I have often gazed in delight and wonder into the window of
the fabulous James Smith & Sons Umbrella shop in London. I even own a
painting of it, so imagine my delight to discover a story that begins inside
the shop and is about Pip the mouse who lives there with her family snuggled up
inside the beautiful Hanway umbrella. Pip
lives there with her parents unseen by the owners but Pip has met Peter their
son and he will keep silent about their presence. One day Pip hopes to travel
to Gignese in Italy, her mother’s home, and where the only umbrella museum in
the world is to be found.
The story is set in 1944 during the Second World War and
London is facing the Blitz. The shop is bombed and poor Pip is orphaned and made
homeless in one cruel fell swoop. She is saved by the wonderful search and
rescue terrier dog, Dickin. Pip’s first thought is to make her way to Gignese
but she finds herself involved with Noah’s Ark , a secret gang of animal
resistance fighters: ‘since the first
wars were fought among men , animals have been secretly helping war efforts in
ways humans would never believe, even if they saw it with their own eyes.’
What a wonderful premise this is because it allows the
reader to experience war in all its pain and hope, cruelty and humanity through
the prism of a mouse’s perspective. The animals explain things so well. Hans the German rat speaks about how he
realised his mistake in supporting the Nazis: ‘One night when I was taking potato peelings I had stolen from the camp
kitchen to give to inmates … I found Herr General and two more Goliath Rats
attacking a woman too weak to move from where she lay. A deadly fury stirred in
my heart and a bitter fight broke out.’
Pip travels to France where she works alongside the animals
fighting with the resistance and learns whom to trust and whom to fear. She
meets old friends and makes new ones. The story is full of facts and
information about the Second World War which will make it a useful addition to
a classroom library. Anna Fargher writes so vividly that at no time do you feel
that you are being ‘given facts.’ Sam Usher’s pen and ink illustrations add
energy and pace to the story whenever they appear on the page.
A heartfelt story of courage, friendship and hope, I cannot
wait to read the next instalment.
ISBN 13-926-1529003970
www.panmacmillan.com
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