Sophie and Hugh are left homeless when their house is bombed during the London
Blitz. Their mother is seriously injured and their Dad is away fighting, so the
children are sent to their grandfather in Ireland. Sophie is scared they have
never met grandfather but his letters cause such trouble in the house, and
their Dad never speaks of him. How will they live in a strange country, with a
man who probably hates them and will the family ever be together again?

About the Author
Born in Dublin in 1956 and brought up in Goatstown, Marita went to school at
the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Mount Anville, later working in the family
business, the bank, and a travel agency. In 1977 she married James McKenna and
they have four children, Amanda, Laura, Fiona and James. They live in the
Stillorgan area of Dublin. Marita was always fascinated by the Famine period in
Irish history and read everything available on the subject. When she heard a
radio report of an unmarked childrens grave from the Famine period being found
under a hawthorn tree, she decided to write her first book, Marita has won
several awards, including the International Reading Association Award, the
Osterreichischer Kinder und Jugendbuchpreis, the Reading Association of Ireland
Award and the Bisto Book of the Year Award.