A Place to Hang the Moon

What a read! This was phenomenal! It got a big book hug when I finished, & it left me with all the happy feels. I was 12% through this when I picked it up yesterday-then I finished the rest in 2 separate sittings yesterday. I didn’t want to put it down.These kids are each amazing in their own right. I loved the sibling dynamic in this story. As the oldest, William has had so much on his shoulders that no 12 year old should have to bear. My heart ached for all of them, but especially him. Mrs. Müller has my heart. What a classy, loving, amazing woman. My heart broke for her too for so many reasons. I absolutely loved that she was a librarian, & loved all of the cozy library scenes. I felt like I was curled up w/a book right along side them.This had amazing characters obviously lol, amazing historical detailing, a great plot, great character development, & amazing writing. This feels like an instant classic. I can see people 100 years from now still reading & talking about this like A Little Princess is. It FEELS like a loved classic already. Watching these kids go through what they do, how the story develops, & the ending-all done in such a way, & built up perfectly in a such a way, that you just become so invested & in love w/these characters & story.I’ve never rolled my eyes so hard as I did when a certain character worries if she will still be able to get French perfume when France falls to the Germans. Lol Even stuff like that added so much to the story. Ignorant people like that & the horrible people we encounter in the book really existed-not these literal people, but people LIKE them. Sad. These frightened kids evacuating & leaving their family & their homes..the way some people treated them & the things they said-makes me so angry. Or the ones that only cared about the payment they got for taking in evacuees. Ugh! The Ratting broke my heart in a million pieces-what a scene. Such a powerful 1 at that. I also love that the question is asked why so many authors write orphan stories, because I’ve always wondered too lol not that I’m complaining-they seem to be some of my favorites.There are many characters that could be seen as the “villains” to the story, but I don’t think you could have a story including WWII & not say Hitler is the real villain. Still infuriates me how some people were treated for simply being attached in some way to someone who happened to be German(not Nazi, just German), or were German but hadn’t been there or lived there in ages. Or even if they were from a country that fell to Germany they were treated like they were Nazis themselves. Ignorant & absurd! All of those poor people all affected by the war in horrible ways, & all so many different ways. From the horrific Holocaust itself all the way down to evacuated children, & all of the others in between the two.Anyway, the ending chapters til the end itself gave me such a warm happy feeling, I never wanted the book to end. I can’t recommend this enough. I think it hung the moon! I need more from this author! Absolutely beautiful cover by Jane Newland too! Stunning!💜

I enjoyed reading this book out loud to my daughter. The story really gives one a picture of what it must have felt like for English children who were evacuated to the country for safety purposes during World War II.The only criticism I have for the book is that there are some things that should have been explained to William, Edmund, and Anna, but were not. Although William, Edmund, and Anna are respectful children, the fact remains that they lived a somewhat privileged life in the city of London. The grandmother had plenty of money so that these three children never knew want when it came to physical things. They also went to boarding schools and received decent educations. It has been said that those in comfort are not able to sympathize with those in want, and I have to say that I believe this to be true. William, Edmund, and Anna were quite spoiled compared to what other children in England had. William and Edmund, in my view, tended to be sissies, having never had to go without their physical needs being met.I feel that Mrs. Griffith was put in an unfavorable light, without it ever being explained to the children why it was that she may have been that way. The librarian shed tears when she visited Mrs. Griffith's home to retrieve the children's things, because she felt so bad that William, Edmund, and Anna had to live there as foster children. She lamented that there was a "funk of sadness" about the place. But where were the tears shed for Mrs. Griffith and her children? Were there none for her? Did the librarian, William, Edmund, or Anna ever stop to reflect on why that "funk of sadness" may have been there in the first place?When people are impoverished and almost destitute, this changes them. It affects them emotionally and psychologically. They become hard and unhappy. We know that there was another side to Mrs. Griffith from a scene that takes place in the story, do we not? When the WVS held a clothing swap, and Mrs. Griffith was able to get new coats, shoes, and clothing for her children, she was filled with joy. In the book we read as follows: "Their grand shopping spree complete, Edmund, William, and Anna walked home with an ebullient Mrs. Griffith. She was so uncharacteristically joyful that she used some of the milk ration for a custard that night." What if this joy was not "uncharacteristic" in Mrs. Griffith at all? What if she possessed joy and happiness before her life became what it was due to poverty and hardship? As soon as she was able to get decent clothing for her children, we see her switching to joy. This tells me that when peoples' needs are met, and they are able to live comfortably in this world, most will be able to retain their joy and happiness in life. When the opposite happens, however, they become hardened and embittered, as Mrs. Griffith obviously was. The fault, therefore, does not lie so much with Mrs. Griffith as it does with her society's economic system that made it financially difficult for her and her household to comfortably exist. (And keep in mind, that her husband was earning a paycheck. He was fighting in the military!) There is something profoundly wrong when a man can work all day long, yet still not earn enough money to enable his wife and children to live comfortably.None of this was pointed out to the spoiled William, Edmund, or Anna. Mrs. Griffith was a "bad egg." Case closed. I made sure that while reading this story out loud to my daughter, I explained to her why Mrs. Griffith may have been the way she was. If she was able to experience joy simply by attending a clothing swap, then this tells me that, once upon a time, it had ALWAYS been there....until the society in which this woman lived constructed an economic system that ended up destroying it.

