. That means he starts the book as a 12 year old, and when they arrive in Canada it appears to be late fall from the description and the lack of fall colors on the trees. He's placed in grade 8, moved quickly to grade 9 and appears to have no difficulty at all adapting to hanging around with much older kids (it is specifically mentioned that he's nearly 2 years younger). The weird thing is, when a significant event happens at the end of the book, a full year later, he's still referred to as being 12! Even though our main protagonist (and narrator) is mentioned as being older by that time. So she ages but he doesn't?!?

In addition, the minor epilogue at the end of the book mentions the pride the narrator takes in singing the Canadian anthem. At that time the official Canadian anthem was "God Save The King". "Oh Canada" wasn't sung regularly in public, and certainly not officially, until the mid-1960's, when pride in the 100th anniversary of Confederation took over.

Schools were given the choice of singing only "God Save The King" (or Queen, by the 60's), or both "Oh Canada" and "God Save The King". "Oh Canada" was never, ever sung alone or presented as the sole Canadian anthem, until well into the 1970's! At the time of the war, it was often swapped with "The Maple Leaf Forever" and a few other patriotic tunes, but it was most definitely not sung as THE Canadian anthem during World War II, the setting for this book! "Oh Canada" was certainly sung more often than other similar patriotic tunes, and was considered by some (later many) to be the defacto Canadian anthem, but it was not made officially the anthem of Canada until the 1980's.

All in all, this was a moderately interesting personal look at being forced to leave one's home and loved ones behind, in a time of war, for the relative peace and safely of a distant foreign country, and the adaptations required, plus the worries about those back home, that accompany such a drastic change. All written at a lower-middle school level, with drink and sexual innuendo that adults will get but children won't understand entirely, plus a mixed view of religion (the protagonist states she does not believe in God, but she does pray), and her mother believed in psychic phenomena, though the latter takes up so tiny a portion of the book you are likely to miss it if you blink.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, this book was pretty great. It was a nice, fascinating, well-written tale of world war ll. It was such an interesting, basic book that I was enjoying! But notice how I said "was". Well literally in the LAST CHAPTER (I'm not even kidding) the main character Cameran runs from home. So then, naturally I was like, 'Woah, okay! I'm excited to see what happens! Huh, there's not much left...hmmm, okay..." And do you know what I got? A lousy epilogue that LITERALLY read "Cameran eventually came home". Quote on quote! Like, whaaaaat???? And then it's like "And we survived the war!" like huhhhhh???? Okay, sure! But, there should be a sequel, obviously. But nooooooo. And this was written in 2015! It was very disappointing. The book was amazing, but the ending was such a disappointment!

I wish I didn't have to hide this review for spoilers so that I could warn current readers. I mean, maybe it's better to hit and run. Well, if you feel the same way that I did know you're not alone in this uprooted world.

byeeee

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got about a third of the way through this book and despite other reviews mention it picking up in a small bit, I've DNFed this book. The beginning is just so horrendously slow that I can't help but feel like it won't get much better, even with the twist that I've seen mentioned in other reviews. And for a children's/middle grade book I feel like the beginning can't be slow, otherwise you'll have kids putting it aside.

I really liked some of the themes mentioned in the portion that I read, mainly the cultural differences between the two countries, the treatment of the 'war guests', as well as the situation that some families found themselves in, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading.

[Shirley Freeman]

I really liked this charming middle grade novel. British author Lynne Reid Banks based the novel on her own experiences of being evacuated from London to Saskatchewan, Canada. At first, the British government forbid families from sending money to evacuees (fearing that too much money would leave the country) so not only did the evacuees have to adjust to a new culture and a new life, but they often had to depend on the largess of strangers. There is tension and drama to keep it interesting but it is also a heart-warming and upbeat story. (I read the ARC - will be published November 2015)

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle grade fiction is a bit different from other WW2 stories is that is about a British girl and her family (Mother and cousin) relocating to Canada. Based on the author’s childhood experiences, this book feels authentic and true. The book starts slow, but perhaps that’s just the Canadian way. With all the pastoral-like deliberateness of the writing, the ending is really sudden and not very satisfying. First off, the story shifts from Lindy to her cousin Cameron, who runs away to go home to England. His adventure is told in two short chapters and the three-page postscript is (spoiler alert) a slightly lengthy way of saying, “…and we all lived, more or less, happily ever after.”
All said, I did enjoy most of the book, especially because it wasn’t just American or British. For a Canadian take, read and enjoy this story.

