When the Sky Falls

Perfect for Yr 6 readers interested in WWII with the added twist of a boy's relationship with the gorilla. Beautifully and evocatively written. Highly recommend.

i loveed it but is was kind of sod

If you are looking for a World War II novel that completely breaks the mould of the traditional "evacuee story," Phil Earle’s When the Sky Falls is an absolute triumph. Set in 1941 during the terrifying heights of the London Blitz, this story doesn't just teach history—it makes you live it.

As an educator, I am always on the hunt for books that serve a dual purpose: a story that grips children's hearts while simultaneously acting as a high-quality text for the classroom. This book does both flawlessly.

For teachers or parents looking to boost writing outcomes in Upper Key Stage 2, this book is a goldmine. Earle’s use of punctuation is absolutely perfect. He utilizes dashes, brackets, and commas for parenthesis beautifully, showing children how to tuck extra details or internal thoughts seamlessly into their writing. His use of semicolons to link related ideas and colons to introduce tense moments is incredibly precise. It is the ultimate tool for modelling how punctuation can be used to control the pace and tension of a story.

Earle’s prose is stunning. He writes with a rich, sensory vocabulary that brings the sights, sounds, and smells of war-torn London to life. The imagery of the city under fire, combined with the evocative descriptions of the zoo and the magnificent silverback gorilla, Adonis, provides children with a brilliant blueprint for their own descriptive writing.

What truly stole my heart was the emotional depth of the characters. Joseph is not a perfect hero; he is angry, defensive, and deeply hurt. His struggles with reading (linked to his dyslexia, which was misunderstood at the time) and his feelings of abandonment make him incredibly vulnerable. Children will easily relate to his frustrations, his walls, and his journey toward opening up. The bond he forms with Mrs. F and the gorilla, Adonis, is beautifully tender and will leave few dry eyes by the final chapter.

When the Sky Falls is a modern classic. It is a powerful historical tool for teaching the Home Front, an emotional roller-coaster that builds deep empathy in its readers, and a brilliant mentor text for high-level writing. I cannot recommend it highly enough for Year 5 and Year 6 classrooms!

Amazing! Total adventure!

Brilliant book based on historical events but using those historical events to tell the story of a troubled young man who grows up through his communication and rapport with the zoo's gorilla in the middle of the London Blitz. Not an easy read for sensitive children, it does raise very sad emotions but also the understanding of how difficult it can be to carry out an understood duty.
Recommended for all yr 7's and older, younger children may enjoy the story but they may not yet have the life experience to appreciate the many facets of life that are expressed through this book.

A great book that I have reread this Summer - throughly enjoyed the development of the relationship between the two main characters

Loved this book!
Read with my 10 year old (yr 5) who is just finding an interest in the war and asked lots of relevant questions. We made lots of predictions, some of which were correct!
A fantastic book for an insight into how lives were affected during the war and the impact on children, adults and animals.
We can’t wait to read the prequel next!

Such a powerfully emotive book, giving a different story of World War Two.

I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between the main character, Joseph, and Adonis, the silverback gorilla developed. I hadn't thought previously about what happens to wild or zoo animals in times of war, who is left to take care of them or what happens if they are accidentally released from captivity. Children who enjoy realism rather than fantasy might enjoy this book. It's one for mature readers as lots of sensitive subjects are touched upon - parental abandonment, bereavement, war, physical punishment, feeling unsafe.

It was very secretive and things didn't turn out the way you expected.

This book was fiction.
My favourite characters were Mrs F and Joseph.
My favourite part was when Adonis helped Joseph and protected him from the wolves.
I would recommend it to ages 8-10.
I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

I liked this book

Gosh! What a book! A cast of characters that intrigue you right from the start, it lacks a punch and leaves you thinking about so many lives that were irrevocably changed by the war. Yes, people were resilient but this book highlights just how much people had to live with. At the heart of it is a troubled, dyslexic boy: I wanted to reach into the book and just give him a hug. And of course I have to mention Adonis…what a story! I highly recommend it but keep the tissues close.

Read this book if you are very mature otherwise it will destroy you. Set during WW2, the characters go through a lot of things. There is death and heartbreak. This book made me very sad. I'm not regretting reading it, as I learned a lot, but I will never read it again.

I loved this book and will be adding it to my reading list. The characters were well-developed, and it was difficult not to be engrossed in the storyline. Each chapter brought a further twist and the ending did not disappoint. The language choices and development of the storylines added such precision to the overall reading experience.

I know the ending was realistic. I just wanted it to be different - personal choice. Beautifully written.

Wow! What a gripping book. As a reluctant reader myself, I was gripped from the start. The story touches not only on World War 2 which is a topic that we are looking at in Year 5 this year which attracted me to it - but also powerfully touches on behaviour as a form of communication and the impact of choices. This is one for my classroom this academic year for sure!

it was amazing and it was sad and funny and I would definatly recommend it

Brilliant

My students have been learning about WW2 last term. I saw it on an awards list and in piqued my interest.
I've been recommending it to my students.

A very powerful, emotive book set in London during WW2. As war rages, Joseph must face many more obstacles as he is relocated to a new home- his mother leaving him, the fear of his father fighting in the war and the endless struggles with anger, separation and relationships. Joseph finds an unlikely friend in Mrs F and Adonis, the last living ape in her zoo! A thrilling tale that touches on many big emotions- 5 ⭐️

I loved the characters in this book-especially Mrs F and Joseph as they come to care for each other. The story is dramatic and Adonis seems almost human. Its a moving story. I would definitely recommend this book!

A bit of a Michael Morpurgo feel to this story about an angry young man who is sent to live with a woman who does not like children at all - they become friends and have a challenge ahead of them to save a gorilla named Adonis.

I loved this story; there was a real authenticity to the characters.

I loved this book! It is now officially my second favourite book. Adonis was the only thing they had left but then these stupid people came over and shot him! I was sobbing for ages and still would thinking about it now!

Fantastic. Fascinating story, skillfully told and extremely moving.

Really good book

This book is amazing, I loved every second of it and couldn't put it down. I was sad when I finished it because now I have read all of his 3 books.

If you love animals I would recommend all of his books.

It is a really emotional book in a good way and it really shows what happened to many people during ww2.

I loved this book and could not put it down. It's a real page turner. Skilful writing makes the characters very realistic- you really feel you are getting to know Joseph and Mrs F. I think we all know a Joseph- a troubled boy who resolves all difficulties with a fight and I could feel his petulance and anger jumping out of the pages. The developing relationship between Mrs F and Joseph is heart warming and the ending is powerful, moving and emotional. I will be recommending this book to everyone!