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.