I don’t know if it’s got anything to do with the mountains curving all round us, but her wails are even louder here, not far off an air-raid siren. The two women rush over to her and Mrs Bevan opens her handbag. She feels around inside, pulls out a chocolate bar and snaps off a piece. Mr Bevan turns to the houses and tilts his head from side to side. A big grin breaks out on his face, stretching his moustache and making him look like a happy walrus.

The Valley of Lost Secrets Teacher Resource Pack Lesley Parr: The Valley of Lost Secrets Teacher Resource Pack

There isn’t as much sky as I thought there’d be. And what I can see is clear and blue, not the never-ending rain clouds we were told we’d get in Wales. Ronnie, it’s safe,’ I say. ‘Remember how well you wrapped it in your pyjamas? You did a really good job there.’

September 1939. When Jimmy is evacuated to a small village in Wales, it couldn't be more different from London. Green, quiet and full of strangers, he instantly feels out of place. But then he finds a skull hidden in a tree, and suddenly the valley is more frightening than the war. Our other main character is Florence, a classmate of Jimmy’s and fellow evacuee. Without spoiling too much, it is obvious that Florence has an unhappy home life, but in Llanbryn she thrives. Although this annoys Jimmy at first, given his own level of discomfort, they form an unlikely friendship that help gives him a sense of perspective. Florence is a great example of how someone can really come into their own when given the chance – I think she was probably my favourite character!

The Valley of Lost Secrets - LoveReading4Kids The Valley of Lost Secrets - LoveReading4Kids

This beautiful book, reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five stories and Michelle Magorian's Goodnight Mister Tom, explores so many heartfelt themes in its short chapters; the bond between Jimmy and his little brother, the kindness of strangers, and the amazing things that can happen when we take the time to really see somebody – even if everybody else looks straight through them. Lesley Parr perfectly captures the fear and defensiveness of Jimmy, a young boy thrown into a new world but knowing that he must take care of his brother at any cost. The mystery of the skull has a brilliant pay-off, and there are enough red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing until the very end. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments A great book. A real gripping, engaging story, with a nice heart of darkness. - A.F. Harrold, author of The Imaginary Jimmy calls her Miss Badhew,’ Ronnie says, ‘because she isn’t nice, so she can’t be a good hew, can she?’When money goes missing from the Vicar's church, St. Michael's, people suspect it was stolen by the evacuees. It's clear they are welcomed by some people in Llanbryn, but not others and that there is a deep division between the people who go the St. Michael's and those who go to chapel, like the Thomas and the Hughes families. Immediately you start rooting for the evacuees, Ronnie and Jimmy. I can only imagine how hard it would have been for some evacuees to acclimatise to such a change - it was represented very well in the writing. Jimmy and his younger brother arrive in a mining town in Wale and are taken in by a childless couple, who originally only wanted to take in one boy. Despite their kindness, he is angry with the world and irritated that his brother and classmates have settled in so easily in their new homes. However, not everyone is welcoming and this further fuels Jimmy's unhappiness. But when his younger brother goes missing, he sees this place in a new light.

The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr | Goodreads

So the four friends set off, following the river north, not realising that this journey will push them to their limits. An absolute triumph of warm, tender-hearted, timeless storytelling - Lesley Parr has created a story that feels like it has always been here... and one that I'm sure will still continue to be read many years from now. - Sophie Kirtley, author of The Wild Way Home The room is massive, much bigger than our school hall. It’s all dark timber, polished up till it shines. There are steps and a raised platform at the far end, a bit like a stage. The room’s bursting with people all staring and muttering; surely they can’t all want an evacuee? Some must be here to gawp. They sit in rows in front of the platform and, as we walk past them to the raised bit, I can feel the place swallowing us up – my little brother, all the others and me. CHAPTER TWO SCARED CITY RABBITS After reading the blurb of Parr's book, I was instantly curious, you see my Grandad was evacuated to Wales during the war as a young boy and I've heard countless tales about his time there. The ways in which Parr described her characters adapting to this huge change, of finding a home away from home, rung familiar and with its themes of friendship and brotherhood it really had its heartfelt moments.A mesmerising mystery about bravery and brotherhood in the Second World War, from an outstanding new voice. Lesley Parr is an outstanding new voice in children's literature and definitely one to look out for! - Snaily Can Fly This appealing book is about losses healed, lies uncovered, cruelty defeated and goodness rewarded’ The Sunday Times This is also being enjoyed very much by the Y5 book club and is the last book we have to review for The Awesome Book Awards - could it end up defying expectations and being our overall winner? 💀🌳