I read a couple fewer books than last year (47, I think.) As usual, the vast majority were by women and new to me. Most of the children’s books I read were of a higher standard than last year, probably because I’d bought them online (mainly in 2021-22) with greater intentionality than when I physically went into charity shops or second-hand bookshops.

I only read one book by any of the big four, ( Read more... )

The Skylarks’ War: Hilary McKay. Macmillan Children‘s Books, 2018

I’ll start this review by discussing preconceptions, or, less pretentiously, admit that for some reason I thought this book was set during the second world war. I didn’t really look at it when I snapped it up in a charity shop (way back when) as it had been so widely lauded. It was only upon opening it up to read it that I realised my mistake. And, of course, it was suitably published a century after the end of the first world war.

( This review refers to some details from the end of the book. )