The Sky Is Falling [Paperback]

Kit Pearson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

The experiences of a girl and her younger brother who are evacuated to Canada at the beginning of World War II and find that they will be staying with complete strangers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A wrenching separation from her parents is only the first of the difficulties that Norah must face when she and her younger brother Gavin are sent from England to Canada to escape the Nazi bombing. The childrens' wealthy hostess, Mrs. Ogilvie, watches over Gavin with excessive diligence, trying to fashion him into the image of her own dead son. School provides no solace, for Norah's Canadian schoolmates interpret her self-confidence as arrogance and have little to do with her. Gradually, however, the girl finds friends and even succeeds in forging an understanding with Mrs. Ogilvie. Because Norah's emotions are explained more often than shown, her story is robbed of immediacy. Also, some readers may feel that Mrs. Ogilvie's intriguingly sinister obsession with Gavin is a bit too tidily resolved. Still, Pearson's thorough grasp of the period,rather than her gently wandering storyline, gives the novel a pleasing richness. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Ten-year-old Norah's life, secure despite World War II, is changed drastically when she is evacuated to Canada with her five-year-old brother, Gavin. There she changes from a social child to a sullen bed wetter. Overwhelmed by her own difficulties, she is unable to look after Gavin. The wealthy widow and her browbeaten, spinster daughter who take them in offer little solace to lonely Norah. After an abortive attempt to run away, Norah realizes that as a child, she is helpless to do more than accept and make the best of her situation. Pearson convincingly reconstructs World War II British childhood and has created a whole character in Norah. In contrast to most evacuation stories in which children retain balance despite their world being shattered, Norah's dissolution is realistic and moving. Minor characters are well drawn. Even the seemingly rigid widow is sympathetic and capable of change. Pearson uses the theme of the child as a pawn in an adult world gone wrong effectively. Her portraits of the well-meaning but shallow adults contrast strongly with the moving scene of the storytelling librarian whose rendition of the struggles of orphaned "Alenoushka and her brother," told without dramatics or even applause, holds the children spellbound. There is plenty of conflict and action to hold young readers' interest in Norah's struggles with her new family and school. Superior and compelling historical fiction for middle graders. --Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia,
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140376526
• ISBN-13: 978-0140376524
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,305,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book Ever, July 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sky Is Falling (Paperback)

I just plain loved this book. It is the story of ten year old Norah and her brother Gavin. It is the middle of World War Two, and Norah's parents fear a German Invasion is going to happen soon. Reluctantly, Norah packs her bags, leaves most of her friends behind, and sets sail for Canada. The second half of the book gives an honest account of trying to fit into a new country and culture, and dealing with the worst homesickness ever. My reccomendation is read it and buy it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sky Is Falling, May 6, 2000

By 

Bailee - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sky Is Falling (Paperback)

The Sky is Falling is a wonderful children's book by Canadian authouress Kit Pearson. It is the heart wrenching story of ten year old Norah and her brother Gavin, who flee England in the midst of the second World War. Gavin is too young to understand what is happening to him, but Norah knows perfectly well what is happening to her, her parents are shipping her off to some place called Canada, to live with people that she doesn't know in a place she has never visited. My reccomendation is to read it and buy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best novel ever!!:), October 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sky Is Falling (Paperback)

The Sky is Falling is one of my favourite novels!
It is about a ten-year old girl named Norah. She is living in England in World War II. Her parents out of concern for Norah's and Gavins (Norah's younger brother)well-being, send them on a ship to Canada to live with a canadian family until it is safe to come home. Norah protests, and is angry since she loves the excitment of the War, her friends and family. Both Gavin and Norah end up going to canada, and staying with "aunt Florence" and "aunt Mary" who took them in. "aunt Florence" loves Gavin and he is the center of everything, norah is not popular and things go down hill quickly. It is an incerdible story, that is worth every second of your time! You won't regret reading it!!!!:):)