With the addition of Willie in his home, Tom begins to take seriously the community safety precautions to prepare for the coming war. 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.

Willie does not really know himself when he first arrives to stay with Tom; all he knows is what he has been told by his mother—that he is a sinner, innately unlovable, and the only way anyone can tolerate him is if he is quiet and still. They open the hole and find Willie tied to a length of copper piping, sitting in his own urine and excrement, holding a baby in his arms. It’s been 40 years since Michelle Magorian first introduced us to young evacuee Willie Beech and his grumpy but endearing carer, Tom Oakley, in Goodnight Mister Tom. For years I liked writing poetry, lyrics, scripts, short stories, and diaries, and then one day after completing one particular story I had to know what happened next.An absorbing interest in the history and nature of children's books led her to try her hand at writing for younger readers. George then announces there's to be a carol service at church, boys only, which infuriates Carrie who hates the stereotypical activities open to girls.

Tom, William, and Zach enjoy a holiday at the seaside village of Salmouth, where the landlady of their cottage mistake William as Tom's son. The other protagonist of the novel, Willie is an eight-year-old evacuee from Deptford, a neighborhood of London. In fact, a certain person who has appeared in three of my books will be the main character in my next novel, but that’s all I’m telling you! Tom has kept to himself since the death of his wife, Rachel, and baby son, William, almost 40 years earlier.Willie finally reaches the standard of reading and writing required to join his friends in Miss Hartridge's class.

Something that annoyed me about him was his complete and utter selfishness, especially in the hospital. They tend to confide everything in each other so when Carrie decides to ask if she can take the examination for the local high school and confides her plan in Zach, Ginnie's feelings are very hurt. He loved it and gave it a five star rating, despite regretting the ending chapters dragging in length (a point with which I agree). The Willie who arrived at the village is not the same boy who goes back to London but it is his desperate desire to get back to Tom's house that keeps him alive as he waits for someone to come rescue him.I always hold out hope that books for young adults that have important themes may somehow find a way into the hands of younger readers. His parents are traveling actors so he is wildly theatrical and a compulsive performer who loves to entertain everyone. I think I’ve seen this film at least ten times (five of those viewings were on successive video days on the afternoon of every end of term, The Railway Children in the morning, of course. He realises his mother had sex with a man, though she told him that it was a sin for unmarried men and women to consort. Zach's friendship means the world to Willie which is why he has so much difficulty accepting Zach's death.