[Sarah Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really captivated me. After a rather slow start the book got going and occasionally tugged at the heart strings. Following a young girl, her elder cousin and her mum to Canada as war evacuees; the book shows the trials they faced and the emotions they felt in a very cleverly told story.
For use in the classroom this book would be fabulous for older children who wanted to explore evacuees or how it would feel to move away into the unknown. A great story to develop empathy and understanding too.
Overall I really enjoyed it!

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family flees from England to emigrate to Canada at the beginning of World War 2. Women and children were allowed to flee. Not only do they have to start all over, but they are conflicted about leaving part of their families back in England. It's fun to read how Canada seemed to the British kids, the weather, the food, the customs, etc. So this is more about what happened to people, not really the war part

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Protagonist is a guest child from England during WWII. She must adapt to a new life in Canada with her mother and cousin, while remembering all she has left behind in her homeland. Some mature content.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical fiction. Somewhat about author's childhood.

[Megan Ringrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging for a (sort of) memoir, but upon finishing it I feel like something was missing. Don't know if it was visual description or character introspection or what.

[Louise Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tale of family relationships while residing in Canada during WW II.

[Sandra Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for middle school aged kids.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really action packed and it is really good

[Lynn B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Cindy Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the start of World War II, many women and children left England to live with relatives or sponsoring families in Canada and the U.S. The idea was to keep them safe from the bombing and hardship that was sure to come. Against this backdrop, ten-year-old Lindy, her mom, and her cousin Cameron set off for Saskatoon, Canada, where a great uncle lives. Although the uncle lives in too small of a space to welcome the three himself, he finds a family they can live with.

The transition isn’t easy. Canadians talk differently, eat different foods, and live in a vast place with great distance and wilderness between towns. No one in the family likes being an outsider, but soon they make friends and adjust, despite the stress of worrying about family members left behind.

Uprooted by Lynne Reid Banks is a compelling story about lesser-known war evacuees—those who left England. Lindy is preoccupied with the things any 10 year old would be: making friends, having fun, and doing well in school. But she also worries because they have no money of their own. They were restricted to leaving England with only 10 pounds each and they have little ability to earn money in Canada. She worries about her mom getting lonely without her dad, and she worries because Cameron feels as though he deserted his country and his parents when they need him most.

The story is based on the author’s own childhood experience. It has universal appeal both as historical fiction and because it captures the feeling anyone can have of starting over in a strange land and a different culture. I highly recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 13.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book needs to be edited. The grammar and sentence structure are very poor. Maybe it has a decent story line, but I am looking for educational historical books for my children to read. I would not give them a book containing so much I would mark incorrect in their own work.

Here are a few quotes taken directly, with spelling and punctuation, from the book. All are found on one page in the prologue:


"He was quivering. Dogs sense things. And there was a lot to sense."

"But I knew then-he was thinking of Bubbles, his dog. The 'Bulgarian bulldog'."

"I didn't want to look at my beautiful daddy, grim-faced, holding my mother's hand. Hardly talking. Or at my Auntie Millie, Cameron's mother, keeping Cameron close to her. Uncle Jack, reading a medical journal. And Grampy. He only spoke to Shott."

"Mummy didn't say much, either, except to ask me every now and then if I was all right, if I wanted anything."

[Murielle Cyr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming look back at the experience of a British evacuee family who takes refuge in a Saskatchewan home to escape the bombings of WW2. We follow Lindy, a ten year old girl, her mother, and a twelve year old male cousin as they try to adjust to life in Canada. The generosity of the Canadian hosts who housed, clothed,entertained, and fed the evacuee families was impressive and a revelation to me. Narrated through the eyes of both the younger, and then the elderly Lindy, it made for a simple and fast read. The narrator's credibility diminishes at the end when she retells her cousin's attempt to escape Canada to return to England. The cousin wasn't forthcoming with the exact details, so the story is narrated according to what Lindy thinks might have happened. Uprooted, A Canadian War Story, is nevertheless a pleasurable middle grade read.

