A Place to Hang the Moon
-
-
4.6 • 31 Ratings
-
-
- $10.99
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
A heartwarming story about three siblings, evacuated from London to live in the countryside, looking for a permanent home--and a new meaning for family.
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
It is 1940 and William, 12, Edmund, 11, and Anna, 9, aren't terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died.
But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of children from London to the countryside be the answer?
It's a preposterous plan, but off they go-- keeping their predicament a secret, and hoping to be placed in a temporary home that ends up lasting forever. Moving from one billet to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets and the hollowness of empty stomachs.
But at least they find comfort in the village lending library-- a cozy shelter from the harshness of everyday life, filled with favorite stories and the quiet company of Nora Müller, the kind librarian. The children wonder if Nora could be the family they've been searching for. . . . But the shadow of the war, and the unknown whereaouts of Nora's German husband complicate matters.
A Place to Hang the Moon is a story about the importance of family: the one you're given, and the one you choose. Filled with rich, sensory prose, allusions to classic children's stories like A Little Princess, Mary Poppins, and The Story of Ferdinand, this cozy tale with a classic feel is sure to warm your heart. Don't miss Kate Albus's Nothing Else But Miracles which takes place in New York City during WWII and was described as "historical fiction at its finest" in a starred review from School Library Journal.
An ALSC Notable Children's Book
An SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Winner
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Named to the Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice List
A CCBC Choice
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this heartwarming debut that contains nods to British children's classics, three orphans heirs to a fortune join the WWII London evacuation after the death of their forbidding grandmother leaves them guardianless. Though they seek safety from the Blitz and the possibility of finding a permanent, loving home, the siblings' plight instead becomes precarious. At their first residence, responsible 12-year-old William, roguish 11-year-old Edmund, and earnest nine-year-old Anna encounter bullying from their foster siblings. At the next a starkly impoverished billet with a harried mother of four the children experience hunger, and the boys are forced to kill rats for extra funds. Happily, a friendship with their village's warm librarian, regarded by many with suspicion because of her absent German husband, offers solace and hope to the three. Albus infuses the closely bonded siblings' search for found family with dry humor ("Funeral receptions can be tough spots to find enjoyment"), affectionate and authentic-feeling characterization, and a plot that alludes to and aligns with the works of Enid Blyton, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and E. Nesbit. Includes a bibliography of books mentioned. Ages 9 12.
Customer Reviews
Sweet Book
It was a sweet and interesting book. There is one scene which may be hard for sensitive children about killing rats the rest of the book is really sweet though. Great way to learn about evacuees in World War Two. Kind of similar to The War That Saved my Life.