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10th out of 55 books
—
19 voters
Carrie's War
by
Nina Bawden
Albert, Carrie and young Nick are war-time evacuees whose lives get so tangled up with the people they've come to live among that the war and their real families seem to belong to another world. Carrie and Nick are billeted in Wales with old Mr Evans, who is so mean and cold, and his timid mouse of a sister, Lou, who suddenly starts having secrets. Their friend Albert is l...more
170 pages
Published
(first published 1973)
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A girl called Carrie and her younger brother Nick are evacuated to the countryside, and whilst Nick is excited for the move, Carrie is more worried about the War and the distance from her parents. When they arrive to the countryside, they meet a woman who is nice to them, but she has a Brother called Mr Evans who is strict and looks to keep an eye on them. The man puts them to work in his corner shop and even his own sister is afraid of him. Whilst Carrie, her brother and friends enter a place c...more
This book is set within the Second World War and centres on Carrie and her brother Nick being evacuated to Wales from London.
We are told of Mr. Evans and his sister who own a shop and Carrie and Nick are sent to live with them, Mr. Evans is very strict and even his sister - Auntie Lou as she is referred to is fearful of him!
The book tells us of the adventures Carrie, Nick and another evacuee- Albert sandwich get up to in Druid's bottom, the curse of the skull which is locked in the library and w...more
We are told of Mr. Evans and his sister who own a shop and Carrie and Nick are sent to live with them, Mr. Evans is very strict and even his sister - Auntie Lou as she is referred to is fearful of him!
The book tells us of the adventures Carrie, Nick and another evacuee- Albert sandwich get up to in Druid's bottom, the curse of the skull which is locked in the library and w...more
Carrie’s War is a coming of age story with a twist. While visiting the small Welsh mining town where she was billeted during World War II, Carrie Willow, a 42 year old widow with four children, tells them the story of her evacuation. At the start of the war, Carrie, then 11 and her younger brother Nick, 9, were put on a train along with so many other school children, to escape the anticipated bombing of London by the Germans.
In Wales, they end up living with a bullying, miserly shopkeeper, Mr....more
In Wales, they end up living with a bullying, miserly shopkeeper, Mr....more
Reading this book was rather distracting, since some other English Lit student had helpfully annotated it before me. Comments like "she takes refuge in household tasks" and "here gender roles are reasserted" are rather irritating when you're trying to read a book as a child. Carrie's War is set during the World War, and contains little details that place it well in that time -- the gas masks, the trains, the rationing -- in a way that's pretty matter-of-fact. Not "ooh look at me I'm historical f...more
I remember having to read this in Primary School and loving every moment of it. We would always have reading sessions on the carpet and we would guess what would happen next and what the 'big secret' was that Carrie was running from throughout the novel. The setting was pretty convenient too as that year we had a major World War 2 assembly and all of our year dressed as evacuees (so much so that we ourselves felt 'labelled like parcels'). It was really pleasant to read something lively and enjoy...more
Carrie's War takes a different route to a World War Two story and focuses on the story of Carrie who has been evacuated along with her younger brother Nick. They arrive in a Welsh Mining Town after traveling from London 'labelled up like parcels'.
Carrie and Nick go to stay with siblings Mr Evans and Louise (Auntie Lou). As the children adjust to the strict rules of Mr Evans house they both fall in love with suppressed Auntie Lou, and whilst Nick hates Mr Evans Carrie begins to feel sorry for hi...more
Carrie and Nick go to stay with siblings Mr Evans and Louise (Auntie Lou). As the children adjust to the strict rules of Mr Evans house they both fall in love with suppressed Auntie Lou, and whilst Nick hates Mr Evans Carrie begins to feel sorry for hi...more
HAUNTED BY ADOLESCENT GUILT
Nina Bawden's 1973 YA story is related with the ring of an authentic WWII memory. One of several books to be inspired by the evacuation of hundreds of London children during the Blitz, Carrie's War appears at first glance to be the experiences of Carrie Willow and her younger brother, Nick, during the long separation from their mother (and father in the Navy). Their wartime odyssey takes them, along with many other evacuees, to a remote mining town in Wales, where the...more
Nina Bawden's 1973 YA story is related with the ring of an authentic WWII memory. One of several books to be inspired by the evacuation of hundreds of London children during the Blitz, Carrie's War appears at first glance to be the experiences of Carrie Willow and her younger brother, Nick, during the long separation from their mother (and father in the Navy). Their wartime odyssey takes them, along with many other evacuees, to a remote mining town in Wales, where the...more
Mar 07, 2009
Wayne
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all ages
Recommended to Wayne by:
a TV dramatisation in the 1970's
Shelves:
children-s-books,
re-reads
The magic names of characters and places in this book
- Mrs Gotobed, Albert Sandwich, Hepzibah Green, Mister Johnny, Druid's Bottom, Druid's Grove,
remain magic, even when you realise this is no Harry Potter.
