Goodnight, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

Goodnight, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian is a historical novel and modern children’s classic set in World War II Britain. Billeting arrangements bring together Mister Tom, a gruff and grieving old man, and Willie Beech, a starved and abused child from London’s East End. Both need each other. Tom is forced to leave the seclusion he has embraced since the death of his wife and child in order to care for Willie. Willie flourishes within the new experience of safety and security that Mister Tom gives him. All this is challenged when a telegram requires Willie to return to his mother in London. This books is deeply moving as it deals with tough issues like abuse, poverty and mental illness. It is incredibly subtle for a children’s book, masterfully showing rather than telling. Thanks to MT for introducing me to it.