Battling Spirits & Kindly Hearts

'Like many men in later years, Michael would reflect on those childhood times. The curious thing was that he would remember nothing but the good about it.’

Battling Spirits & Kindly Hearts begins just before the outbreak of the Second World War, and follows the story of twelve year-old Michael Forbes, who lives in the East End of London with his parents, Frank and Honeysuckle. The one bright light in their lives of poverty and hardship is their annual holiday to Kent for the hop picking season. However, with the storm clouds of war on the horizon, little do they know that this years holiday could be their last…

When war breaks out, Michael is evacuated to Australia to live with his aunt. The novel follows Michael as he adapts to life and misses those that he has left behind. Years later, Michael looks back on his life. In particular, he remembers the people who were so influential to his growth; the battling spirits and kindly hearts of this story.