Growing Up “While The Bombs Fell”
This Wednesday’s Bookmobile is going back to a time and place when children would routinely have to seek shelter in the London Underground because of bombing over the city!
Imagine living during wartime, in this case World War II in a town outside London – an experience that has been vividly brought to life by a terrific Blogger, Robbie Cheadle and her Mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton – who lived through it!
“While The Bombs Fell” is a great story, told from the point of view of a young girl who lived through it, recounted with the help of her daughter…such as the issue of government gas masks:
“She felt relieved that she didn’t have to worry about her gas mask anymore. The family’s gas masks lay forgotten in their boxes. The British Government’s anxieties about chemical warfare had not materialized.
When fitted to her face, the rubber mask felt hot and smelled bad. When she breathed in, she had to suck air through a filter designed to remove any poisonous gas.”
I think as a culture we have forgotten just how horrible the impact of war is: they currently happen too far away from us, especially here in the US, and the human toll is forgotten…that’s why I loved this book because it matter-of-factly tells the story of life in wartime.
Here is how aAazon describes the memoir:
“What was it like for children growing up in rural Suffolk during World War 2? Elsie and her family live in a small double-storey cottage in Bungay, Suffolk. Every night she lies awake listening anxiously for the sound of the German bomber planes. Often they come and the air raid siren sounds signalling that the family must leave their beds and venture out to the air raid shelter in the garden.”
I think one of the most powerful aspects of this book is that, while worried about German bombers overhead, life also went on with a goal of “normalcy” amid the madness.
Amazon’s description also notes:
“Despite the war raging across the English channel, daily life continues with its highlights, such as Christmas and the traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, and its wary moments when Elsie learns the stories of Jack Frost and the ghostly and terrifying Black Shuck that haunts the coastline and countryside of East Anglia.
Includes some authentic World War 2 recipes”
Yes, you read right: some World War II recipes like this one, for Lord Woolton pie, which is a pastry dish of vegetables, widely served in Britain in the Second World War when rationing and shortages made other dishes hard to prepare.
Robbie is also the Author of six children’s picture books in the Sir Chocolate books series for children aged 2 to 9 years old co-authored with her son, Michael Cheadle.
These are great books that inspire children to create, and I love them as well. As for “While The Bombs Fell”, I bought mine from Amazon Kindle, and it’s only $1.99 – so click this link and buy this terrific memoir!
https://www.amazon.com/While-Bombs-Fell-Robbie-Cheadle-ebook/dp/B07GZ2NZFK
Hope you enjoyed this Wednesday Bookmobile – you can click on my website to see more of them!