Hilary McKay is a truly excellent writer for older children. ‘The Swallow’s Flight’ is her Costa award-winning title ‘The Skylark’s War’ – a beautiful story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the harsh backdrop of World War One. I have the whole of Chapter Five to share with you, so make sure you download the pdf to have a read and immerse yourself in a pre-war Europe, with conflict on the horizon for the second time in just a few, short decades.

‘Erik and Hans are German boys. Ruby and Kate are English girls. They grow up in worlds that would never meet, until war tumbles their lives together.

Then one September afternoon there are choices to be made.

How is courage lost, and found?
Who is really the enemy?
And what does friendship truly mean, in the middle of a war?
Meanwhile Rupert and Clarry work secretly for peace – and a brighter future for them all . . .’

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Alright. Are you ready for a sneaky peek at Chapter 5? Download the pdf to have a read. You are in for a treat!

What beautiful writing! I can’t help but wonder what has happened to make Fraulien Trisk so cross all the time. There are little glimmers of warmth hidden under the surface – she did make Erik those mittens after all. If you want to find out, you’ll either have to buy yourself a copy of head to Twitter to win yourself ones of the five copies I’m giving away.

Library Girl.

*Many thanks to Macmillan’s Children’s Books for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*