Author:Christa Laird
An escape route through the sewers of Warsaw Ghetto has led Misha to the partisans on the other side of the wall. Yet as he tried to cheat and beat the Nazi regime, he finds his nerve-racking new existence spiked with as much fear and danger as the past. Misha is playing a deadly game, but the prize is his life...
This story is a true page-turner and is a wonderful way for modern teenagers to learn about what life was like in a Europe torn apart by war and conquered by a brutal dictatorship.
—— The Historical Novel10/10
—— Nayu's Reading Corner blogGritty novella about tough lives in tough neighbourhoods at tough economic times. Short, sharp and punchy, it has moments of savage humour and pure pathos. There's poetry in every life - even when it's seeped in violence.
—— bookbag.co.ukAn impressive and heartwarming story of fraternal and familial bonding.
—— The Irish TimesThe novel is [...] a knockout
—— The Irish TimesJohn Boyne is clearly unafraid to tackle the big subjects in his fiction for children . . . A good, solid, engaging read
—— Tony Bradman , GuardianWonderful . . . One of the best books of the year. An instant classic
—— Eoin ColferLeaves the reader with a greater sense of how war changes people and their communities, and reminds us that sometimes, the ordinary acts of courage that get a child and his family through each day are as valuable, rare and life-changing as any along the front. Alfie inspires us to be more courageous than we’re used to and to do right by others even when the world is tense around us
—— Oprah MagazineA beautifully paced and touching tale
—— Mail on Sunday