*did I re-read with my 9 year old and it was fantastic*
Oh, this was a wonderful book! Ada and her brother Jamie are evacuated from London at the start of WWII, and in the process, escape an abusive relationship with their mother. This was ROUGH to read at times, as one would expect with a WWII novel (which is why I have a one or two a year limit). However, the parts that were difficult center around Ada's struggles with a normal maternal relationship and my heart was in my throat for much of the story. Not only did my heart go out to Ada, but I thought that her and her brother's caregiver, Susan, was a perfectly nuanced and deftly developed character that added many layers to the book. I am so glad I finally read this one in my effort to delve into more Newberry honor books. It's heartbreaking but, ultimately, hopeful. And there's a SEQUEL, The War I Finally Won, coming out this fall!
(For more reviews and bookish musings: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/)