Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders

Congratulations to Wilkie Dickinson-Sparkes, aged 16, for his Young Critics award 2015-winning review. Kate Saunders’ Five Children on the Western Front, shortlisted for the Guardian children’s fiction prize 2015, is available from the Guardian bookshop. It is simple and fun enough for younger children to enjoy, and without too much violence, but also deep enough for a teenager or adult to enjoy. This jolly language also contrasts with the grim world war setting, bringing into stark relief the horror of the first world war. I'm not always keen on sequels of classics, but since I haven't read Nesbit's tale yet, I couldn't compare. I'm still surprised how much I loved this book. Nesbit's famous children's book Five Children and It. Along with Saunders’ gripping style the reader can empathise with the characters easily. Five Children on the Western Front is a delightful story inspired by E. The strange terminology almost forces the reader to take note of how positively the children feel about those characters, and this makes their emotions very easy to understand. Nesbit’s Five Children and It is an irresistible read for a. The language of the time (particularly the descriptions of various people as “A1 Bricks”) is all the more powerful for its unusualness to the modern ear. Five Children on the Western Front Kate Saunders. The children’s characters were brought to the forefront instead of just their reactions to the power the sand-fairy could give them. With the world war setting and such beloved characters for anyone who has read the first books, the reader is left waiting for Cyril’s next letter as expectantly as the Pembertons who are left behind. The description of this book as heart-wrenching is absolutely correct.

Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders