Good Night, Mr. Tom

Omg, I bawled. Set in the English countryside before the onset of the blitz, this simple tale follows Willie, a young boy who is part of the flood of evacuee children sent out of London for their own safety. Willie has been terribly abused by his mother and unlike most kids, is not particularly sad about leaving home. His life doesn't even truly begin until he leaves London and enters the care of Mr. Tom, A grumpy old widower.

This is a good one.

War is imminent, and William, an eight-year-old boy, has been evacuated out of London, away from his life with a disturbed single mom, to stay with a reserved old man, Tom, in the country. William, Tom discovers, has been bullied at school, has never learned to read, and has been beaten by his mother. Tom, we learn, has lost his young wife and son early in his married life, and has never recovered, has retreated from life.

William needs Tom. Tom needs William. Both boy and man begin to bloom.

Then William's mom sends a message that the boy is needed back home.

This is one of my favorite kinds of stories, the story of redemption through the power of human care and concern. It's a beautiful story, full of joy and bits of sadness, too.

It's a 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.