Goodnight Mister Tom: Michelle Magorian (A Puffin Book)

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Willie Beech is an abused nine-year-old boy. "Mr. Tom" Oakley is a sixty-year-old man who was widowed 40 years ago and became the town recluse/curmudgeon. The two are thrown together when Willie arrives at Mr. Tom's cottage as one of the WWII evacuee children from London. They both blossom as they learn to love and encourage each other. Mr. Tom comes out of his self-imposed "hermithood" to participate in the community again, and Willie discovers his own talents while becoming healthy and robust. Joining the ranks of John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars comes Michelle Magorian’s Goodnight Mister Tom, a touching tale of wartime woes. Magorian and Mister Tom won the annual once-or-lifetime Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, judged by a panel of British children's writers. [2] She was also a commended runner-up for the Carnegie Medal from the British librarians, recognising the year's best English-language children's book published in the UK. [3] [a] Mister Tom was also a great character. Although he was viewed by others as grumpy and secluded, from the outset I found that he was kind to Willie in an unconventional way. Even before he realised that Willie was sensitive and traumatised, Mister Tom was never mean, it was simply part of his nature to be blunt. In fact, he had quite a few hilariously blunt quips throughout the book and I loved his unexpected sassy remarks. It was amazing to see how much he grew throughout the book too. And the insight this 40th anniversary special gave us into his relationship with his wife through the inclusion of the short story was sweet and very tragic.

William heals through his friendship with another recluse, Geoffrey Sanderton, a young man who lost a leg during the war and gives William private art lessons. After Geoffrey shares a photo of his own best friend, who is also dead, William begins to come to terms with Zach's death. Using Zach's bike, William teaches himself to ride. He realises that Zach will always be a part of him. William also grows closer to Carrie as they bond over Zach's memories.By November, most evacuees have returned to London, which poses a problem for the play director, Miss Thorne, as she has to keep re-casting roles for the Christmas show, " A Christmas Carol." Willie takes over as prompter after finishing the scenery and after a week he knows most of the play by heart. When he is asked to fill in for someone, he turns out to be an incredibly talented actor, even impressing Zach. Miss Thorne needs a new actor to take on the role of Scrooge and gives the part to Willie. Tom also steps up to fill in for Mr. Bush, who is called to war, to play the organ for the men's choir. He has not played in a very long time as it reminds him of his wife. Thus, both Willie and Tom are faced with a new opportunity to come more into the spotlight. Now he’d be for it. Don’t ask help from anyone, his mum had said. He waited for the cuff around the ear.” The friends were pointless, apart from Carrie, who was just stupid. There was literally no reason for the friends to exist, other than filler. Carrie was a local girl who wanted an education. She, and the novel, were so ridiculous I found myself wishing they’d just ban women from school so she could shut up for a bit. I’m a feminist, and the book made me wish women couldn’t go to school. Yeah. She was literally that annoying.

It’s about how a man who once lost so much is at last given the chance to show what a truly good man he is, what a wonderful Father he could have been if fate hadn’t robbed him of that opportunity so many years before. Ah, Mister Tom, if only that were so easy for you to convince yourself with just words, because the moment eight-year-old evacuee, Willie, comes to stay at his home in Little Weirwold, Goodnight Mister Tom beautifully shows just how difficult it is for us to follow through on our own constituents. 🌸When you welcome someone into your home, you also welcome them into your heart. And Michelle Magorian’s first novel poignantly shows exactly that - a heart-warming and emotional read that gently reminds us how kindness and love can bring happiness and joy to those hearts that have never had the chance to receive it. 🫶🏻🫶🏻Mrs. Hartridge is Willie's school teacher and they have a special bond, mainly because she is so proud of Willie's accomplishments. Halfway through the book, she gives birth to a baby girl named Peggy. At the same time, her husband is reported to be missing, presumed dead, but later it is discovered that he is a prisoner-of-war in Germany. Willie loves her and thinks that she is the most beautiful person he has ever seen. She is a motherly presence in his life. Emilia Thorne To become the boy that Willie could be, he learns to shed the pains of his childhood. And that uncertainty and hesitancy of never being on the receiving hand of a comforting touch or to see his own capability. The little group of friends he makes that bring him out of his own sheltered mold - that allow him to see him for what he can be - if just given the opportunity. 😔 He's a small boy with such a big heart - so very full of artistic talents and want to be something more, but too afraid to voice his own wants. And my heart reached out to him - wanted to hold him gently and reassure him that things will be better for him - if he would just not lose faith. It soon becomes apparent to Tom that Willie hasn’t had a happy childhood, that in fact, he’s been subjected to cruelty and deprivation, and so Tom sets out to improve the boy’s life. This is such a great story, it’s about the transformative power of kindness and understanding, of patience and friendship.

This is a story about how two people can change. It never fails to make me laugh, and cry, and feel lighter after I put it down.As he observed it tumble and fall between the wood and hot coke, it occurred to him that strength was quite different from toughness and that being vulnerable wasn’t the same as being weak.” William Beech is an evacuee from London during WWII, and Tom Oakley is the reclusive elderly man who has the boy foisted upon him. Will is a child who has been abused and bullied and his fear is evident almost immediately to Mr. Tom, who is a very kind man at heart. The reader witnesses the growing relationship that saves these two people, who don’t always fit with the rest of the world, as they face both everyday life and some traumatic experiences together. Is that not a beautiful sentiment - the true value of being loved and recognized. That, you can feel the comfort of knowing someone is there, but when you don't have the opportunity to see that person, you feel their absence even more. This little town welcomed him with open arms so much - that they got so much joy in seeing him grow - that they saw how this little boy changed an old man, who had been grieving for his wife and child for forty years. He was not only Mr.Tom's - he had become a lovable part of their community. 🥹🥹 You will love Tom. He’s the perfect adult character of all time for me! I just wish every adult to be this giving, caring and nurturing towards every child.