Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award

The story of young Willie Beech, 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 Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London.

As time goes by Tom begins to worry when Willie doesn't answer his letters, so he goes to London to find him, and there makes a terrible discovery.

Also by Michelle Magorian:

Back Home; Waiting for my Shorts to Dry; Who's Going to take Care of Me?; Orange Paw Marks; A Little Love Song; In Deep Water; Jump; A Cuckoo in the Nest; A Spoonful of Jam; Be Yourself; Just Henry

Keep coming back over the next few months because we'll be uploading friends old and new. A Puffin Book:

GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM and BACK HOME by Michelle Magorian

CHARLOTTE'S WEB, STUART LITTLE and THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN by E. B. White

THE BORROWERS by Mary Norton

STIG OF THE DUMP by Clive King

ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred D. Taylor

A DOG SO SMALL by Philippa Pearce

GOBBOLINO by Ursula Moray Williams

CARRIE'S WAR by Nina Bawden

MRS FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH by Richard C O'Brien

A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L'Engle

THE CAY by Theodore Taylor

TARKA THE OTTER by Henry Williamson

WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams

SMITH by Leon Garfield

THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael Ende

ANNIE by Thomas Meehan

THE FAMILY FROM ONE END STREET by Eve Garnett