Friends at War - Tapa blanda

This thought-provoking book is set in the summer of 1940 in a village near Swansea. We are taken into three main homes: the drab house of Rob Prosser who lives with his mum and nan while his dad, a sailor, is missing in action; another is the colourful living area of the shop where Freddo and Aldo Moretti live with their mamma while their pappa has been sent far away as an internee; and finally the homely farmstead of Lizzie Morgan who has returned after a spell in service in London to help her father, while he struggles to work the family farm with only the help of a few hardworking misfits. Against the backdrop of war on the home front, with air raids on the docks, Anderson Shelters dug in back gardens, evacuees from the cities and even prisoners of war, everyday life goes on. The typical village characters: gossips, bullies and nosey neighbours are still the ones who cause the usual problems for everyone. The significance of the books title becomes obvious as different friendships are explored with humour and compassion, the most complex being that of Kristof, an enemy pilot, who is befriended by the Moretti boys after he mends their broken Pinocchio doll. Rob falls out of friendship with them, only to restore the connection when he has realised the enduring importance of their special bond. The lively pace of the narrative is enhanced by vivid descriptions, dialogue and some jaunty dialect. What an entertaining and thoroughly accessible way to learn about the lives of some unique communities in wartime Wales. Hilary Cooper It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council

This full-length novel contains the heart-warming story of two boys, Aldo and Freddo, whose Italian father is on the Arandora Star when she's torpedoed. Their best friend Robert finds his loyalty tested when a German prisoner-of-war, helps them restore a broken Pinocchio, a family heirloom belonging to their dad. Robert, doesn't know why he's reacting so badly. Is it because he's jealous of the growing closeness between Kristof and his best friends? Or is it because he's worried about his own father, who's missing after a fierce naval battle with the Germans off the coast of Norway?