When the Sky Falls

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This story completely consumed me. The author was brilliant as the narrator and he told the story so well on audio. However I am glad I went in quite blind to the book but because wow, I never saw that ending coming. I finished the story completely choked, nodding my head in disbelief with mixed emotions, still thinking through the subjects raised. So many twists it left me in awe and the authors explanation of it been a true story at the end astounded me further.

Twelve-year-old Joseph has had it tough, not only is there a world war raging, his mum has died, his dad has been enlisted to fight, and now his Grandmother has sent him to London to stay with an old friend of hers after she struggled to cope with him, whilst other children were being evacuated out of the city.In this deeply moving story of Joseph’s journey of self-discovery Phil Earle not only tells a brilliant story of a child’s emotional development but also added an important and true dimension to World War 2 stories.

Extremely fun and engaging unit of work based on this fantastic new Carnegie award shortlisted book!I loved this story. The theme of loss running through it makes this a sad but incredibly uplifting book. The plot is fast-paced and you really care what happens to Joseph and Mrs F. I kept willing them to understand each other and meet in the middle. The Second World War feels like another character in the book, with the bombs that show no respect and Hitler as the ultimate bully, and bullies must never win. Small snippets of daily life add texture to the story, a milkman delivering milk to a house that no longer exists, kids playing on rubble.