THE VALLEY OF LOST SECRETS

by Lesley Parr, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, £6.99 (ebook £5.59)

★★★★★

LESLEY PARR’S debut novel taps into the emotions of wartime evacuation from London; particularly the difficulty of enjoying a new life while desperately missing your old one.

Jimmy takes out his anger, loneliness and fear on his little brother and new foster family in a Welsh mining town during World War II – until he finds a skull hidden in a tree and needs help to unravel a decades-old mystery.

Comparisons to Goodnight Mister Tom are inevitable, but Parr’s accessible writing and engaging plot is very much aimed at modern pre-teens. It teeters thrillingly on the edge of scary, and covers serious topics like relationships, bullies, prejudices and religion without sounding preachy.

Chapter-opening illustrations and secret messages to decipher are extra beautiful touches to keep readers turning the pages.