Then there is mean Mr Evans, a bully and referred to as an Ogre, and his bullied younger sister, the mousey Auntie Lou, to whose Welsh home Carrie Willow and her younger brother Nick are evacuated to escape the German bombardment of London.
No magic here - dislocation,an unhappy household.
Nick...more
- Mrs Gotobed, Albert Sandwich, Hepzibah Green, Mister Johnny, Druid's Bottom, Druid's Grove,
remain magic, even when you realise this is no Harry Potter.
Then there is mean Mr Evans, a bully and referred to as an Ogre, and his bullied younger sister, the mousey Auntie Lou, to whose Welsh home Carrie Willow and her younger brother Nick are evacuated to escape the German bombardment of London.
No magic here - dislocation,an unhappy household.
Nick...more
I havent read this book in over 10 years but can remember how i felt after i read it. I felt sad for the most part. Nick and carrie find themselves away from their grounded life and mother when the war begins. They are evacued to a strange yet welcoming family who carrie betrays unknowingly causing disasterous consequences. Its a tragic story about the devastation that came with the war and i can still recall the feelings that stirred within me throughout the book. I really would love to read th...more
I read this book when I was very young, probably about eight years old. Then in Year Five in primary school the teacher read it to us. I was obsessed with this book, renting the audiobook from the library (even though I could read the book no problem) and watching the film nearly every weekend.
In secondary school we had to read it again and the teacher was so impressed about how much I knew about the novel. We used to have English on a Friday afternoon and my teacher would read the book aloud t...more
In secondary school we had to read it again and the teacher was so impressed about how much I knew about the novel. We used to have English on a Friday afternoon and my teacher would read the book aloud t...more
This is such an enjoyable and rather rich fictional account of evacuees in wartime. I loved the way in which Bawden hadn't dumbed down her vocabulary to suit her intended audience and thought the entire story was well plotted. I really enjoyed Bawden's writing style and can't wait to read more of her books. The narrative voice throughout worked well - it was chatty and jovial at times and I liked the way in which Bawden placed her focus upon Carrie throughout. The conversations between character...more
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Carrie's war is a very unique story as in it's not your usual everyday story that you see on somebody's shelf. I didn't discover the book until my headteacher told me and my three other friends to read it to help us extend our reading levels to level 6 (a really high level) I recommend this book to people who don't mind a very out of the way story. Despite my surprise of the book I was asked to read I read the book with an open mind. If I had to be honest the first few pages are very, very diffi...more
Carrie and her younger brother Nick were evacuated from London to a small mining village during the Second World War. The two youngsters are billeted with kind Miss Evans and her stern brother, who owns a food shop. They also become friends with another evacuee, Albert Sandwich and frequent his billet home, Druid's Bottom, where Mr and Miss Evan's older sister lives. She is an invalid and is looked after by a capable and kindly housekeeper, Hepzibah Green. Also living there is a disabled man Joh...more
Carrie and her brother Nick are evacuated to Wales during WWII, like many other children during that time. Carrie has meaningful experiences not with her foster home, but with the family of the sister to her foster dad. The story isn't simply a "war story"--it's much more than that. Much of what Carrie experiences with her new "families" cannot be fully understood or explained until she returns to the town as an adult. Carrie tells her children about her wartime experiences: "You don't change, y...more
I picked up this book at a second hand book store, and I remembered reading it at primary school and thought I would re-read it. Its a simply book, really, but a feel good one about the evacuation during the war, belonging, loss, love etc.
To me this was like the tea advert on British t.v, the one with johnny vegas and the monkey puppet. I definately felt like Johnny when reading this book, in the advert he comes in from outside, terrible weather, rain and wind and coming into a warm house, pour...more
To me this was like the tea advert on British t.v, the one with johnny vegas and the monkey puppet. I definately felt like Johnny when reading this book, in the advert he comes in from outside, terrible weather, rain and wind and coming into a warm house, pour...more
Another great book! I loved everything about this children's classic - the exotic names of the characters (Albert Sandwich who does not like any derivative of his name - so, no calling him Bertie, Jam/Jelly or Peanut Butter Sandwich; thank you! And, there is Mrs. Gotobed (that's the best one!), the magical realism in the story is quite believable, and the setting (Wales during WWII) all worked to win me over.
Here's a secret, too - this is way better than that old Harry Potter! I will be giving...more
Here's a secret, too - this is way better than that old Harry Potter! I will be giving...more
Have found all aspects of the World Wars fascinating since a project on the WWII in primary school. For a long time this was my very favourite book. It is about two young children: Carrie and Nick. The pair meet new friends in their new life in the countryside and with their adoptive family. There is a curse surrounding an old skull and in the course of the book Carrie fears that she has broken this. Interested to learn that Bawden was an evacuee during the war, had thought that this book was pu...more
In this children's novel -- considered to be a "classic" of WWII literature -- Carrie is one of the many children evacuated from the city to the country in World War II.
