This is actually a Puffin edition...

From the backcover: "Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakly—but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London…"

(Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award)

This book was sent to me as a suprise trade from Seanan, a new bookcrossing member. The surprise is that she got to pick the book to send to me and likewise I get to pick the book to send to her. Now I just have to decide what to send to her!

She didn't register it as she's waiting for the fancier labels to arrive. Here's the note that she sent with the book which I think should be included as the first journal entry.

Seanan writes: "I didn't meet this book until I moved to London. I'm an old fan of Mrs. Miniver (the film, which is set in London during the Blitz; I just discovered the book), and this is another window into the world of that time and place.

"I hope you enjoy it.

"My labels have yet to arrive, so this book is unnumbered. That would be a poor excuse to keep it from your shelf.

"Happy reading."

Still TBR but reserved for sunlightbub.

I think there is a kernal of a good story in this book but it is buried under repetitive and annoying language. I'm especially annoyed by the character Zach who apparently has nothing to say but "I say!" One could make a drinking game based on his dialogue.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing to sunlightbub.

There is a Tv adaptation of this staring John Thaw..it's actually on tomorrow! I found it quite moving, and thought I would enjoy the book more..Thanks for sending it on..Merry Christmas xx

I really enjoyed this and read it over 2 evenings. It brought tears to my eyes at least 3 times and I loved the relationships that William had with, Tom, Zach and Carrie.

Will try and find someone to send this onto as an RABCK

My mom passed this along to me because it was in a package she received. Thanks for the RABCK Sunny!! This is #49 on the BBC top 100, which is why it was on my list. It's interesting that there is a review really liking the book and one not so much.

Thanks again!

At the start of WWII, families in London sent their kids to the English countryside as evacuees to keep their children safe. William is one of the children that was placed in small country town of Little Weirwold with Tom and his dog Sammy. Will is timid and small, having been physically and verbally abused by his mom. Tom is a widower who lost both his wife and son many years ago. Tom helps strengthen Will with food and love and helps him learn to read and write. At the same time, Will helps Tom become less of a recluse and enjoy life a bit more.

This book is heartbreaking. Will is such an innocent kid but is so traumatized by his mother's treatment that it's impossible not to feel deeply saddened by his condition. Magorian did a fantastic job not only of showing how a child can overcome abuse but how a man can break out of his depression and learn to love a kid that just happened in to his life.

This book is with me :)

Good Night, Mister Tom is set during World War II. The story is about a grouchy old man (Tom Oakley) in the countryside who must take in an evacuee child (Willie Beech) from the city. Tom soon finds out that Willie is hiding the fact of his abusive relationship with his mother.

Tom is so gentle and understanding that Willie soons starts to thrive in his surroundings. But Willie gets a summons to return to London and his mother because she feels he is becoming corrupted.

Tom gets a feeling that all is not right and finds a nearly dead Willie who he takes home to the country to help him become a whole person.

This is a simple story told superbly well. Better break out the Kleenex for this one.

This book is back with me.

Sent along to bookczuk to help stock a bookcrossing zone!

Years ago, (in 2007 to be exact) we hosted a convention for BookCrossing here in Charleston, in the hotel almost directly across the street from where I now live. One of the first visitors I met the very first day was aceofhearts. We became good "bookfriends" and shared recommendations and thoughts back and forth. Now, 7 years later, I've been recruited to organize the library/reading room in our building and turned to BookCrossers for help filling the shelf. Received this book today from HoserLauren as a contribution to the book exchange shelves here at The Bristol, which is now, also, an UnofficialBCZ for BookCrossing. I see that it was once on my friend aceofheart's bookshelf. How nice to share titles once again. Thank you so much for sending this. It means a lot. Hello to the previous readers. Hope someone snaps this book from the UBCZ and keeps it travelling!

This one's been travelling for so long that I may just have to read it before sending it on to the UBCZ.

Simple. Sweet. A glimpse into a bygone time and ongoing problems.

(Read this when it came in and realized I forgot to journal, so am doing so now.)

To the finder of this book:

Welcome to BookCrossing, a unique community of book lovers, sharing their libraries with the world. This book is now yours to read, enjoy, keep or pass on to another reader. The BookCrossing ID, which you entered in the "Enter a BCID" box on the website, is unique to this copy of this book. If you make a journal entry (either anonymously, or as a BookCrossing member) all previous readers of this actual book will be notified by email, and can follow the book as it travels. BookCrossing is free to join, completely confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address) and a heck of a lot of fun. Be on the lookout for other books left in the "Wild"!

If you find yourself liking BookCrossing, there may be local BookCrossers who meet regularly in your area. Come join us! I've been a BookCrosser since 2003 and have found books left by others, discovered new authors to read, watched my books travel all over the world, and discovered a delightful group of readers online through BookCrossing.