Goodnight Mister Tom - Michelle Magorian (Goodnight Mr Tom - Michelle Magorian)

Member Name: catatonic

Product:	Goodnight Mr Tom - Michelle Magorian
Date:	07/07/00 (1789 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An absolute classic, incredibly moving .

Disadvantages: disturbing and not suitable for younger children.

This is one of those modern classics that if you haven't read you should rush out and buy right now! Although this is considered a children's book it isn't the kind of thing I would let my eight year old son read, so if you buy it for a child I would strongly advise that you read it yourself first.

Goodnight Mister Tom, which is set during the Second World War, follows the tale of a child, Willie Beech, as he leaves his London home and goes to live in the country. This is no ordinary story of evacuees though.

Willie Beech is an abused child. The man he is placed with, Tom Oakley, a hermit who has lost his family. This is an incredibly moving story of pain and growth, of polarised characters learning to trust again and in doing so ultimately healing the hurt that they both carry inside.

There is also an important story taking place sub textually. As the story develops Magorian uses symbolism to encompass events in Europe. Weirwold becomes a microcosm of British society whilst London with its unrecogniseable skyline becomes the enemy - Germany.

Throughout this book we find subtle portraits of the German occupation, of foreign lands and the persecution of the Jews. When Will returns to London Magorian prompts us to draw parallels with the train journey of Jews to Aushwitz. And towards the close of the book the haunting image of the emaciated Will clutching his dead baby sister movingly mirrors images of genocide.

I am not an overly emotional person but just thinking of this book makes me cry. It's well written and thought provoking. It's definitely not for young or sensitive children though. If you haven't read this then do so, it's one of those books that you'll return to again and again.

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