THE VALLEY OF LOST SECRETS BY LESLEY PARR

The Valley of Lost Secrets is a story about fear, belonging, acceptance and love. Set at the beginning of WW!!, brothers Jimmy and Ronnie are sent to Wales as evacuees. A number of children from their school in Islington join them in this unknown place, all of them reluctant to be separated from their loved ones. Most of the children would rather face the bombs than be separated from their families, especially Jimmy.

The mining village of Llanbryn is nestled in amongst a series of rolling mountains. The streets are steep and the small houses covered in coal dust. A mist often hangs over the valley and the children from London are rattled by more than just the strange spelling and the lilting Welsh language. Nothing about this place is familiar.

Mr and Mrs Thomas, who choose the brothers to come and live with them, are kind hearted people, but Jimmy is determined not to become attached as he is sure the war will be over soon and he will be able to return to his own family. Jimmy’s best friend, Duff, is billeted with the local vicar’s family and along with Jack, the vicar’s son, and a pair of burly twin brothers, starts a campaign of bullying the other evacuees, especially Jimmy and little Ronnie. Florence, who was an outcast in her London life, has found the love and comfort of a true family and tries to help Jimmy protect his younger brother.

The three children are thrown together when they are told to entertain themselves until a teacher can be found to take on the new evacuee pupils. When Jimmy finds a skull in a tree trunk, the village takes on an even more hostile atmosphere. Whose skull could it be? How did they die? And most importantly, what should they do about it? Jimmy and Florence decide to try and figure out the answers themselves but find that there are secrets everywhere in this small Welsh village. Who can they trust and can they figure out the mystery before the bullies beat their secret out of Ronnie?

Lesley Parr’s novel gives readers a glimpse into the emotions of children separated from their families during war. She explores the feelings of outcasts, strangers and victims in a gentle, thoughtful manner. The language used is targeted perfectly to the early Middle Grade audience. I love historical fiction and this is a captivating example of the genre.

For Ages: 9+13 years

Number of Pages: 297 in paperback.

Published: January 2021

Themes: Belonging, acceptance, bullying

Rating: 4/5