About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is starting to grapple with the complexities of identity, belonging, and the feeling of being an outsider even when they are among friends. While set during the historical backdrop of the London Blitz, the heart of the story is about the internal tug-of-war of a teenager navigating first love and career ambitions while being labeled an enemy by the very country that took her in. It is a powerful tool for discussing how global events impact individual lives and the resilience required to thrive under pressure. Parents will appreciate the nuanced portrayal of a refugee family maintaining their dignity and humor despite poverty and the constant threat of air raids. It is a sophisticated, emotionally resonant coming-of-age story that helps bridge the gap between childhood innocence and adult understanding.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
DISTRESS: The constant threat of the Blitz is present, with scenes describing the physical and psychological toll of air raids. There is a sequence involving Peter's internment on the Isle of Man as an enemy alien, which depicts the frustration and injustice of being imprisoned by the side you support. CONVERSATION: Be prepared to discuss the historical policy of interning enemy aliens in Britain during WWII and why people were treated poorly because of where they were born. Children may need help understanding how a person can be seen as an enemy by two different countries at once (Hitler's Germany and the British government). There is also the realization of the Holocaust toward the end of the book, requiring context about the fate of those who could not escape.
Ideal Reader
A 12-to-14-year-old reader who enjoys historical fiction but is looking for something more introspective than a typical action-oriented war story: specifically a child interested in art or stories about finding one's place in a new country.
Parent Prep
It is helpful to read the first book in the trilogy, though not strictly necessary. Parents should be familiar with the basic timeline of the Blitz and the concept of internment camps for refugees.
Age Experience
Younger readers (10-11) will focus on the danger of the bombs and Anna's family dynamics. Older readers (13-14) will better appreciate the nuances of Anna's complicated social position and her burgeoning romantic life.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many Blitz stories, this offers the rare perspective of the German refugee in London: a person who feels both a victim of and a perceived part of the enemy force.
Read plot summary
Picking up after When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, this semi-autobiographical novel follows Anna through her teen years in WWII London. While her brother Peter is at university and her parents struggle with poverty and displacement, Anna works as a secretary and studies art. The narrative focuses on her development as an artist, her first romantic experiences, and the unique tension of being a German refugee (an enemy alien) in a city being bombed by Germans.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Anna is classified as an enemy alien by the British government. How does she reconcile her love for London with the fact that her host country doesn't fully trust her?
2
How does Anna's passion for art help her cope with the chaos of the war happening around her?
3
Peter is interned in a camp despite being a refugee. How does this experience change his perspective compared to Anna's experience working in the city?
4
The book mentions the bombs are coming from the country that was once Anna's own. How would that complicate how you feel during an air raid?
5
Why does the author use the title Bombs on Aunt Dainty to represent this specific period of Anna's life?
