Description

The multi-award-winning story about the incredible friendship between a young boy and a silverback gorilla in the Second World War, inspired by a true story.

1941. War is raging. And Joseph has been sent to live in the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, he will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, Joseph and Adonis become friends, but what will happen when the bombers set him rampaging free?

Other animal war stories by Phil Earle include:
While the Storm Rages
Until the Road Ends

Winner of the British Book Award for Children’s Fiction Book of the Year.

‘A magnificent story… It deserves every prize going’ Philip Pullman

‘An extraordinary story… Deeply felt, movingly written, a remarkable achievement’ Michael Morpurgo

Publisher Review

“An extraordinary story with historical and family truth at its heart, that tells us as much about the present as the past. Deeply felt, movingly written, a remarkable achievement” — Michael Morpurgo “Utterly brilliant, original and so very, very moving… a triumph for kids’ lit” — Sarah Crossan “A beautiful and majestic piece of work… Manages to be raw and gentle, harrowing and uplifting, all while racing inexorably towards its unforgettable end. Wow. Children’s literature at its best” — Jonathan Stroud “Complex, dark, intense and mysterious, When the Sky Falls is an astounding work of fiction. The characters have the knotty awkwardness of real people, and the whole book has that unfakeable feeling of Truth. Earle takes us to some very dark places in this novel, but at the end he brings us back to the light. For years now Earle has been one of our finest writers for young people and here he is at the height of his considerable powers” — Antony McGowan “Phil Earle writes from the heart: a story about love and friendship and how animals can connect people in the darkest of times and allow them to heal” — Gill Lewis