The Mushroom in the Sky

Life is different for Kat, now that she’s living with her aunt and uncle. She’s tried fitting in at her new school but hasn’t found any firm friends yet. But life is different for everyone, since the war began.

Worries of Japanese forces invading Australia encourage even more young men to sign up to fight, and one such young man is Ossie.

Ossie only has one member of family, and that is Lucky – his strange looking, one-eyed companion that he hates to leave behind. Ossie had heard of a lady called Mrs Plum, who takes in servicemen’s dogs until they return from war.

But Mrs Plum already has over 40 dogs – and she can hardly feed them, let alone another. Kat steps in to foster Lucky, and soon her life changes again.

Kat and Lucky build a close bond, while Kat helps Mrs Plum with the other dogs in all of her spare time.

The war rages on as rations get tighter and letters and postcards travel between Kat and Ossie. They too develop a friendship, and through Lucky, something more.

The first time it happened, Kat isn’t sure what to believe. When it happens to Ossie, he is just as surprised. Neither tell anyone that they seem to be able to reach across the miles and ‘see’ each other and their surroundings.

One such ‘visit’ is the sight of a bright light and a mushroom cloud which engulfs the sky, and scares Kat. She’s frightened for Ossie’s safety when she learns what it was.

Will Ossie return for Lucky? Did he survive the bomb so powerful, it turned cities to dust?

 

Another thought provoking historical novel for older tweens and young teens, from an author who is an expert in this genre.

Again and again, Jackie French has brilliantly portrayed a time in history for children and teens, this time showing a young Australian soldier (Ossie), and then his time as a POW (prisoner of war) in a Japanese camp.

The other point of view in this excellent novel is from Kat, a young teenage girl who met Ossie in small town Australia, just before he signed up. Their link through Ossie’s dog will entertain animal lovers too.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a shock to the world, but there is more to it than most know and along with the author afterword, The Mushroom in the Sky is an engaging novel.

Jackie French historical novels always seem effortlessly written, but much research is undertaken beforehand and whilst writing – the author herself admitting she is a stickler for the facts (as much as possible to keep the story flowing).

As always with Jackie’s novels – I loved it.

 

Author – Jackie French

Age – 11+

 

Want to see more Jackie French novels? See here.

 

 

 

(2025, War, WWII, World War 2, Atomic bombs, Nuclear, Japan, Honour, Surrender, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dogs, Love, Connection, Letters, POW, Prisoner of War, Australian soldiers, Historical)

The post The Mushroom in the Sky appeared first on whatbooknext.com.