About This Book
Reach for this book when your child starts asking difficult questions about the impact of war on ordinary families or when they are struggling to process the concept of sudden, life-changing loss. Written as a firsthand diary, this story follows fourteen-year-old Tom as he moves to Darwin, Australia, during World War II. What begins as a typical coming-of-age story about making friends and exploring a new home quickly shifts into a raw account of survival when the 1942 bombings occur. Parents will appreciate how the book bridges the gap between historical facts and the lived emotional reality of a teenager. It is an honest, often sobering look at grief and resilience that helps children understand that even in the face of tragedy, life eventually moves forward. It is best suited for mature middle-schoolers due to its realistic depictions of the aftermath of an air raid.
