Evacuees are a rich source for children’s adventure stories, examples include Michelle Magorian’s classic Goodnight Mister Tom, and Jacqueline Wilson’s more recent Wave Me Goodbye. Lesley Parr’s story of evacuees is rich in atmosphere and a sense of place, and uses its wartime setting to explore themes of community, understanding and self-forgiveness. Along with other children at their school, Jimmy and his little brother Ronnie have been sent hundreds of miles away from London to the safety of a small mining town in South Wales, and it couldn’t be further from what they know. Jimmy is determined they won’t stay long, and that the place won’t change him, even as it’s transforming his classmates: Florence Campbell for example, who is free to become someone else, far away from her abusive family. The village has its secrets though, and the discovery of a set of bones in a tree leads Jimmy to solve a decades old mystery and, in the process, to help those living with loss and guilt. The place and its people are carefully and skilfully evoked, with the adults, particularly Jimmy and Ronnie’s new ‘family’ of Aunty Gwen and Uncle Alun the miner, likely to be as fascinating to readers as the younger protagonists. The mystery will certainly keep readers gripped but it’s the characters and the place that will stay with them. This beautiful book, reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five stories and Michelle Magorian's Goodnight Mister Tom, explores so many heartfelt themes in its short chapters; the bond between Jimmy and his little brother, the kindness of strangers, and the amazing things that can happen when we take the time to really see somebody – even if everybody else looks straight through them. Lesley Parr perfectly captures the fear and defensiveness of Jimmy, a young boy thrown into a new world but knowing that he must take care of his brother at any cost. The mystery of the skull has a brilliant pay-off, and there are enough red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing until the very end. But she keeps on smiling, eyeing my tag. ‘And you’re a Travers too. Ronnie’s brother, is it? So are you a James or a Jimmy?’

The Valley of Lost Secrets - ReadingZone The Valley of Lost Secrets - ReadingZone

The room is massive, much bigger than our school hall. It’s all dark timber, polished up till it shines. There are steps and a raised platform at the far end, a bit like a stage. The room’s bursting with people all staring and muttering; surely they can’t all want an evacuee? Some must be here to gawp. They sit in rows in front of the platform and, as we walk past them to the raised bit, I can feel the place swallowing us up – my little brother, all the others and me. CHAPTER TWO SCARED CITY RABBITS I have the Joneses …’ Mr Bevan says. Quite a few people stand up and Mr Bevan laughs but I don’t get why it’s funny. He carries on, ‘I mean Ralph and Megan … those Joneses.’ Lesley Parr grew up in South Wales and now lives in England with her husband. She shares her time between writing stories, teaching at a primary school and tutoring adults. Apart from books, rugby union is her favourite thing in the world, especially if Wales are winning. Lesley graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University's MA in Writing for Young People. A mesmerising mystery about bravery and brotherhood in the Second World War, from an outstanding new voice.All the side characters were so expressive and wholesome - I felt like I really knew them in such a short time, and even within a short story their dynamic was alive with energy. Ronnie may be a child, but he understood things better than most grown-ups; I loved how brave he was and the lovely acceptance he had for his new place that he called home with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas - their caregivers, who brought enough emotional depth to their lives that really enriched the story for me, too. And yes, Florence - with a right hook like hers and a mouth just as relentless and fearless, I loved her fighting spirit and drive to be different than the harsh cruel life she left behind. 🥰 The way Jimmy treats Ronnie is both caring and frustrating; he is very protective of his younger brother, but he also doesn’t like the way Ronnie seems to immediately adapt to the change, and this means he sometimes lashes out. Although his behaviour is sometimes upsetting, both to Ronnie and to Gwen and Alun Thomas who take them in, Parr writes Jimmy in a very sympathetic way meaning that his change in attitude, when it comes, feels natural.

The Valley of Lost Secrets - Bloomsbury Publishing

I glance at the sign again. It doesn’t look like it says what he just said. Ronnie’s copying him, screwing up his face, trying to make his mouth fit around the letters. The pacing of the story is good. The author cleverly dropped clues along the way. She also gave a very good insight into what it was like to be evacuated to a new place during that era. There isn’t as much sky as I thought there’d be. And what I can see is clear and blue, not the never-ending rain clouds we were told we’d get in Wales. Shortlisted for The Branford Boase Award 2022 | Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2022 ages 7-10 | January 2021 Debut of the Month Jimmy calls her Miss Badhew,’ Ronnie says, ‘because she isn’t nice, so she can’t be a good hew, can she?’This appealing book is about losses healed, lies uncovered, cruelty defeated and goodness rewarded’ The Sunday Times Loved this story set in Wales during WW2. A mystery to solve whilst seeing friendships develop. My favourite character was Florence - her experiences really shaped her personality.

The Valley of Lost Secrets - Bloomsbury Publishing The Valley of Lost Secrets - Bloomsbury Publishing

Parr’s accessible writing and engaging plot is very much aimed at modern pre-teens. It teeters thrillingly on the edge of scary, and covers serious topics like relationships, bullies, prejudices and religion without sounding preachy’ Bristol Post Ronnie tightens his grip on my hand and I know he’s thinking about his Dinky van again. Those men – whoever they are – had better be careful with his case. If he loses that van, he won’t stop crying till the end of the war. Our other main character is Florence, a classmate of Jimmy’s and fellow evacuee. Without spoiling too much, it is obvious that Florence has an unhappy home life, but in Llanbryn she thrives. Although this annoys Jimmy at first, given his own level of discomfort, they form an unlikely friendship that help gives him a sense of perspective. Florence is a great example of how someone can really come into their own when given the chance – I think she was probably my favourite character! Ronnie is a sweet young boy who, although he may sometimes slip up, obviously looks up to his brother immensely. He doesn’t fully understand the enormity of the situation, which makes it easier for him to adjust. He knows how to wind his brother up, and although he admires Jimmy, he also shows his own strength of character – one scene in particular springs to mind, which I won’t spoil, but you’ll see what I mean once you’ve read it! As Natty tries to keep a secret and unravel a mystery, she finds her own way to fight for what she believes in – and learns that some things should never be forgotten …Evocative and heartfelt, The Valley of Lost Secrets already reads like a classic. A celebration of kindness and friendship at a time of upheaval, it's gripping, heart-breaking and yet full of hope. I loved it with all my heart