Operation Banana

As World War ll drags on, Susan sets out on a mission to cheer up her mum in this heartwarming wartime tale from award-winning historical fiction writer Tony Bradman.

Susan is worried about her mum. She’s struggling with long hours at her job in the factory and it’s a long time since they’ve heard from Susan’s dad, who’s on the front line in North Africa. Everything is in short supply in London, but Susan decides she’s going to cheer her mum up by getting her a treat, and what could be more rare at that time than a sweet, delicious banana? But what lengths will Susan have to go to find one? Let Operation Banana commence!

Reviews

"This beautifully told and moving story, given extra poignancy by Tania Rex’s delightful artwork, is full of Bradman’s attention to rich and authentic historical detail … an emotion-packed tribute to the brave and resilient wartime generation, and a powerful reminder of the realities of life on the home front." – Lancashire Post

"A cracking, heart-warming tale of a young girl embarking on a mission to simply cheer her mum up … Tania Rex’s illustrations bring alive life in wartime London … a delightful piece of historical fiction." – A Word About Books, blog

"The illustrations within this World War II London-based story are tip-top … Such a simple concept, so effective. Children can be so in tune with their carer’s state of wellbeing. An act of kindness can be incredibly healing. Beautiful story." – The Kids Book Curator, blog

About the author

Tony Bradman is a hugely prolific author with a particular passion for bringing history to life for young people. He is a regular at all the major literary festivals, reviews for the Guardian and is the Chair of the Siobhan Dowd Trust. Tony is perhaps best-known for his Dilly the Dinosaur series, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. He lives in Kent.