Under a Fire-Red Sky book cover
Under a Fire-Red Sky

Geraldine McCaughrean

Age: 12+

RRP  £8.99

Under a Fire-Red Sky

Age 12+

RRP  £8.99

"Masterful story of Blitz Britain...a beautifully told coming-of-age story." The Telegraph, Children's Book of the Week
"An emotion-packed tale of survival, heartbreak and hope." Lancashire Evening Post

From the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Geraldine McCaughrean comes an utterly immersive and unforgettable novel set during the London Blitz, inspired by her firefighter father.


With the Second World War looming, four young people sit on a train waiting to be evacuated to a safer place...but they don't want to go. They climb out of the carriage and head back home to Greenwich, forming an unlikely friendship.

They spend their days trying to be useful. Laurence is building a secret machine. Gemmy searches bombed-out homes for things of value - only to find an adorable mutt she can't even give away. Franklin wants to join the Fire Service, although it means lying about his age. Olive looks after her father, who is broken by the deaths of his fellow firefighters. And together, the four roam the streets of London, discovering their resilience amongst the secrets of the city.

But as the Blitz unleashes a barrage of bombs on London, turning the sky ragged with flame, can the friends keep each other safe and survive?

Extent:
288 pages
Dimensions:
198 x 130mm
Paperback ISBN:
9781836040774
Publication Date:
April 2025
Work Reference:
10006
Geraldine McCaughrean
Geraldine McCaughrean is one of today's most successful and highly regarded children's authors. She has won the CILIP Carnegie Medal twice: first in 1988 with A Pack of Lies and again in 2018 with Where the World Ends. She's won the IBW Book Award 2018, the Whitbread Children's Book Award three times, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Smarties Bronze Award four times, the prestigious U.S. Printz Award and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. Geraldine lives in Berkshire with her husband John and the lingering shades of all those characters she has invented in her books.

Find out more about Geraldine McCaughrean

Brutal, beautiful and wise.

The Times Children's Book of the Week

Reading Under a Fire-Red Sky feels like diving into one of those black-and-white Pathé film reels and finding the world of the Blitz brought into flaming colour.

The Times Children's Book of the Week

Masterful story of Blitz Britain...a beautifully told coming-of-age story.

The Telegraph, 5 Star review

A powerful and moving celebration of young people and their courage.

The Bookseller

Thrilling wartime tale.

The Telegraph, 5 Star review

Under a Fire-Red Sky Discussion Questions

Teachers’ resources

Engage with this series of discussion questions about Geraldine McCaughrean's historical fiction Under a Fire-Red Sky.

Under a Fire-Red Sky book cover

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