Thunder and Lightnings

Összefoglaló

When Andrew's family moves house, he strikes up a friendship with his neighbour, Victor. There isn't a thing Victor doesn't know about the RAF planes flying overhead and the two boys are soon busy tracking their movements. Then they learn that Victor's beloved Lightnings are to be scrapped.....
..I read this book as a child and recently bought a copy both for me to re-read (with the adult's perspective) and for my children. This is a very realistic story of the growth of a close male friendship, centred around peaceful Norfolk countryside and a noisy aerodrome. I enjoyed this book as a child because of the sheer likeability of the characters. They are children possessed of no great talents but sharing a passion for things aeronautical, an obscure sense of humour and a sense of antipathy towards school (though they are both potentially good students). Jan Mark includes a great deal of excellent humour and has an understanding of male friendship that seems uncannily insightful (as a child I assumed the author must also be male). She also evokes the boredom of long school holidays, the restrictions on travel and entertainment that children must endure, the boredom (and sometimes fear) of school and the melancholic atmosphere of a rainy churchyard. Most of all, Jan Mark hints at the terrible inevitability of change and progress (one day the characters will be separated) without having to invoke a spectacular plot device, such as a death or a fight. These boys are lonely and unaware of the complications that adulthood creates. This might be a good book for any child if you wish to encourage him to have respect for himself and others different to himself. If anyone else enjoyed this book when it was published, please feel free to e-mail me with your comments. This offer is especially open to Jan Mark.