He started to read, he was great, he started to act, he was great, he started to draw, he was great… Everyone loved him, despite his complete lack of personality. Willie is shocked that Zach likes him and even more surprised when he asks to come back over tomorrow.

Tom, who has inferred about Willie's past of abuse, reassures him it is a normal part of adjusting to his new life. I totally love this book because its very emotional also i feel really sorry for William his mother abuses him for things that don't matter and for the baby what kind of mother will say its a gift from god and lock the baby up in a dark room! Some people might say it’s good writing, that I could hear the character’s voice in my head, not just see it on the page, but those people have obviously never heard Zack, with the big, annoying, squeaky voice on him.Upon first arriving, Willie expects that Tom will be just as abusive as his brutal mother, as that is all he knows. Beech seems better after suffering a mental breakdown, but when Willie presents her with gifts that the locals from Little Weirwold had given him, and tells her about some of his friends, she accuses him of stealing and is angry he had been interacting with girls and Jews.

After a huge threat of bombing raids from the German Air Force in his hometown, Willie is sent to Little Weirwold, a country village in the north of England.It soon becomes apparent to Tom that Willie hasn’t had a happy childhood, that in fact, he’s been subjected to cruelty and deprivation, and so Tom sets out to improve the boy’s life. It’s the apparently ‘heartwarming’ story of Willie Beech, who is sent from London to the countryside during the second world war. It’s this back-and-forth that makes for a fast-paced story that doesn’t pull any punches in delivering an impassioned, tragic, and dramatic story.

Tom study guide contains a biography of Michelle Magorian, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.Hartridge is Willie's school teacher and they have a special bond, mainly because she is so proud of Willie's accomplishments. I would recommend this book to children above the age of 9 as it is a good book but some parts are sad and parts of it could be quite disturbing for younger children. However, when I was in secondary school, writing stories wasn’t encouraged, though I admit I was a bit naughty.