Based on the life of the author’s grandmother, who was a child during World War I, this extraordinary juvenile novel proves the adage that truth is stranger than fiction.
An 11-year-old girl, who is silent except for a few words spoken on several occasions—one of those words being “Lucy”—is discovered on an uninhabited island in the Scillies, an archipelago of islands off England’s southern coast. The girl is taken in by the Wheatcroft family, who love and care for her, naming her Lucy.
When the islanders turn hostile because they suspect that Lucy is German, the islands’ physician confronts their bigotry. Through several unexpected events, Lucy’s identity is discovered, and she finds her voice once again.
Morpurgo’s stunning tale explores the remarkable history of the relationship between Germany and the Isles of Scilly, the destructive nature of war, and the power of sacrificial, loving acts, no matter one’s citizenship. (Feiwel & Friends)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.