Choosing between staying at home in England acting as a vital member of the Secret Society of Skywatchers, collecting shrapnel and viewing aerial dogfights or being shipped off to a safe haven elsewhere is no contest to Norah. A fear of missing the excitement of war and a deeper fear of leaving home grips Norah when her parents announce that she and her younger brother are to be evacuated to Canada. Although the ocean journey proves a distraction, Norah's stay in Canada consists of a downward spiral of events which lead her into a seemingly hopeless depression. Circumstances eventually conspire to provide a satisfying remedy to her despair. Pearson's smooth writing style and sympathetic insight into child-like responses to overwhelming stress ring true from beginning to end in this engrossing tale which offers a fresh look at the experience of World War II children. (Ages 10-12)