When the Sky Falls

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Oh wow! When the Sky Falls is the most emotional and exciting middle grade book that I have read this year! Take a moment to look at the front cover more closely. A fabulous illustration that gives you a peek at what lies inside that cover When the Sky Falls took into a part of WW2 that I haven't previously read about. We have read stories about life on the home front but this is a new angle looking at the struggles of a city zoo. A wonderful story of hurt, kindness, and what it means to be human in an inhumane world.” - The Times of London, Children's Book of the Year

When the Sky Falls is a historical fiction middle-grade novel based on a true story. As the war raged around the characters their strengths and weaknesses are brought to the forefront. Joseph is struggling with his life and he reacts the only way he knows by pushing people away and causing mayhem. Mrs F is a stubborn but fair woman who is trying to save her family’s zoo and keep Joseph safe and show him in her own way how to survive. From acclaimed author Phil Earle comes a touching historical fiction story of how a boy and a gorilla find redemption in each other amid the toughest of circumstances.Extremely fun and engaging unit of work based on this fantastic new Carnegie award shortlisted book! https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/letters-from-the-lighthouse-literacy-reading-writing-and-history-unit-12727046 This masterful study in loss and redemption is a book strongly influenced by "Kes" and "The Machine Gunners" (I love the little knowing nod to the latter), but the style is all Earle's own, and it ends up sitting proudly by those two fore-runners, as an equal. It will make you weep more than once, and you're going to be biting your nails as it draws towards the climax, but ultimately it's a work that will make your heart sing. Joseph has anger issues, and that is evident from the very onset. But then again, so does Adonis, but for very different reasons. Joseph's situation is particularly poignant, and the author has got it nailed to a tee. Joseph is like a beast trapped in a cage, restricted in his movements, rejected by those around him and ridiculed by his peers. Feeling unloved, unwanted and useless.

No wonder he is angry! Bombs are raining down on the city that Joseph is sent to as an evacuee. And anyway, who came up with the stupid idea that he should live with Mrs F. who doesn’t even like children! He knows he should just run away but where would he go? This is a beautifully written story of Joseph finding his forever home in the confusion and chaos of the Second World War. Abandoned by his mother, with his father fighting in France, Joseph is in constant trouble. So his grandmother sends him away to London to the care of Mrs F, or Mags to her friends. Joseph has little choice but to stay despite it being clear that Mrs F doesn’t like him or want him around. I think the novel would have benefitted from a few more external prompts and events occuring - a letter from Jospeh's father, a visit to Syd's house, that sort of thing. Moments that would help turn inert ideas into narrative, that would show us firsthand things we need to care about.I wish the zoo was maybe further explored in this book -although the description was great I felt more of an atmosphere could’ve been created - the past glories of the zoo further delved into. The ending was a little abrupt but I guess it was fitting as the bombs were abrupt and it shows how life can be taken in a matter of seconds.

Joseph's problems become a little clearer as the book progresses. It seemed that he had dyslexia (known as word blindness till the 1960s) and had been all his life. If only it had been diagnosed sooner, he might have suffered less bullying and had a better temperament. But his teachers were ignorant, and his classmates were ruthless.

The book made me research things I have never questioned before, and some of the answers were upsetting and gave way to a certain amount of anger, to say the least. A boy and a gorilla create an unbelievable bond in this powerful WWII tale for young readers, for fans of Alan Gratz and Michael Morpugo.