Evacuees: another subject that I never get tired of reading about! It's just such an interesting situation, ASKING to be dramatised in fiction really. Kids being whisked away from their parents and randomly slotted into other people's families, adjusting to life in the country after growing up in the city, living with total strangers, overcrowded little country villages rationing and making do, resentment and suspicion, everyone secretly terrified and uncertain because of the war.

There was also a really cunning secret when her mum explained about the little trip but didn't explain about being evacuated. Shirley was an evacuee from London and was sent with her school to the countryside to avoid the bombing from Germany. She is lined up with her school and sees the St Agatha's school (another school being evacuated) she pretends to be a pupil from that school and ends up on a train with them ; she then makes a friend called Jessica and becomes BFFS with her. When they arrive she gets caught and sent to her actual school after half an hour of waiting to be selected by couples Shirley, her headmaster and four other classmates set off in search of a home. Two girls get taken in, while Shirley is left with two boys named Kevin (who is only eleven but extremely tall) and Archie (who his auntie had his hair shaved of because of nits). Her home (Also Kevin and Archie's home) is finally selected; it's a strange home with strange Mrs Waverly and Miss Chubb with secrets to be discovered. I really enjoyed this book by Jacqueline Wilson. It was intruiging and I couldn't put it down. My favourite character in the whole book was Shirley with her love for books and her eager-to-impress attitude. My favourite places in the book were probably the grounds of the house. They sounded really beautiful and mysterious.Upon arriving in the countryside, Jessica and Shirley have to split up as they aren't going to stay at the same places, it unsettled them but they promise to stay friends. Shirley winds up left with a few other children and so they're forced into villagers with rooms. Shirley ends up also placed with Kevin a boy who's also ten but very tall and Archie a young bald boy. They stay with the mysterious Chubby, a bossy housekeeper and her friend Lady Waverley. As well as winning many awards for her books, including the Children's Book of the Year, Jacqueline is a former Children's Laureate, and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame. Jacqueline Wilson wrote her first novel when she was nine years old, and she has been writing ever since. She is now one of Britain’s bestselling and most beloved children’s authors. She has written over 100 books and is the creator of characters such as Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather. More than forty million copies of her books have been sold. Wave Me Goodbye' is a story following young Shirley Smith when she is suddenly evacuated to Meadow Ridge, there she finds herself living with a secretive woman called Mrs Waverly.

It was a big surprise when the army van came up and gave them their camp beds. When Archie went in the lake I was really surprised because he wanted to swim but he sank and Kevin and Shirley had to fish him out. This was the first Wilson novel I'd read, so I was unsure what to expect. What I found was wonderful: a spell-binding and meaningful story about a girl's search for her mother -- Laura Dobbie Waterstones.com

I didn't always like Jessica, I found her a little bit nasty at times, quite self centred and only after her own interests but by the end of the book I was happy to hear she was restored to her nice old self again, like the girl we had met on the train. What I like about the book: I like the bit in the story when Shirley meets Jessica, as it's nice that they are friends. Beforehand, Shirley doesn't have any friends at all. I think the saddest bit in the story is when Shirley departs on the train, and she leaves her mum waving at her on the platform. I find that bit sad because Shirley doesn't want to leave her mum at all. I really enjoyed this book and I think Jacquline Wilson is a really good writer. I think she should write more stories of these children in World War 2 as they are really good stories. I have read many books by this author and have enjoyed them immensely, but this book rose above them all for one specific detail: the history. Not only this, but the way the emotion has been captured and written to perfection enhances the quality of the picture you get in your head when reading. Certain sections of this book are very emotional, such as when Shirley has run away to find a special visitor at her house (you'll have to read the book to find out what I mean!) Occasionally, but in this genre more often than not, you come across tragedy. Coming into this book I realised the element of tragedy would be common, considering the subject matter, but this area which most children are upset by has been carefully written by Jacqueline. She has made all of the history seem real without feeling threatening. I know quite a bit about World War I and II from school and from ancestors with war connection but reading this has shown how the war effected not just several countries, but individual ordinary people. If I had the chance to find out more about war and how it affected people, I would take it. Shirley later sends a postcard to her Mum which describes how it was on her first day and how horrible she found it, however it causes her Mum so much concern she travels to meet the women taking care of her daughter and is so horrified she wants to take Shirley to stay with her boss's relatives.