Looking for a wonderful historical fiction novel? Check out “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” by Patti Callahan Henry. The plot centers around two sisters who were evacuated from London during Operation Pied Piper – the massive relocation to keep children safe from German bombing in the cities during WWII. Some children were sent overseas, and others were sent to billet with families in rural areas. (The official UK site states that over 800,000 children were evacuated beginning in 1939.)
Hazel Linden and her little sister, Flora are sent to Binsey, a very small village in the countryside of England. They are billeted with Bridie Aberdeen and her son, Harry. The girls miss their mum, but love Bridie and Harry. They explore their new surroundings and Hazel comforts Flora by telling her a fairytale story about a magical place called Whisperwood. Hazel and Flora keep their Whisperwood story all to themselves and add to it everyday. But tragedy strikes when Flora disappears one afternoon and is never found – leading everyone to fear that she has drowned in the Thames river. In the second timeline, 20 years later, Hazel finds a copy of a book about Whisperwood. The book is so similar to her and Flora’s private story . . . it brings back the need for Hazel to find out whether the book is a clue that Flora didn’t drown, but is alive somewhere, waiting to be found. Is Flora alive? Is it all just a cruel coincidence? Who would hide a little girl from her family?
I really loved “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” – there was heartache, mystery, a little romance, surprises and always hope. I also liked the story within a story part of the novel – Hazel and Flora survived many sad experiences by escaping to their magical storyland. We are so lucky to have added this novel to our library collection in honor of Rhonda Pence, who served on the WPL Board for 18 years and was Board President for 10 years!
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