This book is set during World War 1. It is about a boy called Alfie whose father signed up for the army and went to a training camp. After three months of training he went to France. After three years of being in France and fighting he got shell shock (extreme trauma) and ended up in a hospital.While George (Alfie's father) was in France, Alfie was shinning shoes at Kings Cross. He charged one penny for a shine. One time he even shined the Prime Ministers shoes. But then one day something unexpected happened, he saw on a sheet of paper his fathers name that said he was at a hospital. The hospital was called Ipswich Hospital for soldiers. Alfie went to the hospital and saved his farther's life, by taking him home and looking after him.
Alfie's mum worked three jobs during the war - she took in laundry, sewed clothes for the rich and was a nurse at a hospital. She was required to work three jobs to pay all the household bills. Alfie would give some of his shoe shine money to his mum to help with the bills. Alfie only worked four days per week as he went to school sometimes as well.
I would recommend this book as I found it very interesting. It made me realise what Alfie had to go through during war times. I was impressed with how Alfie went to the hospital to bring his father home and take care of him. Alfie's mum did not know what Alfie was up to until he bought his dad home.
Four years later the war ended and everything returned to normal for Alfie and his family.
A very insightful review. Well done.
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