I love Jenny Pearson's books and this one is possibly the best of them all. Somehow, Jenny manages to create a world which, whilst distant, is so pertinent to the struggles, secrecy and manipulation children currently have to cope with. Ron, Lugs and Mickey are so well-drawn and Johnny is quite terrifying. Jenny expertly weaves menace and fear with humour to create a really special book. So looking forward to hand-selling this wonderful book!

Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson is a powerful and moving story that shines a light on a lesser-seen side of war. Set against the backdrop of conflict, it explores how young people can be drawn into dangerous ideologies, showing with sensitivity and honesty how vulnerabilities are so easily exploited. Pearson handles these complex themes with skill, balancing a gripping narrative with moments of real emotional depth.

In today’s climate, where far-right agendas are gaining worrying traction, this book feels especially important. It doesn’t just tell a compelling story—it encourages critical thinking about influence, loyalty, and the consequences of blindly following the wrong path. Shrapnel Boys is more than just a war story; it’s a timely reminder of the importance of questioning, understanding, and empathy. A superb read that deserves a place in every school.

What a wonderful book! This May marks the 80th Anniversary of VE Day and this is perfectly timed for children with an interest in the period, giving a real sense of life for children at the time. It would make a wonderful read for schools too, with lots of potential areas to discuss.

Ronnie lives in London with his mum and his little brother, Micky. The war has just begun, although not much has happened yet, and many children have been evacuated to the country. Some have decided to stay though, including Ronnie and Micky, and this follows their story as the Blitz begins. It’s beautifully written – their adventure begins when their family becomes involved with a new man and only Ronnie feels there is something about him that can’t be trusted. His little brother, on the other hands, gets drawn in over his head and it’s up to Ronnie and his Shrapnel Boys gang, along with their archrival gang, to uncover the truth and bring him to justice.

There are so many subjects covered, from bullying to what makes a hero, and it’s the more honest image of the Home Front, both good and bad elements, that make it so interesting. Many of the subjects are serious but there’s a huge amount of humour too and Ronnie and Micky are both written so well, far from perfect but hugely endearing. I loved it and very much hope, too, that we see more of Ronnie and Micky in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

It was really cool to read a book set in the area in which I teach (Greenwich). We study World War 2 and I will be recommending the story to my pupils. The characters were relatable and well written and the mystery of the robbery was exciting to the end.

The saying "Out of the mouths of babes" is an idiom that refers to a child saying something wise or insightful, often surprisingly so, and nowhere was it more appropriate than in “Shrapnel Boys”

Brothers, Ronnie and Micky Smith, and friend Billy Missel (otherwise known as Lugs), are three boys in Deptford, London, as we meet them at the outbreak of the Second World War. Many children were being evacuated to the country for their own safety, but quite apart from their mums’ not wanting them to go, our three boys didn’t want to leave their families anyway.

During World War II, many boys in Britain, and likely elsewhere, collected shrapnel after air raids, viewing it as a wartime "hobby", and our three boys were no different. They became avid collectors, looking upon them as trophies. It was something that provided a little fun in a dark world.

However, when charismatic Johnny Simmons enters their lives on the guise of building an Anderson shelter for Ronnie and Micky’s single mum, things take a turn for the worse, as Johnny wangles his way into their Mum’s affections, and also Micky’s, much to Ronnie’s dismay, because Ronnie is very astute for a young lad and sees what the others can’t, that Johnny is no good, and he’s determined to find out exactly what he’s up to!

This was a wonderful read that showed how the lads coped with the Blitz, witnessed the rise of Fascist Oswald Mosley and the Blackshirts, food rationing, ‘spivs’, Johnny Simmons and so much more. They were going to have to grow up much faster than they ought to have, but it was a delight to witness just how much that growth would affect their relationships, and place caring and wise heads on young shoulders. Tense, moving and funny. Highly recommended.

2.5-3 stars

I know they're aimed at children but I've read Jenny's books before and always enjoyed them. This was a far cry from her others and I'm a bit torn about it.

I don't remember there being a whole lot of children's war books when I was young, apart from Goodnight Mister Tom, but now you've got them from the likes of Phil Earle and now Jenny Pearson, and I think it's really important to teach children about the war in a suitable way.

It is age appropriate but doesn't shy away rom the harshness of the war, and nor should it. And I liked that the protagonists were children too, because they definitely react to something like war in a different way than adults, and this juxtaposition between innocence and warfare was interesting.

I found it quite repetitive, especially in the first quarter or so, to the point that I was skimming bits, wanting to get to the next chapter in the hope that something else was going to happen. It did get better as it went along and other things started to happen, and it started to play on the reader's emotions.

