Title: A Place to Hang the Moon
Author: Kate Albus
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson 2021
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Pages: 309
Rating: 4/5 stars
Reading Challenges:
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 second middle grade book featuring children evacuees during WWII. This one was easier to read than The War That Saved My Life, but still contains some tough situations. However, I didn’t quite love this as much as the other similar book. William, Edmund, and Anna are very lovable characters that you spend the entire book rooting for. The plot is a bit far-fetched, as are many middle grade books, but focusing on their search for family is the important part. I will probably add this to our homeschool read aloud list for future years.
Next up on the TBR pile:
