First published 2019
Ada and her younger brother Jamie have been evacuated from London to Lady Thornton's countryside estate while World War II rages on. The siblings receive devastating news that their mother has been killed in a bombing at the munitions factory where she worked. Ada must undergo surgery to repair her clubfoot, a condition that has plagued her throughout her young life. Despite these hardships, she finds comfort and joy in riding Butter, her beloved pony. As Ada navigates the physical pain of her operation and the emotional weight of losing her mother, she must learn to build a new life in the countryside. The war continues around them, but Ada discovers that her personal battles require just as much courage. This story follows Ada's journey as she learns what it means to truly win the wars that matter most.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, world-war-ii, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-adversity
Setting: London, Countryside
Period: World War II
295 pages · Hardcover · Callenbach
Content warnings: war