The Red Poppy Begins

The Red Poppy (2012) - David Hill
opens with the words:
Jim McLeod wrote to his mother and his sister Edith. He said nothing about the day to come, nor the mud and the rats. He didn't mention the piles of stretchers waiting for the dead and wounded.




Even in war time
Even when the winds are sour
Somewhere is sweetness




I wrote a poetic review of The Red Poppy HERE!

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The Red Poppy

The Red Poppy (2012)  – David Hill – Illustrated by Fifi Colston – pub. Creative New Zealand


Imagine
Thousands of soldiers
Marching through the night to their trenches
In the dark
So the Germans can’t see them

Imagine
Ted a stretcher bearer
And
His friend Matiu

And the messenger dog
Nipper
– like a puppy.

(Soldiers found him in a ruined village.
Soldiers could write messages and tuck them in his little leather bag.)

Imagine
Jim
Wounded
And a German
Wounded
Finding a special connection
With the help of
A little dog
And a field of
Poppies

Imagine finding a book
That takes moments to read
But lingers
A lifetime


 


The Red Poppy by David Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A story set in World War I, where the public enemy is not always the private enemy; where red poppies are not always a symbol of death.
And a little dog knows.
Could the ravages of war possibly hold some beautiful moments?
The illustrations by Fifi Colston are a delight!

View all my reviews

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