I had seen the play of this book some years ago, but I had forgotten how strange the story is. In some ways, the war is rather incidental; instead, the book tells the story of a small community of unusual and uncomfortably yoked-together characters. It is good, though, in showing the personal cost of of war in terms of shifting...more
I had seen the play of this book some years ago, but I had forgotten how strange the story is. In some ways, the war is rather incidental; instead, the book tells the story of a small community of unusual and uncomfortably yoked-together characters. It is good, though, in showing the personal cost of of war in terms of shifting...more
Was first introduced to this book in Junior school by our teacher who read it to us. As I gotolder I didn't like being read to, preferring instead to read books by myself, however I enjoyed Carrie's War so much that I've owned two copies since leaving junior school! Nina Bawden gives the reader a realistic idea of what it was like to be an evacuee during the war and inter-weaves a fantastic story with Carrie at the heart. When I qualify as a teacher this will be one of the books I will read to m...more
I found this copy on the fiction shelf of the library where I work and couldn't believe that someone was going to get rid of it. It's a classic. And I noticed a lot more things the second time around - her devotion to her brother Nick, her almost grown-up level of introspection. In quite the other side from Goodnight Mister Tom, it was another look at children being evacuated to the countryside. It's still excellent and I would recommened it to anyone of any age.
I remember reading this book when I was a little girl and loving it, I couldn't put it down then. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book again at 44 years old! It tells a story about evacuees, who were sent to rural Wales and their relationships with their foster family and the local people there. The characters are unforgettable and the story is original and heartwarming. A must-read for every child and adult.
This book was my introduction to World War II literature. Carrie and her brother are displaced during the war. They meet a cast of eccentric characters and are pulled into a very real ghost story and mystery. I read the book because the title contained my name, but I feel in love with the British countryside that is the setting and was chilled by the legend at the heart of the novel's mystery.
I bought the DVD before I read the book. Both were well done.
It's the middle of WWII. Carrie and her brother, Nick, are sent by train to Wales along with a load of other schoolchildren. This was a common occurrence during the war, and strangers would open their homes to these displaced children until it was safe for them to return to their families.
Carrie and Nick are taken in by a kindly older woman and her domineering older brother. They also meet a mysterious lady who lives in Druid's Bottom....more
It's the middle of WWII. Carrie and her brother, Nick, are sent by train to Wales along with a load of other schoolchildren. This was a common occurrence during the war, and strangers would open their homes to these displaced children until it was safe for them to return to their families.
Carrie and Nick are taken in by a kindly older woman and her domineering older brother. They also meet a mysterious lady who lives in Druid's Bottom....more
Remember reading this in primary school in the 4th year when we were studying the second world war and it's effects. The idea of being sent to live with strangers whilst you're parents were left to stay in London, or sent over seas was awful.
Carrie though is a strong character and it's a book I remember enjoying.
Carrie though is a strong character and it's a book I remember enjoying.
Oct 26, 2009
Sally
marked it as to-read
I saw a film adaptation of this book on PBS a few years ago that I really enjoyed. Someday I'd like to read the book - it would be a good companion book to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, for the perspective of children evacuated to the country (in this case, to Wales) during World War II.
This had a profound effect on my comfy and loved young self. The reality of war and being sent away to strange people who were cruel was a shocking revelation and probably shaped my adult self more than I care to dwell on.
Every child should read this, it is timeless and I could never part with my copy.
Every child should read this, it is timeless and I could never part with my copy.
Read this for the first time after seeing the play at the West End this summer. The play was so similar and so well-done that I had a hard time separating it from the text as I read. A jewel of a book--tells so much about the war from a child's view, being a child in an adult world, etc.
I haven't read that many books about kids evacuated from London during WW2, and this one came recommended by Lois Lowry. But I just never connected with the characters at all. I don't know why, as it seems as if it should have been up my alley, but it fell pretty flat for me.
We had to read this for english class and although i do enjoy books set in the world war time this one i really didn't like, i didn't like the way it was written and the characters annoyed me. I do think that when we watched the film that it made me dislike it more.
Another children's classic that had passed me by - probably because I was 19 when it was first published in the UK. So glad I read it, it's a great story that combines a child's emotional viewpoint of the war with a bit of mystery, a bit of suspense, and plenty of human interest.
I liked the way that the wartime story was framed by Carrie's revisiting the scene with her own children and her telling them all about it; the ending was both happy enough and surprising enough to be satisfying. Also I...more
I liked the way that the wartime story was framed by Carrie's revisiting the scene with her own children and her telling them all about it; the ending was both happy enough and surprising enough to be satisfying. Also I...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Perks of Bein...: 'Carrie's War' by Nina Bawden (Clare & Kirsty) | 61 | 54 | Feb 20, 2013 07:54am |
Nina Bawden is a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.
When World War II broke out she spent the school holidays at a farm in Shropshire along with her mother and her brothers, but lived in Aberdare, Wales, during term time.
Bawden attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Her novel...more
More about Nina Bawden...
When World War II broke out she spent the school holidays at a farm in Shropshire along with her mother and her brothers, but lived in Aberdare, Wales, during term time.
Bawden attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Her novel...more
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