Owen and the Soldier

A touching story of loss and remembrance from Lisa Thompson, the award-winning author of The Goldfish Boy and The Light Jar.

Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award 2020

A crumbling stone soldier sits on a bench in the park. Only Owen understands how important he is.

At home, Owen and his mum are struggling and there's nobody he can talk to. Hidden away in the park, Owen feels free to be himself. When the war-weary soldier is listening, his worries slip away.

But nobody else cares about the soldier, and the town council want to tear him down. Owen's the only one who can save him but can he find the courage to speak up before it's too late?

A touching story of loss and remembrance from Lisa Thompson, the award-winning author of The Goldfish Boy. 

Reviews

"A clever, thought-provoking story that draws parallels between past and present conflicts, and how we remember those lost so that we can move on" – Emma Carroll

"For my money, Lisa Thompson is one of the greatest treasures we have in contemporary children’s fiction … A rare, brilliant talent” – Maz Evans

"A beautiful tale of a courageous young man who overcomes his fears to stand up for what he believes. Lisa Thompson writes stories that must be written. Here, she sensitively weaves complex ideas of young carers, social anxiety and remembrance into a story that somehow remains light and accessible" – Book Trust

“This truly incredible tale that comes from the heart is both a gift and a gentle reminder of remembrance … No one writes stunning stories with the depth of emotion and empathy quite like Lisa does” – Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher

“As a reader you can’t help but feel an instant affinity to the main character in this story. At once you sense the pain and loneliness of a young boy with a kind heart … The unpatronising simplicity and easy connection with the protagonist have made it a favourite quick read in my class” – Just Imagine

About the author

Lisa Thompson is a children’s novelist and the author of the best-selling The Goldfish Boy and The Light Jar. The Goldfish Boy was a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, the Branford Boase Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.