Independent reader level: Age 9+

Awards:
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

This is a wonderfully written book that will have you immersed by the end of the first chapter. Vivid descriptions and characters you just feel a part of the story. ( )

Wow... storia commovente e delicata, forse non epica, ma certamente scritta bene e coinvolgente.
Qualcuno potrebbe obiettare che si tratta di una storia buonista, troppo piena di buoni sentimenti a buon mercato, ma io l'ho letta davvero con piacere e lo rifarei subito.

Il libro racconta la storia di due debolezze che insieme diventano una grande forza e si aiutano a vicenda a superare i dolori e i dispiaceri della vita.
Da una parte un burbero vedovo che si isola da tutto e da tutti come un eremita fuori dalla società, incapace di lasciarsi alle spalle il suo lutto; dall'altra un ragazzino maltrattato ed abusato che non conosce il significato della parola "felicità" perché non l'ha mai provata nella sua vita.

E forse quel burbero vedovo e quel ragazzino triste avevano solo bisogno di incontrarsi per dare una svolta e un significato alle proprie vite ed è quello che accade a partire dal 1939 nella campagna intorno a Londra, dove i ragazzini della capitale venivano sfollati e affidati temporaneamente agli abitanti dei villaggi per salvarli dai bombardamenti nazisti sulla città.

Ma è anche un libro che racconta di un'amicizia adolescenziale, quell'amicizia vera e totalizzante, per quanto infantile o forse proprio per questo, che lascia segni profondi nell'anima dei protagonisti.
Dovendola definire, direi che è una storia di rinascita e di speranza e credo che sia impossibile non empatizzare con i personaggi di questo libro, a meno di avere un cuore di pietra.

Confesso che ultimamente sono un po' troppo propenso alle lacrime, ma non so proprio come si possa leggere questo libro senza versarne qualcuna (siete avvisati).
Però leggetelo, fa bene al cuore ( )

The enduring memory is of William starved, abused, and lying in his excrement in the closet with his baby sister in his arms. If Tom had not arrived in the nick of time, William would have died. He is almost there by divine intervention. Labeled as a children's or young adult's book but worth a read by anyone. ( )

I read this book for the first time when I was in Form 3 at school. It was part of our curriculum, and the book stayed with me for a very long time after reading it for the first time. I think it was the first book I read that depicted child abuse in writing, that didn’t shy away from difficult topics. It probably introduced me to a world of more adult fiction, even though it was essentially a book written for children. The fact that the book plays with reality so well really has helped it leave a special place in my heart, not least because it was also probably the first book I ever enjoyed studying while reading.
Goodnight Mister Tom is about the unlikely friendship, bond and love that forms between a wizened, bitter old man who lives in the country, and the little boy from London who is evacuated and brought to live with him. Tom, a man who has become embittered with age, especially after the death of his wife and baby boy, reluctantly takes upon the responsibility of looking after Willie, but very quickly realizes that the boy has never known a loving relationship from a parent, and soon starts to open up and become warmer to people in general while showing Willie what true paternal love is.
The book deals with so many different themes – war, death, the love between family members, chosen family, loss, change, child abuse, puberty, education. The list goes on and on. The book manages to fit so many different topics in without feeling like it’s trying to be preachy or trying to make a statement. It is a book that is, quite simply, explaining the reality of a situation in a small village during World War Two, with the addition of a wonderful cast of characters that really lend themselves to the story.
I don’t want to spoil how the story plays out, or how it tears at your heartstrings in ways that you didn’t think possible. I will say that it is a happy ending, and it is a wonderful book for people of all ages to read. It is, actually, a wonderful book for children aged twelve and up, children who can identify with the main characters and who are probably learning about the world wars in their history classes at school. If anybody is curious about war fiction and doesn’t know where to start, this book is probably a very safe bet.
Final rating: 5/5 stars. A wonderful read and a nice quick one too (I recall finishing it in about two days). ( )