Owen and the Soldier

I would recommend this book to someone else Owen and his mum are struggling with life.owen finds a stone soldier in the park who Owen talks to about his worries which helps him .

A really good story and I really liked it. Not the kind of book I would normally read but my brother said it would be good and he was right. It’s so sad what happened to everyone who lost lives fighting for our country. It’s a good book for children.

A lovely story about the need to stand up for what you believe and how you can face hardships and help others.
Will definitely be reading this with my class this year.

Initially, I thought that I liked the story of Owen and the stone soldier but it didn’t really flow. I’ve read other Lisa Thompson books - The Goldfish Boy and Light Jar but this story didn’t work for me. The Barrington Stoke stories are quite hit and miss. They present stories by ‘known’ authors but so many of them just don’t make the mark; as though they’re unfinished or still at the rough stage of their process.

Not that adventurous, it was a bit boring for me.

A touching story which inspires you to be courageous and never give up because in the story Owen tries hard to save the stone soldier.

I wasn’t sure what would happen, and was glad when it was a nice ending

Nice story

I liked Owen because he was shy but then became brave.

I loved it. It had a great message to it. My favourite character was Katy.I would recommend it to someone else

I would recommend this to anyone who is felling down as it’s a very beautiful story

I like the front cover it’s colourful. Mr Jenkins is my favourite character.

This is a story about a boy called Owen, he has struggled since his Dad went away to fight in a war and did not come home. Owen's Mum is depressed and finds it difficult to cope therefore Owen tries to help as much as he can. He does not have many friends at school but finds that he can talk to a stone statue of a soldier in the memorial garden in the local park. Owen is devastated to learn that the soldier is to be removed by the local council when refurbishment work is scheduled for the park. He tries to change the minds of the Councillors so that the statue to remain.
It is a lovely story about friendship, remembrance and speaking up for what you believe in.

It was a really short book I felt sorry sorry sorry for the boy because after school he would walk to the soldier and talk to him and the were going to replace it but he protested to keep the soldier.So I would recommend the book maybe it could inspire you.

A very powerful story, simply told. It certainly pulls at the heart strings - very moving.

A beautifully written short story, from the perspective of Owen who faces many adversities and struggles with home life. To see him stand up for something he loves and cares for, developing his confidence and belief in himself, and how it has such a positive impact on not just him but also those around him is heartwarming.

I found this book amazing and at the end Owen standed up for the stone soldier which was the thing I liked about him. My opinion is that it was an amazing book .

Owen panicked about reading out loud but he did it to save the soldier, he did so well with his poem.

This book made me so emotional! I wasn’t expecting it at all. I loved the character of Owen, and how the book made me feel so differently towards him and his mother at different stages throughout the book. The memorial garden which Owen frequented was such a peaceful place and was a dream to read about. The ending, which I won’t spoil because it was a magnificent shock, was one of the most well crafted reveals I have ever read. I am definitely going to read this book to my year 3s this year as I think they’ll love the relationship between Owen and the soldier and will understand everything the statue represents to Owen. Beautiful!

This book is an easy to read, moving story. It introduces emotional themes and has short paragraphs and chapters, making it less daunting to look at.

Owen is struggling at home and at school. At school he doesn't want to be noticed, and doesn't want to talk aloud. At home Mum is still grieving the loss of her husband, Owen's father, and he seems to be looking after her.
I liked that this this story follows Owen and how he deals with his feelings, and how as a result of talking to a stone soldier he is able to ask for help.

I will definitely be recommending this book to the children at school who enjoy, for example, the Tom Palmer books.

This book was really moving and showed the importance of facing your fears to achieve your goals. As we learn more about the main character, Owen, you grow to empathy for him and his goal, and hope that he can use his determination to cross the bridge of talking in front of others - and when he does you feel pure joy!
I would love to recommend this to children who do not feel comfortable or confident enough to talk in front of the class, but who’s views are so important!

This is an important and special little book. It is so accessible and readable, being a Barrington Stoke. But it really packs a punch. Mental health, grief and depression are so delicately and beautifully explored in a really moving and unique story. I loved it and think it is really worth a read

I like how descriptive it is and i like Owen's poem. I also like the book because it makes you want to keep reading. I recommend it for 5 to 10 year old's.

A very lovely, gentle book dealing with remembrance, loss and courage. Beautifully written with empathy and insight.

It was very good. This book was about a boy who went to see a soldier in a war memorial garden. When Owen finds out that the soldier is to be removed he gets everything he can to stop the council from removing him. But will his hopes work?

A quick read but totally worth it, perfect for Remembrance Day too. It quietly and gently touched my heart, and without giving anything away, made me shed a few tears too. A little boy needs a friend, someone to confide in, someone who’ll listen and he finds that person in an old stone statue in his local park. The statue helps him find his own voice too in a moving story about courage and loss. Will resonate with old and young alike.

Shortlisted for this year's Blue Peter Book Awards, this Barrington Stoke title by Lisa Thompson intrigued me as I have a great interest in the First World War.

It tells the story of shy Owen who struggles both at home and school, but who shares his daily woes with the statue of a soldier in his local park. But when the soldier's future comes under threat, will Owen be able to overcome his shyness and speak out?

The ending of the story almost had me in tears - a touching story all shoukld read.

A charming read that let's you into the mind of Owen.

No. Poor read.