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Children's reading lists

The best father figures in children’s literature

A black and white photo of author Michelle Magorian alongside the 40th anniversary edition of Goodnight Mister Tom on a red background

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Features

Michelle Magorian on the writing process behind Goodnight Mister Tom

Goodnight Mister Tom

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child. 
 
 Tom tucked a blanket round him, drew up a chair by the fire and watched Willie fall asleep. The tales he had heard about evacuees didn't seem to fit Willie. 'Ungrateful' and 'wild' were the adjectives he had heard used, or just plain 'homesick'. He was quite unprepared for this timid, sickly little specimen. 
 
Britain, 1940. With World War Two raging all around, young children are being sent from their homes in the city to the countryside for safety. When eight-year-old Willie Beech first arrives on Tom Oakley's doorstep, neither are quite sure what to make of each another. 
 
Brought up in terrible poverty, Willie is terribly shy, and totally unprepared for village life - but the gruff-but-gentle 'Mister Tom' quickly takes him under his wing. Neither he nor Willie could ever have predicted the journey they will go on together - nor the unbreakable bond that will be formed. 
 
Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award, and rightly hailed as a true classic of children's literature, Goodnight Mister Tom is a beautifully told, deeply moving story about the power of friendship, kindness, hope - and love. 
 
'Everyone's idea of a smash-hit novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions' - Guardian

Everyone's idea of a smash-hit first novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions

By the time MICHELLE MAGORIAN was eleven she had decided that the perfect life would be to spend half the year acting and the other half writing. After attending the Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance and Marcel Marceau's L'École Internationale de Mime in Paris, she wrote between acting jobs and on Sundays when rehearsing and performing musicals and plays six days and six nights a week (as Mikki Magorian). In her twenties she became interested in children's books and began writing Goodnight Mister Tom - a winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the International Reading Association Award. The musical version (composer Gary Carpenter) was a winner at the 1992 Quest Fest for New Musicals at Buxton Opera House. It has been adapted for television by Brian Finch and as a play by David Wood, broadcast as a radio series in Sweden and Norway, and been optioned by Gaumont for television. Michelle has written the book and lyrics for three more musicals and eight other novels, including award-winning Back Home and Just Henry, which won the Costa Award. She has recorded Back Home and A Little Love Song on Audible. Other audiobooks include Just Henry, read by the actor Richard Mitchley; and Goodnight Mister Tom, read by Christopher Saul for the RNIB (full version), and an abridged version read by Patrick Malahide. Michelle has a postgraduate certificate in Film Studies (London University/BFI), was awarded an honorary doctorate by Portsmouth University in 2007 and has been made a fellow by Rose Bruford College.

The 40th anniversary of one of the best-loved stories set during the Second World War. 
 
Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian is the unforgettable story of young Willie Beech, evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the unlikely care of grumpy old Tom Oakley. But then his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother to return to London. As the weeks pass by Tom begins to worry when William doesn't answer his letters, so he goes to London to find him, and there makes a terrible discovery. 
 
Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

A modern classic, now available as digital download!

Penguin presents, the downloadable audiobook edition of Goodnight Mr Tom, read by Patrick Malahide. 
 
Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of WW2. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London... 
 
Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

Michelle Magorian was originally an actress. While acting, she worked on stories and ended up writing the award-winning Goodnight Mr Tom. She has written further novels, poetry collections, short stories and picture books. Michelle lives in London and continues to act and write.

Back Home

In Back Home, Michelle Magorian, author of the bestselller Goodnight Mister Tom, tells the powerful and unforgettable story of Rusty, returning to England after being evacuated to America for five years in the Second World War. 
 
After five happy years in America, Rusty must return to England: the place she used to call home. 
But it doesn't fell like home. Rusty's mother is like a stranger, her little brother doesn't know her and why does the food taste so bad? Rusty just can't get used to the rigid rules and rationing and her strict new boarding school. 
 
Lonely and homesick, Rusty makes friends with Lance, another returned evacuee, and her indomitable spirit leads her into a dramatic and devastating rebellion. . . 
 
Guardian Children's Fiction award-winning Michelle Magorian is the author of the iconic war-time children's book, Goodnight Mister Tom. 
 
Also by Michelle Magorian: 
Goodnight Mister Tom; Back Home; Waiting for my Shorts to Dry; Who's Going to take Care of Me?; Orange Paw Marks; A Little Love Song; In Deep Water; Jump; A Cuckoo in the Nest; A Spoonful of Jam; Be Yourself; Just Henry

It's 1945. World War II has just ended and twelve-year-old Rusty comes back home to Britain after being evacuated to the US. The greyness and bleakness of life in England is a shock, but even worse is adapting to the strict discipline of her family, including a brother she's never met, after the warmth and openness of her adopted American family. Rusty is sent to an horrific boarding school, before finally running away as her search for happiness becomes more and more desperate.

Michelle Magorian

A brilliant story of how love defeats fear

Everyone's idea of a smash hit first novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions

Escape into this stunning Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of Goodnight Mr Tom. 
 
‘I'd rather be happy and odd than miserable and ordinary.’ 
 
Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the countryside as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London. 
 
Gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin’s stunning Clothbound Classics. Bound in high-quality cloth with dazzling new foil-stamped designs, these coveted and highly collectable hardback editions will be treasured forever. The perfect gift for book lovers and new readers alike.

Michelle Magorian

Praise for Goodnight Mister Tom

A brilliant story of how love defeats fear

Everyone's idea of a smash hit first novel: full-blown characters to love and hate, moments of grief and joy, and a marvellous story that knows just how to grab the emotions

Books by Michelle Magorian

Articles featuring Michelle Magorian

The best father figures in children’s literature

Michelle Magorian on the writing process behind Goodnight Mister Tom

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