Children’s books
This simple beginning will immediately click with three to six year olds. Just as Emily and Stanley are about to set off in their spaceship from the kitchen a member of Queen Gloriana’s soldiers comes knocking at the door with presents from the Queen in exchange for Emily¹s rabbit. But feisty Emily is not impressed and dismisses him. Thus begins the pursuit, as all the Queen¹s men set out with Age 3+
This continues the story of Poppy who has volunteered for nursing duty near the front line in 1915. Her career is fraught with dangers and she encounters many unexpected obstacles, not least the attitude of some superiors who look on the volunteer nurses as little more than a distraction. Poppy is also mourning the end of her relationship with the son of the big house where she used to work in service.
Her fortitude and bravery shine through and she makes friends with some American nurses as well as being popular with the orderlies and doctors. Her life is complicated by worrying about her brother Billy who had self-harmed in a vain attempt to escape the horror of the front-line, and she also worries about her own family who are struggling to cope in her absence. The novel does not shirk from describing the inhumanity of the war and the injuries suffered by the allied soldiers; indeed the multitude of historical details lend authenticity to part two of Poppy’s story. Age 12+
In the Classics Unfolded Series this presents the story in a concertina format of 14 scenes illustrated by Yelena Bryksenkova. It includes a quick summary of the story, most of the main characters and events, and should prove a tempting taster to encourage young readers to seek out the original. Age 7+
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