The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips

This is a wonderful book. I would recommend to adults as well as children. It puts a very human face on D-Day.

Michael Morpurgo has written yet another brilliant story with 'The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips'. It's the story of Lily Tregenza who, in 1943, lives on the family farm on the coast of Devon with her mum and grandfather. Her dad's away in the army. Lily has a cat called Tips, and when the family are forced to move from their home for several months while the army take over the area as a training ground Lily's beloved Tips runs away and gets left behind. Lily is heartbroken but will not give up her search for Tips and she enters the cordoned-off Danger Zone to look for Tips herself - a very dangerous place to be... It's a lovely story. Written in a simple, easy-to-read style, yet granting the reader a true insight into the Second World War from a child's perspective in the countryside. We also learn at the outset of the story that there's going to be a twist to Lily's tale right at the end, so as long as you don't cheat and peek at the end, it makes for a really compulsive read. Michael Morpurgo reminds us that 3000 people really were evacuated from their homes around Slapton Sands in Devon, so that the troops could practice landing exercises along the beaches. The beaches there were similar there to the landing beaches in Normandy, used for the D-Day landings of June 1944. I can highly recommend the story of Adolphus Tips for all ages from 8+.

What a wonderful story. I read it all in one sitting because it just captivated me. A prime example of a book that was written for young people but should also be read by adults of all ages! What mixed emotions I experienced as I read this book. I smiled, I remembered my own childhood, and how truthful and simplistic childhood can be, yet also how in tune children can be to what's going on around them. I also cried. Just the right length...an interesting story and a wonderful acceptance of people.

Michael had been close to his grandmother all of his life. So when she promises to write him a letter while on her mysterious trip, he believes her. Yet when the letter arrives, even Michael finds surprise at her incredible news. To help explain her shocking announcement, Michael's grandmother, Lily, also includes pages from her girlhood journal. The journal begins on September 10, 1943 when Lily is 12 years old. She lives on a farm in England with her mother, father, grandfather and beloved cat, Tips. The war is tearing the world apart, yet it hasn't affected Lily personally until her father joins the British Military and ships off to who knows where. Then Lily's lack of involvement quickly changes. A temporary refugee in her school comes to live on the farm with Lily, and she finds that she kind of likes having a little brother. And then Lily meets some soldiers from America and becomes friends with a fellow named Adie. But all too soon the tragedies of war become clear when her teacher's husband is killed in action. And then the war really hits home when Lily's town is forced to evacuate so that the soldiers can practice sea-side landings on the beach. When the day arrives for Lily's family to move down the road to her uncle's farm, Tips disappears! Lily is devastated. She can't leave behind her best friend, but she must. She swears though that nothing will stop her from looking for her cat --- not even the danger signs, the barbed wire fencing, the soldiers' dogs, or the exploding bombs. She will find Tips no matter what. THE AMAZING STORY OF ADOLPHUS TIPS is indeed amazing. Mostly written in journal formation, readers get a firsthand and very personal look at World War II from a 12-year-old's point of view. Lily's tears and fears and joys are expertly deployed by the author, Michael Morpurgo. He also adds a bit of humor and adventure, making this story a joy to both genders and any age group. --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND.

The heart of this novel is a sweet story of World War II set in the Devon community of Slapton Sands. It's told from a refreshing, unique perspective of a child on the British home front; this setting is particularly interesting, since it gives a glimpse into the Allies' preparations for D-Day. Lily, the main character, misses her father, who has gone off to fight. She's also worried about her cat, Tips, who can't be found in time to take her along when the family is evacuated from their home in order to allow for military exercises, as Allied forces prepare for the D-Day landing. Storylines involving Lily's family taking in a displaced boy from London and befriending two African-American soldiers are handled with subtlety and grace. Unfortunately, the novel is framed by a modern-day narrative involving Lily's grandson, Michael. The framing piece is clumsy and unnecessary, and seems as though it was added in order to allow the author to tie up some loose ends without significantly lengthening the story. Sadly, it doesn't really work. I'd have much preferred to read more about Lily in the 1940s and less about her in the present. Try a different Lily, in _Lily's Crossing_, by Patricia Reilly Giff, for a much more sophisticated World War II story of a young girl on the home front who makes an unexpected friendship.