Review of ‘The Forgotten Pearl’

Welcome guest reviewer – Jackie Child! Jackie is my partner in crime (aka my teaching partner). She was hired as I thought she and I were SO similar. In fact we are not: she runs, hops, skips, jumps and generally enjoys sweating. She also does not cook…SHOCK! HORROR! Fortunately we have bonded over the important things in life: books; gardens; education; humour. 

Written by Belinda Murrell

Publisher: Random House

Age Range:  Upper Primary – Young Adult

Themes:  friendship, World War II, differing perspectives of war, growing, family, resilience, history.

Bestselling author Belinda Murrell thus far has 18 books to her name and I’m particularly enjoying her historical fiction titles at the moment. Belinda featured recently in my ‘Book People’ series and you can read more about her and all her other books here.

When Chloe visits her grandmother and talks with her, it unleashes a flood of memories. She learns how close the Second World War came to destroying her family. Could the experiences of another time help Chloe to face her own problems?

In 1941, Poppy lives in Darwin, a peaceful paradise far from the war. But when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, then Australia, everything Poppy holds dear is threatened – her family, her neighbours, her friends and her beloved pets. Her brother Edward is taken prisoner-of-war. Her home town becomes a war zone, as the Japanese raid over and over again.

Terrified for their lives, Poppy and her mother flee to Sydney, only to find that the danger follows them there. Poppy must face her war with courage and determination. Will her world ever be the same again?

Belinda Murrell talking about ‘The Forgotten Pearl’

Random House has produced teaching notes for ‘The Forgotten Pearl’ which can be found here.