Under a Fire-Red Sky - by Geraldine McCaughrean

About the Book

With World War II on their doorstep, four teens evade evacuation and remain in London, attempting to aid the Fire Service and keep each other safe during the Blitz.

Book Synopsis

From award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Geraldine McCaughrean, an utterly immersive and unforgettable novel set during the London Blitz, inspired by the author's father

With World War II on their doorstep, the children of Greenwich, England, are being evacuated. But on the train meant to take them to safety, four of them decide they aren't ready to leave home. They climb out the carriage window just in time, forging an unlikely friendship.

With their school taken over by the fire service, they spend their days trying to be useful. Lawrence is building a secret machine. Gemmy searches bombed-out homes for things of value--only to find an adorable mutt she can't even give away. Franklin wants to join the fire service, even if it means lying about his age. Olive looks after her father, haunted by the deaths of his fellow firemen.

Together, the four friends roam the streets of London, discovering their resilience amongst the secrets of the city. But as the Blitz unleashes a barrage of bombs, turning the sky ragged with flame, can they keep one another safe?

Beautifully researched and full of both heartbreak and hope, Under a Fire-Red Sky is a celebration of friendship during even the darkest times.

Review Quotes

Nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Writing

"Will touch the heart of anyone who ever wanted to go home...The children's adventures, and McCaughrean's robust world-building, make this book one to get lost in. Incredibly well-researched and emotionally devastating, this gripping novel, brimming with vitality, is a story for those seeking hope in a sometimes-mad world."
--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"McCaughrean writes with a light touch; her words dance as they show the organic growth of the quartet's relationships and their nonjudgmental mutual acceptance. This story of great complexity deftly and expertly shows how unconscionable violence can expose the artificiality of many absolutes and boundaries. Compelling, heartbreaking, and vibrantly alive with hope and courage."
--Kirkus (starred review)

"Mesmerizing...McCaughrean's writing and characters are full of life. Tragedy, heroism, hope, and miracles intertwine in the unpredictable, heart-rending months leading to the novel's conclusion...The [characters] dare to find moments of joy and hold onto their pacifism."
--Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Geraldine McCaughrean is the author of the Printz Award winner The White Darkness, the New York Times bestseller Peter Pan in Scarlet, and many other books for children and young adults, which have been translated into forty-five languages. She is a two-time winner of the Carnegie Medal. Geraldine lives in Berkshire with her husband, John, and the lingering shades of all the characters she has invented in her books. Her cottage is under year-round siege from wild birds demanding to be fed. The ducks even knock on the door.