I didn't have a huge care for the characters. Ronnie was okay, but I didn't like his brother Mickey (at least for the most part), and Jonnie, who was made out to be the villain, felt too much like a caricature and he annoyed me, and I was starting to dread the chapters he was in. And the female characters sort of felt pointless. Not in the sense that in period women were seen as subordinate, but they didn't bring anything to the story.

It felt too much of a war story to be this big important literary or character exploration, but too much character and background for it to be a great war story. It felt like Jenny was feeing her way through it, like she was trying to force something it wasn't.

All the reviews I have seen have been five star, absolutely raving about it, but I am the anomaly. There are good points to it, it's atmospheric, interesting look at the war through the community rather than the way itself, seeing war through a child's eye etc. But I felt there were too many things happening, trying to fight for the main plot, and it was repetitive and I didn't find it all that exciting. Maybe this is a kids book that should stay with the kids. Maybe in schools. But as an adult, it just felt flat. It was a pleasant and quick read, but I didn't really get it, sadly. But I seem to be the only person to think that way.

Lots of classic appeal in this book. Rough, tough children doing what children do - hugely relevant to today’s youngsters and great for them to lose themselves in a book and just be.

Shrapnel Boys
By Jenny Pearson
Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd

Jenny Pearson delivers again with grit, compassion and questionable loyalty.
Through the clever twists and turns of her storytelling she asks;
Who should you trust?
Should it be family first?
Or is a friendships the next best thing to family, love and loyalty?

This thrilling edge of your seat, historical adventure story is set during the London Blitz. But it is big brother Ronnie's attempts to keep his younger brother from falling in with the wrong crowd that uncovers secrets about the war.

But it is the friendships, decisions and courage of a group of young boys living through the reality of the Second World War that makes this a page turner!

'There's a war going on out there, and I'm missing it.'
Ronnie Smith is the older brother, but he’s scared and excited:
scared of the bombs that fall at night,
excited to collect shrapnel with his mates every morning,
scared about what his baby brother is up to.

Secret jobs and dangerous new friends equals suspicion for Ronnie and trouble for Micky. But neither of them are expecting to uncover secrets that could change the fate of the war...

A fabulous new historical story, suitable for ages 10+ that questions, family, friendships and who you can trust.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley

I'm not sure how much I can say I loved this book. I have been a fan of Jenny Pearson but this one hits a little differently. There is still humour and emotion, making me laugh and cry.
In her first historical novel, we meet brothers living in London with their mother at the start of world war 2. Ronnie is suspicious of Johnny, who has shown an interest in his Mum and younger brother, taking him to work at all hours if the day.
This is a tale of live, friendship and courage with the backdrop of war. An incredible book, will certainly be purchasing a copy for myself and school.

This is a rather difficult read. The language is highly accessible but the content presents a few challenges. But maybe that is why it is good. Issues such as war and bullying are not issues that we can sweep under the carpet. But like what other reviewers have said, this might be best used in a classroom setting where there can be guided discussion.

Brotherhood is where I want to start this review. I cannot herald the relationship between Ronnie and Micky enough. This is the type of brotherhood relationship that comes along every once in a while and latches onto your heart so tightly and you’re with them through every second and emotion. I would equate it to my love of the relationship between Eddie and Mickey in Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. Pearson has crafted a brotherhood that will last the test of time and I cannot wait for the world to fall in love with them.

Lugs and Tiger are another duo I cannot help but absolutely adore with every fibre of my being. Lugs is an absolute sweetheart and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. His morality and strength in his principles is a think of beauty and I think he’s one of my standout middle grade characters of the year so far. Additionally, his love of Tiger even despite his initial detestation at being loved shows how wonderful a boy he is.

The WW2 setting and storyline is so human-led and driven that it’s both at the forefront but, at the right times, drops into the background suitably to allow the character led moments to sparkle in all their glory. Whilst this is historical fiction, you can find yourself somewhat forgetting this and rather being engrossed in the human elements which further spotlights Pearson’s meticulous talent for weaving fact, fiction, and heart together astoundingly.

Heads up, I sobbed several times within Shrapnel Boys so it’s definitely a tearjerker. Whether those were happy, sad, angry or other tears, I will leave you to preorder and find out for yourself on 8th May! All I will say is this is a book you HAVE to read in 2025 and I will think of Ronnie, Lugs and Micky for a time to come. Shrapnel Boys is an instant classic perfect for all readers aged 8+ to enjoy…

In three words: WWII, brothers, crime

Jenny Pearson is already one of our favourite middle-grade authors. With titles such as The Incredible Record Smashers and The Boy Who Made Monsters, she has the incredible talent of being able to navigate challenging topics such as grief and depression with genuine warmth and humour. Her novella, Bertie and the Alien Chicken, for Barrington Stoke - a publisher well known for producing short, dylexia-friendly texts - remains one of the most extraordinary and insightful texts I've ever read.

