Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Goodnight Mr Tom

By Michelle Magorian

I really enjoyed this and raced through it. Very touching (tears in my eyes several times) It did cross my mind that the pathos was piled on very thickly at times. I felt a certain predictability marred it slightly (typical for a children's book). As soon as Will expresses an interest in art we know he will be very talented. The children were perhaps too uniformly kind to one another. I still loved it though 8/10

A child's book but an adult story. It is well written although there were times when I wanted to skip over some of the endless outings. Nevertheless a satisfying story which tells of the growing friendship of two evacuees from very different backgrounds alongside the growing relationship between Tom and Will who learn to come to terms with their past history and find love and trust again. The characters are well portrayed. Touching, sometimes sad sometimes funny but altogether a very quick, simply told story 8/10

I liked the immediate scene setting which involves the reader with characters ,the village setting and the ambience pervading England at that period. A young reader would absorb the reality of early wartime as well as the even tenor of rural life without an overt try at social history by the writer. I think they would find unconventional Zach another refugee and the local school children to their liking and wouldn't fail to appreciate Tom the unshakable champion of vulnerable Will. The themes of dependability and growing affection would appeal to their sense of fair play. However many would be deeply upset by a brutal happening inflicted on Will as well as a late- story tragedy concerning best friend Zach. Adult readers will be captivated by the narrative but find the book too sentimental and the author too manipulative of her characters so that the strings show 8/10