The Blitz Sisters: 'Destined to be a wartime classic.' Emma Carroll

By Author / Illustrator

Judith Eagle

Genre

Historical Fiction

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Faber & Faber

ISBN

9780571388707

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

26-02-2026

Synopsis

Three sisters, two devastating bomb blasts, one life-changing war . . . Little Women for younger readers set during World War Two and beyond.

War has been declared and the lives of three sisters, Lydia, Peggy and Teddy, are about to be turned upside down. As bombs rain down on London, the girls will lose their homes, their things, their loved ones . . . But they will find lost kittens, friendships with fellow rebels, the need for art, the strength and love to carry on, and a greater sense of family than ever. And with each other's help and with the radical changes to society that war brings, the three sisters will discover the essence of who they truly are.

Lydia's story: it's 1939 and war has been declared. The girls have been evacuated to the countryside. Lydia, the oldest and always the sensible one, is finding a way to make everyone feel safe - with her cooking! But the weight of responsibility begins to feel unbearably heavy and Lydia decides to take drastic, dangerous action . . .

Peggy's story: it's 1943 and the girls are back in London, crammed into a house in Peckham Rye with numerous friends and relatives. Peggy, the arty one, is at school and hating it. Inspired by her new friend Arno, a refugee from Germany, Peggy is determined to go to art school, whatever the cost . . .

Teddy's story: it's 1946 and the girls are living through the war's aftermath. Teddy, the clever one, is excelling at school. So when a school trip to Paris is on the cards, the family are keen to find the money for Teddy to go. Little do they know that, instead of learning French, Teddy plans to try and find one of the family's very dearest lost loved ones . . .

Find out more about the research behind The Blitz Sisters in ReadingZone's Q&A with Judith Eagle

Praise for The Blitz Sisters: 'Judith Eagle is Noel Streatfeild for a new generation.' Katya Balen; 'Funny, charming, poignant.' Emma Carroll; 'Gorgeous, tender-hearted ... with hints of Ibbotson and Streatfeild - absolutely delightful.' Katherine Woodfine; 'Stayed with me long after I turned the final page.' Jasbinder Bilan; 'A brilliantly written page-turner that brings history to shimmering life.' Lauren St John

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Reviews

Margaret

What a wonderfully different look at the lives of young people during the Second World War. Author Judith Eagle gives us a chronological tour through the lives of three sisters, beginning with the outbreak of war and finishing in 1948, when the world is trying to regain some normality. The three siblings, Lydia, Peggy and Teddy have just lost their father when war is declared, so they are sent to stay with their aunt Phoebe (a children's author). The book is divided into three sections, with each of the girls being the focus as they reach adolescence.

Whilst the story is really about the day-to-day problems of growing up and trying to discover what you want to do in life, it does not shy away from the tragedies that occur in wartime; there are several deaths, both in the Blitz and on board a merchant ship, so the whole community feels the effects.

Judith Eagle is gaining a well-deserved reputation as a superb writer of historical fiction and in this new work she has really excelled. It is quite a long book, but the writing is so strong that it carries you along and is an extremely satisfying read. The relationships between the sisters and their wider circle of family and friends are not static and we get a real feel for the way that age and experience is changing these relationships. This is a wonderful addition to the selection of WW2 titles available.

496 pages / Reviewed by Margaret Pemberton, librarian

Jessica

The Blitz Sisters is a gripping story about the relationships between three sisters in the toughest of times; before, during and after the Blitz ravages their home city, London and the adventures they have. From the countryside to the city of Paris, the sisters are always on a mission exploring the damaged world. I would recommend this book to anyone that is learning about the war or enjoys learning facts about it. This book is suitable for ages 9-14, and will give them a distinctive insight into family life during World War Two. I really enjoyed this book because the sisters always have hope, even when the world is in agony.

From Oliver, aged 10: 'I have been learning about World War Two at school and this book has taught me that people needed to be strong for each other during the war. It was interesting to learn about it from a girl's perspective as a lot of books based in World War Two are written from a solider or boy's perspective, so this alternative angle gave me a different viewpoint.

496 pages / Reviewed by Jessica Welton, teacher