It is a privilege to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the publication this month of Angel of Grasmere by Tom Palmer. Today I would like to share my review of this excellent book and also, more importantly, to provide an insight into Tom’s research process thanks to his generosity in sharing the scrapbook he created as part of his preparation.

Angel of Grasmere is the final book in Tom Palmer’s Lakeland historical trilogy and is another shining example of his powerful storytelling and ability to convey compassion and hope against the backdrop of a traumatic historical event. This wartime story is full of warmth and kindness with friendship, family and community at its heart.

In July 1940 in the Lakeland village of Grasmere Tarn is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her beloved older brother in the chaos of the British retreat at Dunkirk. The community is living in fear of an imminent invasion and she and her friends Peter and Eric scour the hills around their Lake District home, watching for any signs of the dreaded Nazis.

But as the war drags on, with little good news from the front, the locals become aware of someone carrying out anonymous acts of kindness, such as saving a flock of sheep from a snowdrift and getting help for an injured farmer who might other wise have died. As no one is claiming credit, they come to think of this unidentified stranger as a kind of guardian angel. Tarn and her friends, farmer’s son Peter and Eric, an evacuee from Manchester, talk about the war and its impact but also ponder on their own hopes, plans and families. Meanwhile a reclusive man hides on the fellside, watching the children and the villagers but traumatised and unable to make contact with anyone.

This is such a beautifully written story with a strong sense of place. Tom Palmer is able to portray what makes this area so distinctive in a manner that brings the setting alive in the mind of the reader and the significance of, and love for, the landscape for both the characters and the author is apparent. As I read I was transported back to childhood visits to the Lakes and would love to revisit now. The three main characters are personalities with whom the reader can quickly engage and the bond between the children is evident and central to the themes of loyalty and kindness. Tarn has a maturity and self awareness which helps to give the story its depth yet she is still a child with the attitudes and emotions that young readers will recognise. I found Eric extremely appealing and would love to know more about his back story. The dual narrative is extremely effective and moves the story forward steadily adding to the emotional impact for the reader with the gradual merging of the two being executed skilfully.

Tom Palmer never shirks from telling children the truth about the complexities and the impact of war but he always describes it in a way that is appropriate for them to handle. He works with school children during the research for his books and takes into account their feedback and this thoughtful care ensures that his books are popular not only with adults who choose books for children, be that parents, librarians or teachers, but most importantly they are enjoyed by his intended audience. This is evidenced in his success in awards where titles are selected by both categories of readers; After the War longlisted for the Carnegie and D-Day Dog and Armistice Runner winners of the Children’s Book Award run by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. I would not be at all surprised to see Angel of Grasmere on awards lists in the future.

Historical fiction gives a voice to those who are no longer with us and when it is written for children it enables them to see people from the past as flesh and blood human beings just the same as people today. Tom Palmer’s meticulously researched historical fiction always respects both his subject and his young readers and in Angel of Grasmere he highlights both the strain for those left at home during war and the sometimes devasting effects of war on participants’ mental health. The sensitive handling of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the helpful notes included at the end of the book supporting this theme adds to the importance of this story in providing a slightly different look at a major historical event.

Last but not least, thanks to the wonderful team at Barrington Stoke this book is accessible for many readers including those who may be dyslexic. The cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole is stunning and there is also an illustrative border running through the book depicting the retreat at Dunkirk. The book is an excellent and attractive package giving it great shelf appeal in school libraries.

I have no doubt that some young readers will follow up one of the many possible lines of research prompted by this excellent book and this too is such a positive aspect of quality historical fiction. Tom Palmer and his wife Rebecca have produced an excellent range of resources and information on Tom’s comprehensive and helpful website.

Part of Tom Palmer’s meticulous research is his scrapbook that you can explore below. This is a fascinating insight and will I’m sure be useful and interesting to share with children expanding on their understanding of the work of an author, particularly those writing historical fiction. A big thank you to Tom for his generosity in providing this opportunity.

Angel of Grasmere: From Dunkirk to the Fells was published on 9th May by Barrington Stoke and I should like to thank Tom Palmer and the publishers for my review copy.

Please do follow the rest of the blog tour to find out more about Angel of Grasmere, Tom Palmer and the background to this thoughtful story.