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When Dad Came Home

The war was over and Dad was coming home at last!

But the days and weeks go by, and when he does return Dad is not the happy man that young Rita once knew and Thomas thinks he remembers.

Struggling to understand his sadness and fears, the kids accompany him as he readjusts to home life, all the while singing his favourite song. One day, while they help him fix the deck, Dad starts to join in the song …

Vanessa Hatley-Owen and Rosie Colligan beautifully capture a children’s view of family love and the realities of shell shock for the men who returned after the First World War ended on 11 November 1918.

$21.00 incl. GST

1 in stock

Description

Reviews

Bob’s Book Blog ~ When the guns fell silent in World War 1 for many the war didn’t end. The noise, the trauma and the inhumanity of war stayed with them in their heads.

Rita and Thomas wait eagerly for their dad to come home. They are apprehensive as they see other dads come home with wounds and scars. They wonder what their dad will be like. Will he laugh and joke and carry them for piggy back rides?

They soon find out. Their dad is shell shocked. Noise upsets him. Rather than tiptoe round him they sing their favourite song when working with him or in his presence. It works and dad is soon recovering.

A heart warming story brilliantly illustrated by Rosie Colligan. She captures the faces of hope, of despair, of pain, of sadness and eventually of joy.

A beautiful story for everyone.

Meet the Kiwi author

Find out more about Auckland author Vanessa Hatley-Owen on her author page.

Additional information

Weight50 g
Dimensions23 × 21.5 cm
First published

2018

Format

Paperback picture book

ISBN

9780947506506

Page count

32

Published by

Oratia Books

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