Very cleverly written on such a challenging topic to write about for children. Palmer's writing handled it perfectly, the research shines through without feeling too fact based and less honest about the storytelling. The contrast between Yossi's immediate experiences in Ambleside versus his flashbacks to his experiences in Nazi-occupied Poland were well-balanced and the closing chapters brought a tear to my eye.

Tom Palmer used to write books for kids about sports like rugby and football (soccer), but more recently he has turned his storytelling skills to historical fiction. Last year, I read D-Day Dog, a story I found to be very informative, as does the present-day protagonist Jack. This year, I was intrigued to read After the War after hearing about it for an event on World Book Day, March 4, 2021 in connection with the Anne Frank Trust. After the War is a fictionalized story based on true events that...

A touching portrait of the refugees welcomed to Ambleside after the Second World War.

A moving story of three Polish boys who have moved to England after their persecution at the hands of the Nazis. Primarily, the story is about their rehabilitation and reintegration into an accepting and tolerant society. The community at Windermere cares for the boys, and that in itself is alien to them. Every act of kindness that is shown towards them invites a memory of their time at the concentration camps, or at home as the Nazis came for the Jews. The time-slips, for me, are the most poign...

This is a beautiful novel that focuses on the Windermere Children: Jewish child survivors of WWII who were freed from Nazi concentration camps. I liked how this book highlighted a lesser-known part of history (at least to me): What happened to the kids after they were liberated from concentration camps and before they were reunited with family? Where did they go? What did they go through? What was the transition like for them? The author perfectly captured the thoughts and emotions of this group...

This is incredible. The friendship between the boys is a thread of love, pair this with some gentle kindness throughout from the people of the village and you’ve got a winner. I loved all of the characters - big or small, they added so much to the story. A real feeling of community and belonging. There are some scenes in this which are harrowing and thought provoking. I appreciate the care and research that went into this book

It's quite a skill to portray an important subject so tenderly and and with such compassion in only 118 pages. An incredible story of survival and loss, and of eventually finding a little peace and a sense of belonging. I found this book very moving and am so glad I came across it. For adults, middle-grade children and just about everyone.

This was inspired by the incredible true story of the Windermere Boys. After surviving the Nazi Concentration Camps, 300 hundred child Holocaust Survivors were brought to stay in the wartime village of Calgarth Estate in 1945, near Windermere were they could start to recover from the horrible things they had experienced. The story is set in the Summer of 1945, after the end of the Second World War. Three boys (Yossi, Leo and Mordecai) are among three hundred children who arrive in the English La...

Not much to the book until the end, doesn’t find his Dad.

Moving, powerful, important story told with honesty, skill and compassion. The kindness and hope shown to the children arriving in the Lake District after seeing and suffering the worst of humanity, and the bravery of the children in surviving, rediscovering a semblance of normality, and slowly being able to try and look to the future, whilst carrying the awful memories of those they have lost. The strong bond of friendship between Yossi, Leo and Mordecai was portrayed so well. I was eager to re...

Absolutely wonderful book. This is a wonderful and hopeful story inspired by real events. Yossi and his friends Mordecai and Leo are among a group of children who arrive in the UK after surviving the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II. … This is quite a powerful novel and one which I think many children should read.

Tom Palmer's latest run of war-themed stories continues with 'After The War: From Auschwitz to Ambleside' - a story focusing in on three Polish teenagers who are brought to the safety of the Lake District for recuperation after Europe is liberated in 1945.The story follows Yossi and his friends Mordecai and Leo as they arrive on the Calgarth Estate beside Lake Windemere and begin to attempt, with the help of a multitude of kind heroes, to rebuild their shattered lives. As they gain in strength a...

Really beautifully written book that moved me to tears on a number of occasions (though this isn’t difficult, I’m incredibly soft). I likened this in standard of writing to the Once, Then and Now series - really! Told from the perspective of a teenage boy, this was easier to read because it is set at the end of the war when we know Yossi and his close friends are safe at a beautiful hostel in The Lake District being cared for by kind people and community. There are multiple flashbacks which are

This is a wonderful and hopeful story inspired by real events. Yossi and his friends Mordecai and Leo are among a group of children who arrive in the UK after surviving the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II. Their stay is supposed to help them recover from the terrible life they had been experiencing, but while the children start to adjust to their new lives, Yossi is haunted by memories of what happened to his family.This is quite a powerful novel and one which I think many children sho...

This is one of the most thought provoking books I have read. At times it is an uncomfortable read, but good, the content of this book should never ever happen again. The main protagonist is 15 year old Yossi who has arrived in Ambleside along with his friends Mordeci and Leo and the other children rescued from concentration camps including Auschwitz. You as a reader relive true life events that Jewish people would have endured and witnessed through memory flash backs that Yossi has. Tom Palmer h...

4.5 starsIn 1945, 300 Jewish children from liberated concentration camps were sent to the Lake District in England. These children had suffered immeasurable trauma and many had lost their entire family. Here, they can learn to trust again, live again, feel safe again.This was such a beautiful book and is so powerful in so few pages. References to the Holocaust are short, but don't hold back. However, these are shown through memories and so you flit from the present to the past meaning that the h...

It’s so important that books like this, continue to make their way into the world. This was a quick read about those who survived the atrocities that the Nazis committed. It looks at what happened next for a small group of boys, and their recovery as they experience what feeling safe means for them.The friendship between the boys was lovely, and no doubt represents how many people would have felt about those that had managed to survive alongside. However, I felt like the story only really scratc...

I thought that this book was quite a good book as it was about some children that came from the Concentration Camps and were waiting to be reunited with their family. The genre was History about the World War I. It also showed how war had such an impact on them as they kept on getting memories of their time at the camps. Also their experiences at the camp are told many times in the book. It is quite sad and happy as they are now safe away from the war as the war had ended.I would recommend this

Simply amazing. I read this book in one sitting with tears frequently running down my cheeks. It was such an emotional read but a lovely read too. A fine tribute to those who survived the Holocaust.

Stars for the kids: 3.75 starsStars for me: 3.5 stars After The War:× Death - mother & sisters (quite triggering) × Historical× Intrigue× Religion × PTSDMan beaten; mother and sisters ashes floating - quite triggering × Big spaces between lines - easier if you have trouble reading × Flashbacks× ViolenceEnding slightly apprupt but thats more because I thought there were more pages to readKinda sad we never got to know if the dad was alive or not; kind of an open ending not too sure aboutLiked the...