Cuckoo Summer

Product Information

Despite the remoteness of the place, war has touched them is several ways and Tommy's dad is missing in action. The novel is centred around the friendship of two children living on neighbouring farms: Tommy, whose father is solider who is missing in action, and Sally, an evacuee from Tyneside.

Set in the Lake District in 1940 Cuckoo Summer is a beautiful novel of friendship, secrets, loyalty and childhood innocence, bringing to life both the people and the landscape of fells and tarns of the author’s beloved Lakeland. This one would work well in city schools because it shows a life completely different from the city and the many traditions which still occur - such as the sheep shearing. As well as being an important story, Cuckoo Summer is an ideal landscape for me; it’s a farm, it’s a community and it’s full of meadows and fells. Initially, the plot appears straightforward, but it is the relationship between Tommy and Sally which holds the magic to this story.

This is the start of an adventure that will colour the summer and bring the war right into their lives. There was just the right amount of choice to suit everyone without being overwhelming and I received comments from parents and staff about the quality of books offered compared to previous sales which have always been based around current crazes and well known celebrity authors.

However, they soon find that they are in danger too, and questions are being asked about Sally's past.It’s why Aunt Annie takes little notice of Mr Scarcross’s harsh words about his evacuee friend, Sally Smith. It was such a pleasure to meet you both, and I really appreciated how smoothly and professionally you ran everything. Wordsworth’s Daffodils is a fitting reference and motif, revealing Sally’s delight in the rural landscape around her. The remoteness of the setting and life in such a place brings a different element to the war stories.