Under a Fire-Red Sky

Gr 7 Up–Hope and friendship lend a prevailing light to the grimness shrouding England during the tumultuous Second World War. After evading the train evacuation to the English countryside in advance of the impending bombings, four unlikely teens form a friendship that stands in the face of war. Referring to themselves as the “Meridians,” the gang meets daily after lying about their whereabouts to parents or avoiding them all together. Together they engross themselves in history to stave off the present issues of war looming over them for as long as they can. Too young to enlist and too old to stand by idly, the teens use their strengths to become of service to their community. McCaughrean’s vivid prose transports readers into the harrowing scenes the foursome have no choice but to endure. Descriptions of WW II during the London Blitz are all-consuming, complete with heart-wrenching detail and loss. Strong character development among the four teens takes the story to a deep level as it transcends into a coming-of-age story where an enduring friendship casts a warm glow over an otherwise bleak situation.