[Alison Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm interested in reading more Middle Readers, and this was a good book for the age group. This was another ARC, but the first one I've read that felt like it was complete and ready to be published.

The story wasn't exciting, but interesting enough to keep reading and moved forward at a good clip. I also found the subject matter interesting (English WWII evacuees residing in Canada) as I haven't read much about this topic. I also enjoyed reading about Canada and the descriptions of the Canadian wilderness; the last book I read about this was Hatchet in grade school!

The conclusion was also neat and tidy, and though it felt a bit rushed I appreciated the author's effort to wrap up the story.

Overall, a good book for Middle Readers. Nothing scary, violent, or questionable, good for pretty much all ages able to read a book with middle-of-the road difficulty.

[Alison Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

10 year old Lindy, her mother and cousin, Cameron, are evacuated to Canada in 1940, leaving her doctor father and Cameron's parents behind in London. At the time, nobody was allowed to take more than £10 with them so, once in Canada, they had to rely totally on the kindness of their Canadian hosts. This is based on Lynne Reid Banks' own experiences, and the problems and pleasures seem all too real. Eventually the British were allowed to send money, so they could live in their own place and be more independent. This is a short, easy read, and a fascinating snapshot of life in Canada at the time. It must have been very hard for all of them, and it would have been interesting if the book had told more about what it was like going home again afterwards.

[Scott Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this thinking that it might be a good book for my daughter to read. It is a really good read, however I feel that it would be better suited to young teens rather than primary aged children. There were some themes that I was not comfortable with introducing to her. For example the Lindy's mother ends up leaving England during the war and staying with a Canadian family, leaving her husband to hold the fort in England. The man of the house becomes infatuated with her and this is hinted at quite a bit before he 'makes a pass' at her. Later on, another man, Hank becomes interested in her, and Lindy becomes concerned that her mother loves this man. She worries about divorce.

[Nancy Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free through Goodreads. I am so glad! Even though I was a child of the 1940's, I remember very little of the war. This book really brought home the anxiety and the fear of both adults and children during this time. Because the narrator was a young girl, the story really held my interest.
Years ago, I read "Goodnight, Mr. Tom." a book about an English boy who came to the U.S. during WWII; I had not heard of the children being sent to Canada. The Canadians who took in the families really gave a lot to help.

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a wonderful story, but rather for younger audience. Despite that the novel is captivating and interesting.
It is told from the perspective of 10 years old girl Lindy.
The story is inspired by author's childhood experience, when she left England during a war, as 10 years old girl and came to Canada with her mother and cousin. She is sweet and smart and she tells us the story from the moment they left London, traveled on train and took ship. Her honest observation as a child, make a reader smile and sympathize with the characters.
It is a "Fantabulous" book.

[Brenna]

My rating: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.

This was more of a series of vignettes about Lindy's experience as an evacuee (based on the author's own story from what I can tell) than a "story" in the traditional sense. Although I did enjoy the book and would recommend that young adults (or even non-young adults) read it to get a different World War II perspective than you usually get (first I've heard of evacuations to Canada though I'd heard of evacuating to the British countryside), I could see the story not holding the interest of a number of teens out there.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into Canada's war, the plight of evacuees and the beauties of Saskatchewan. The characters are very real, the writing is delightful. I learned a lot about the difficulties in leaving Britain that I hadn't known before. This is the author's own story and it is wonderful how she follows up in the end. Thank you to Harper Collins for sharing an advanced copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan Csoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was the summer of 1940, the first summer of World War 2. It was a very sad day as Lindy said goodbye to her father, grandfather and aunts. She was leaving England with her mother and cousin Cameron. It was a long rough ship ride out of war torn Europe to Montreal where they would begin their lives anew, Through hardships they endeavor. A fantasy visit to New York lifts their spirits. And mystery man Hank makes this book a warming novel. THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRSTREADS FOR THIS FREE BOOK!!!!