Shrapnel Boys is equally extraordinary. Although different to Jenny Pearson's usual genre, this historical tale had me gripped right from the get-go and is perfect for fans of Lesley Parr and Phil Earle. The story centres around two brothers, Ronnie and Micky, who live in London and who are not evacuated at the start of WWII. With London crumbling around them, thanks to night after night of deadly air-raids, Ronnie finds himself fighting his own battle...for his beloved brother.

Plotted to perfection and superbly researched, this novel is not for the faint-hearted. With challenging themes of fascism, coercion, toxic relationships, crime and bullying, it's a text that might be best suited to shared reading that allows for discussion of such issues. Yet, although it is not a 'funny' story by any means, Jenny Pearson finds ways to inject her trademark lightness and humour. I especially loved Ronnie and Micky's next door neighbour, Vera Green, and the well-written Harry. As a result, this is novel I am bursting to share with my 9 year old son, precisely because it explores such crucially important issues as well as depicting the vivid reality of life in London during the war through a child's eyes. Before reading, I had no idea about the dangers of shrapnel and 'hard rain'.

To summarise, this is a book I will be recommending and talking about for a long time. There have been a wealth of WWII stories written of late but each are beautifully written and a rich resource for the classroom, as well as bookshelves in the library or at home. It has cemented my view that Jenny Pearson is an exceptionally talented and diverse writer. This is powerful stuff!

I've read a lot of WWII fiction, written for adults and children, and this is up there with some of the best. It follows two rival groups of boys living in Central London, who are all looking for something to fill the space in their lives caused by the war, whether it's dealing with the difficult decisions made by others, being evacuated or having absent parents. When someone comes along offering to fill that hole, it is hard for the children not to jump at the chance of feeling valued and rewarded, albeit for being exploited. The children are offered a sense of belonging, companionship and control at a time when everything is chaos and this book shows how easily children can be manipulated. This is so relevant for children today: the experiences of the children in this book are not unlike the descriptions we hear in the news of grooming, gangs and radicalisation and I think that this relevance makes this book additionally important for children and adults today, as well as just being a really good story.

There were a few typos and couple of things that will hopefully be picked up before final prints but these don't detract in any way from my rating of the book. On page 190, Lugs is referred to as Billy by the author. He has previously only been called Lugs, other than by adults in the book and I had to look back to remember who Billy is. The author then returned to calling him Lugs. On page 362, Ronnie is listing the characters in the book and names the Wreckers as Arthur, Billy and Harry, when it should be Arthur, Graham and Harry. Billy is referred to, as Lugs, a couple of lines later.

Over the year there have been many classic stories set in World War II ; Letters from the Lighthouse, Goodnight Mr Tom, Carrie's War, The Silver Sword and many more.

Now there is a new book that should be up among the classics - Shrapnel Boys.

Jenny Pearson has written a gripping, moving, sometime humorous and important story about life in World War II.

This is the story of Ronnie and Micky- two brothers living alone with mum at the outbreak of the war and unlike many children aren't evacuated, remain in London and are witness to the horrors that ensue.

But this is a story that also digs deeper than many books and explores the underbelly of the English and the Blackshirt brigade led by Oswald Mosley ( fascism in everyday society).

Without a father, the 'charismatic' Johnny appears on the scene and charms his way into the family but Ronnie senses that all is not what it seems - soon his brother is under the spell of the man and fears for his safety.

Against this backdrop, the two brothers and their friend Lugs form the Shrapnel Boys who compete against fellow school rivals The Wreckers to see who can find the most shrapnel.

But it is the battle to uncover Johnny's dark secrets, protect his mum and brother and support his friend Lugs who is from a jewish family that makes this novel such an outstanding read. Ronnie's conflicted emotions are palpable.

Fast paced, full of social awareness and sensitivity, the Shrapnel Boys is certainly a top read for 9-12 year old readers /upper key stage 2 classes for 2025 and would be an excellent class topic read.

In a world where divisions are ever more evident and extreme right groups still prevail, the Shrapnel Boys highlights that even in war the 'enemy' was closer than you thought.

A superb read- one that will be highly recommended to colleagues in schools and friends - and should be a future classic children's read !!