A very short ‘Influences’ piece here, as the book in question didn’t influence my writing so much as my love of reading. It was back when I was at primary school, and we’d just received it, newly published, into the School library (the memories come flooding back). I can still picture myself sat in that library (which was only an alcove off the main corridor but seemed huge in those days), lost in the experiences of ‘Willie Beech’ and ‘Mr Tom’, who had reluctantly taken the evacuee in. This book may have been one of my first ventures into a wartime setting that wasn’t The Dambusters or 633 Squadron on the TV, and it drew me in, that, combined with the fact both the young and the old were ‘real people’, relatable, as opposed to the characters of old novels like The Railway Children, for example.
Even though it is set in the 1940s, the book seemed incredible modern to me (it had only just been written of course, but I was too young to twig that at the time) and this may have sparked my love of historical fiction, proving that historical setting didn’t have to be ‘old-fashioned’, and could be just as relevant as a contemporary book, if that makes sense? The narrative is simple, incredibly moving and sad, happy too, and just so engaging, and I’ve re-read it several times over the years. If you ever want to engage a young boy with literature, you couldn’t do much better than try this, as it’s just so damned readable!
I’ve also really enjoyed writing this post, as it came from a jotting on the notepad by my bed that I should include it, and has brought back lots of happy memories, and it was only through writing this that I realised quite why it means so much to me. Thank you Mr Tom, thank you Willie. Most of all, thank you Michelle.
Stay safe
Kit