Private Peaceful (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards))
I read this book once a year, usually around Armistice Day. It is absolutely heartbreaking, even now that I know how it ends. The first time I read this book, Tommo's situation only became clear towards the end of the novel, and when it did... I was gutted. The juxtaposition between Tommo's current predicament and his childhood with his brother Charlie is beautifully done. This book helped to make it clear to me just what World War I did to England and to villages across the UK. It would be an amazing supplement to lessons about WWI and how it changed the physical, social, and economic landscape of Europe.
) - Michael Morpurgo)
