The Week at World's End: 'The Queen of historical fiction.' Guardian

I love this book

Emma Carroll is one of my favourite authors because I think she is an amazing writer and I love all of her books. My favourite character is Anna! I wanted to read this book because it has a very mysterious front cover. I would definitely recommend to a friend.

I would recommend this book because it is very mysterious and I really enjoyed trying to work out all the puzzles that happen in this book!

This is a fascinating story set in the 1960's amongst the drama of the Cuban missile crisis and the threat of nuclear war and the end of the world. Although the plot and characters are both superb, I really enjoyed all the historical details which took me back to a time before internet and iphones. This is a dramatic story about friendship and family, but in the background runs the story of the cold war, of tensions between USSR and America, of mods and rockers, of the beginnings of CND and the dangers of nuclear bombs. I found this historical adventure story totally absorbing and will be recommending it to all the UKS2 children at school.

This fantastic book is a real history teller. Yes, we all know that history can sometimes be boring, but if you add some fiction to it (like Emma Carroll did), then it becomes a real mystery. I absolutely love it!

I would totally recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction. It has a mix of adventure and mystery. one of Emma Carroll's finest works. I like how you can really connect to the characters and understand what someone in there situation would have felt like. AMAZING!

I really like this book
I like Anna or flea the dog
I would recommend it to everyone aged 8+

It was full of adventure and really good.

This book was so heart warming and full of friendship and love I almost cried!

Tensions build around the a small town in England during the week of the Cuban missile crisis, where two children make a life change discovery in one night, after tea on school .

I love historical fiction. This is definitely my go to genre and holiday read of choice.
What I love about this is the research the author must have done about the time it was set. The 1960's, Cuban Missile Crisis era.
Being a child of the 70's this took me straight back to my grandmother's and my parent's living room. The cream leather sofa and decor was reminiscent of some very happy days. Exploring alone and playing outside as children don't seem to do anymore.
But back to the present. Some of the feelings of the children in this story about the threat from Russia and how it may change their lives took me back to news about the war in Ukraine. The uncertainty that some adults and children may have felt during those first months of invasion and the fear that it could escalate across the world. An uncertainty that some people may be feeling today. A great book! I couldn't put it down and relevant to provoke discussions with Year 5 or Year 6 children about current affairs.

Interesting book detailing the lives of two children in an ordinary street, when something unusual and frightening happens to them: one of the children, Stevie, finds a body in her shed. With the help of friend Ray, they set out to find out the truth; and learn who the body really is.

An important, Serious story...

When Stevie Fisher and her best friend Ray Johnson find a strange girl called Anna in Stevie's shed, they have no idea what to think!
Out, in Cuba, Russia and America are threatening war.
Then Stevie finds a letter telling her to speak up for what she believes in.
Day by day, Anna's behavior becomes more and more mysterious.
And Stevie is invited to go on a peace march with Ray, to stop the war.
This story isn't about children saving the world all alone, or anything amazing or grand, but it is about doing the right thing and Speaking up when the moment counts.

A gripping story by Emma Carroll set during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Nothing exciting ever happens in World's End Close. That is, until Vie finds a mysterious girl (Anna) hiding in her coal shed. Anna needs to stay hidden, and Vie and her best friend Ray promise to help. The story is full of suspense, mystery and adventure and portrays several important messages.
My favourite character was Vie and I enjoyed seeing her change from a shy, quiet girl to a confident character who speaks out. After all, 'the best weapon is your voice'.

The book is set at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 when the world was in danger from nuclear war. The three main protagonists are Stevie (Stephanie), Ray and Anna, Stevie finds a runaway girl in her coal shed who claims to be avoiding someone who wants to poison her. Stevie and Ray want to help and, with Anna they embark on a six day adventure. However Anna isn’t being completely honest and Stevie and Ray uncover her dark family secret. The book is fast paced and will engage young readers to the last page. The author has introduced tough themes including racism, disability and bereavement. I think the best age range for this book is ten years plus.

This is a very good book with lots of drama! I really like it because there is a girl hiding in the main character back garden and she has to figure out why with the help of her best friend. My favourite character is Stevie (the main character) because she is smart and adventurous. I would recommend this book.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and the blurb on the back of the book was enough to make me want to read this book.
I liked the way the story covers a short period of time - six days in 1962 against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This is a period in history that i don't know that well and it is always good to learn a few facts when you read a fiction book!
The three main characters all bring different qualities to the narrative, creating a taut, well-written thriller with lots of intrigue.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a book with adventure, mystery, humour and historical detail. Very enjoyable indeed.

This book started off with Stephanie finding a body in her coal shed. Ray, Stephanie’s (or Vie) best friend is convinced that there is something strange going on… an exciting book that you can’t put down. It is full of mystery and fun. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction, mystery or books full of twists and turns.

As a Head of History I am always looking for historical fiction which I can share with my students and read to my 10yo too. I was drawn to this book as it’s rare to find MG historical fiction about the Cold War.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it cleverly follows the days counting down the Cuban Missile Crisis whilst interweaving other historical threads, like the Civil Rights Movement in the USA and the secret testing of nuclear bombs by the British and the radiation poisoning that the servicemen involved then suffered. This is a great book for introducing upper KS2/KS3 to Cold War themes that can then be explored further and you could also link it to the teaching of religion and ethics when discussing the testing of nuclear bombs.
I will now let my 10yo read and I’m sure she will love it!

Another best seller from Emma Carroll. I simply adore her books. This book is so current at the moment - I felt that it had a Ukraine feel to it., and makes one realise how we need to stand up to a peaceful future

Definitely 5 Stars.
Totally recommend to years 5 and above at junior level

Well, @emmacarroll2603 has done it again. The Week at World’s End is a total corker of a story set during one week in 1962 when the world was under the very real threat of a nuclear war. We follow along with Stevie and Ray as they try to understand and respond to the threat to their world as they know it - is the right thing to escape to the safety of a bunker as Ray’s family want to? Would it even work? Or is it right to peacefully protest as Stevie’s sister believes? Is our voice really the most powerful weapon at our fingertips? And on top of that, who is the mysterious Anna who suddenly catapults into their lives? So much to unpick here with children - the Cuban missile crisis, race relations and Martin Luther King as well as whether children should be given agency to make up their own minds about what ultimately affects them. I have adored every single one of Emma’s books and this is no exception. Can’t wait to tell my class about it.