The Skylarks' War: Winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award

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On either side of the line were the armies. Neither was winning, although not because they didn't try. [...] Absolutely ordinary people made considerable efforts to kill other absolutely ordinary people whom they had never even met. As one of our most celebrated birds, in literature, poetry, art and music, the Skylark hardly needs an introduction. There is good evidence to indicate that the most likely cause of declines in Skylark is agricultural intensification, specifically the change from spring to autumn sowing of cereals, which reduces the number of breeding attempts possible and may also reduce overwinter survival due to loss of winter stubbles. The Skylarks' War is a poignant narrative following the lives of Clarissa ( Clarry), her brother Peter and cousin Rupert. Growing up at a time when the world outside was amidst turmoil, the three and their friends build happy memories together that are at stake during the world war. The 'pity of war' that Owen once wrote about has been brought out once again from the perspective of a kids growing into adults. Although the book does get a bit draggy owing to the monotonous writing style, the plot has been executed brilliantly.

The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay | Goodreads

I think the fact that I went into this with such high expectations didn’t help either. I’d been hearing great things, only for my excitement to die down the more I continued to read. It’s not that there was anything wrong with it, or anything I hated outright. It was just too slow paced and I didn’t feel like much was happening to keep me invested, not even in the characters we spent so much time with. When the emotional moments came, I felt like I should be cheering or crying with them when in reality I just wanted to get to the end and skim read to it. The Skylark declined rapidly from the mid 1970s until the mid 1980s, when the rate of decline slowed. BBS data show further decline, with fluctuations in Scotland and Wales. The BBS map of change in relative density between 1994-96 and 2007-09 indicates that decrease was severe in Northern Ireland and eastern England but that numbers rose in Scotland during that period, especially in the northwest. There has been a decline across Europe since 1980 ( PECBMS: PECBMS 2020a>). The characters are heartbreakingly lovable. The gaggle of schoolboys, Simon, Peter and Rupert, who go from childish antics at boarding school to growing up to fight a war. Rupert, who for Clarry, epitomises Summer. The boys are unfailingly, unflinchingly /kind/ despite their boyhood, and you can feel how much Clarry loves them. Clarry herself is especially lovable, with her determination and stubbornness to not only be as kind as humanly possible, but to get an education and prove that "girls can do anything!" Vanessa, too, is brash and loud and ballsy, but ultimately determined to keep everyone's spirits up during wartime.I was determined not to re-read The Skylarks’ War before I read The Swallows’ Flight. Asequel has to stand on its own. I have to admit that the cast of characters baffled me at first. I longed for a family tree, and actually began to compile one, when I discovered one at the end of the book. It’s worth referring to till you get the different characters and their relationships sorted, and then the narrative bowls along. Clarry, Peter and Rupert are still there, as strong and lovable adults, but it’s not their story. My favourite character was Clarry because she was so kind and loving. I didn’t like the father because he was cold hearted. I learnt about the education at the time of the book. It was interesting because you could see the home life of citizens during the war. It was a realistic historical fiction book. The plot was gripping, heart-warming, and interesting. The connection the reader (me) made with Clarry really stood out. I loved it and would 100% recommend it.

The Skylarks’ War - Waterstones The Skylarks’ War - Waterstones

Away from the front, where the supply lines ran, there were rest camps and first aid stations, and even patches of farmland. Often at that time of year you could hear skylarks over the fields. Soldiers remarked how strange it was that the birds should be there, but in fact the birds had been there for centuries. This book is about a girl named Clarry and her friends. They’re living their lives until war hits them unexpectedly and everyone leaves and helps and Clarry’s world starts to crumble around her – but there is still some hope. Peter injures his leg when he is young, meaning he cannot enlist at the outbreak of war. He is studious, a fatherly figure for his younger sister, and is determined to do something for the war effort. Crowley points to one important line that he wrote: "Not all faggots bump themselves off at the end of the story." It's voiced by the character he based on himself. Skylarks are present throughout the year but most often detected in spring/summer when singing and in autumn during daytime visible migration; noticeably low recording during late summer moult.Which leaves Simon, Peter’s friend from boarding school who is different from most, and whose love for Rupert leaves him to enlist and follow him to the Western Front.