I enjoyed every minute of this audiobook, even the sad and angry places. Author Kate Albus’ written words and Polly Lee‘s narration perfectly placed me right there in the English countryside as the setting for this touching story.Three children, twice orphaned, and now evacuated from London with hundreds of other school children to live with strangers on farms in order to keep them safe from the Nazi bombings in London.William, Edmund and Anna hope to find a “forever family” who will eventually adopt them. But the pickings are mighty slim among those willing to take in and foster all three together. So, the children go from billet to billet (home to home), enduring nastiness, prejudice, and mistreatments, even though they are the most polite and willing of children.There is a secret that they must not tell anyone until they find that “for sure” family willing to do more than foster them. The solicitor in London advises them to tell no one about the estate they will eventually inherit for fear some might take them, out of greed.It’s a preposterous plan to find someone who will say “they hang the moon” and truly love them, but… well…it might just take shape in their situation when they are placed with a “most unsuitable” person because there is no one else.This is a truly sweet and feel-good story, that also shows the horrendous things that England endured in World War II, never giving up, and protecting the most precious of their assets. Super well-written and narrated.

There has been a burst of children's fiction about this particular moment in British history. This one is my favorite. I love that all three children are readers. The author has so many fantastic quotes about libraries, books, and readers. There is some violence (children fighting bullies, an adult hitting a child). I felt like it was a reasonable amount and helped to demonstrate the unsuitability of the potential families. My only complaint is that the girl was 9 years old, yet she acted more like a five year old (lots of crying, climbing up on her brother's lap).

We read this as a family read aloud and loved it! It not only held the attention of my 9 and 7 year old, but I very much enjoyed it as well. The book is beautifully written,with rich vocabulary, and navigates the tragedies and hardships of WWII in a way that is educational and truthful, but also somehow heartwarming. We will definitely be reading more from this author!

Sometimes with an author’s debut it can be hit or miss. This is a hit. I have diverse ages in my house from 8 to 17 years old, and we are all leaning into each understood, relatable, and well absorbed characters. My kids each have their favorite characters, and we are truly invested in their daily trials, whims, needs, wants, and ultimate wishes as these 3 lovable children not only navigate life as refugee orphans in World War II, but also their journey to find a forever home. And when I say relatable characters, I mean the author truly creates circumstances, dialogue, and environment with her thorough understanding of personalities within the sibling construct and humanity that one can relate even if never faced with displacement due to war or orphan hood, or death of loved ones. Empathy, compassion, and courage are assuredly themes, and though this book reveals the true hardships of war and difficulty, it is not too graphic or trauma induced to allow young readers to invest in. It’s a very good intro to this historical time period to give young children reference for what they will learn more of as they get older. Again, though this is true, it is still rich enough in character development for older readers to enjoy. (I also recommend reading with a British accent, if you don’t already have one. I might also mention I agree with another review that it needs a British editor to not necessarily correct misused words, but to replace some American terms with one’s truer to the characters’ upbringing. Lastly, one small ‘correction’ that might need to be made… Pinnochio never hit the British market (maybe world market) due to the war, and that’s probably why it did so poorly upon its debut - Random fact, but you’ll understand why I mention this, if you read the book. ;)

This is such a special, cozy, heartwarming, beautifully written book about a trio of orphaned siblings evacuated from London to the countryside during World War Two. They struggle through various billets in difficult and grim circumstances, and sometimes disagree, while never losing sight of their love and loyalty for each other. I just loved it, and I feel fortunate I got to read it before its release, and I eagerly look forward to having the gorgeous hardcover on my bookshelf.In the days since finishing it, I find my mind drifting back to it and wishing there was already a sequel. Among the many things I adored about it are the way the love of books is woven into the plot, theme, and the whole sensibility and ambiance of the novel (but never in a heavy handed way). As a kid, I definitely identified as a "bookworm" and often felt alone in that identity (hence my childhood adoration of Matilda). I would have absolutely *cherished* this book if I'd been able to read it back then!Two of my favorite quotes from the book:- “Their pages spoke of the past, a reminder that the battered old world had whirred for a very long time indeed, and that even this latest buffeting would likely be withstood.”- “The librarian took this all in, standing by the fire and observing the children for a while, letting the silence be. Somehow, it didn’t feel awkward, the way silences often do. Perhaps librarians are more used to quiet than most.”Albus has crafted a classic family read-aloud, and a book that lovers of endearing, character-driven historical fiction will want to return to again and again. A PLACE TO HANG THE MOON feels like an instant classic to join the venerable lineage of books like Noel Streatfeild’s BALLET SHOES, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A LITTLE PRINCESS, and even C.S. Lewis’s NARNIA (in spirit and sensibility, if not form). It’s just lovely. I highly recommend it for all kids and libraries. Do not miss this one!

I really enjoyed this book. The first part is quite sad. But, you’ll be glad you kept going as you read along. Some humor, thanks to Edmond, the middle child.I’m a grown-up, but am so glad I found this book.

Great book with sensitive, powerful character development and sprinkles of humour. Interesting use of the invisible narrator.

We are absolutely loving this book. We’re about half way through and my kids (12, 9, 7, 4) are completely delighted with it.The one criticism I have is that it really needed a British editor. It’s not too bad but so far we’ve had ‘custard cream cookies’, ‘fall’ (instead of autumn) and ‘diapers’. None of which a Brit would say. And it’s not just that it’s written for an American readership, we even had one of the British children using the word diaper in a sentence in the last chapter. It just jars and could have been easily fixed. So that’s a shame but the story more than makes up for these minor quibbles I have. It really is a lovely book. Very well written and my kids are so emotionally engaged with the children in the story.

Greaat book. Very touching.Recommended for people who has siblings

This is a warm story of three children yearning for a home filled with love. Kate is a beautiful storyteller. The book is like a journey, full of winding roads until you reach the happily ever after in the end. The strong love and sense of responsibility the three siblings shared with each other fueled my page turning and I was engrossed from start to finish.Down-to-earth, well written characters - I loved Kate’s descriptions. She painted a beautiful picture.Another delightful read, it needs to be on every single bookshelf. This is a gem.

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