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Thoughtful, tender World War II story
Winner of the Books for Confident Readers and the overall Winner of the Children's Book Award 2020
Though the title refers directly to D-Day, and much of the action takes place on or near the D-Day beaches, Tom Palmer skilfully and thoughtfully enables readers to consider war in general, what it means to those involved – soldier and civilian – and even why it still goes on. Jack is excited about his school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. His father is a reservist and the two spend happy hours together re-enacting the Allies’ landing on Jack’s PlayStation. But a number of things come together to change Jack’s view of war, and his trip to France becomes a very different experience to the one he is anticipating at the book’s opening. Palmer introduces some complex ideas and emotions while ensuring that the book is accessible to all readers (in Barrington Stoke’s Conkers series it is written with reluctant and dyslexic readers in mind). His characters are always convincing and Jack’s reactions to the things he learns entirely credible. Compelling, thought-provoking, this is a very fine short novel.
On winning the Children's Book Award, Tom Palmer said ‘I am thrilled to win the Children's Book Award 2020! A massive thank you to the thousands of children who voted and to the Federation organisers. This prize celebrates writers writing and readers reading, and I am beyond delighted to receive it. Thank you. It is really important to me, when writing about history, to base my stories on real people and real events. I have learned that children are far more engaged with a book if the soldier (or dog) character really existed. I think the celebration and interest in Captain Tom Moore and other veterans we’ve seen in the D-Day 75th and other anniversaries bears this out. There is no need to make up inspiring figures like Glen the Paradog and Captain Tom - we have them in our midst and in our history, and we owe it to them to celebrate the strength and values that they represent, in turn to help us deal with our own challenges in 2020.’
Jack can't wait for the school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. It's his chance to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired - brave men like his dad, who is a reserve soldier. But when his dad is called up to action and things at home spiral out of control, everything Jack believes about war is thrown into question. Finding comfort only in the presence of his loyal dog, Finn, Jack is drawn to the heart-wrenching true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper. On 6 June 1944, Emile Corteil parachuted into France with his dog, Glen - and Jack is determined to discover their fate ...
Praise for Armistice Runner;
“Powerfully poignant ... not to be missed. If there is one WWI story you read this year let it be this one!” – The Reader Teacher
ISBN: 9781781128688
Publication date: 01/05/2019
Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd
Format: Paperback
| ISBN: | 9781781128688 |
| Publication date: | 1st May 2019 |
| Author: | Tom Palmer |
| Illustrator: | Tom Clohosy Cole |
| Publisher: | Barrington Stoke Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 208 pages |
| Suitable for: | 7+ readers, 9+ readers |
| Genres: | Adventure Stories, Historical Fiction, Warfare / Battles |
Tom Palmer credits articles about football with getting him into reading as a child. He travels all over the UK for events, performing his immensely popular rugby and football reading games to hundreds of children every week. He is the current Writer-in-Residence for the RAF Museums. Tom is also working with the National Literacy Trust on a very high profile football and reading project during the Euro 2016 football tournament.
More About Tom Palmer
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