The day the First World War broke out, Alfie Summerfield's father promised he wouldn't go away to fight - but he broke that promise the following day.

Four years later, Alfie doesn't know where his father might be, other than that he's away on a special, secret mission.

Then, while shining shoes at King's Cross Station, Alfie unexpectedly sees his father's name - on a sheaf of papers belonging to a military doctor. Bewildered and confused, Alfie realises his father is in a hospital close by - a hospital treating soldiers with an unusual condition.

Alfie is determined to rescue his father from this strange, unnerving place . . .

From the bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a warm and moving story of a boy's search for his missing father during the First World War.

About the Author

John Boyne is the author of fifteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.


Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooks
Instagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor

Reviews
Pat Barker meets Michelle Magorian . . . Comic as well as poignantly enlightening * Independent on Sunday *
John Boyne's children's novels tackle difficult subjects . . . and this latest book looks at the horrors of trench warfare in World War 1. With the anniversary of that war next year, this is a timely examination of moral, physical and mental bravery and pain * Daily Mail *
Beautifully paced and affecting * The Bookseller *
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is beautifully written, as are all John Boyne's books for children. Although it's a book aimed primarily at younger readers, it's equally as satisfying for adults, and should be widely read by everyone * Wondrous Reads *
A beautifully paced and affecting tale * Independent on Sunday *


Awards
Short-listed for Cheshire Schools Book Award 2015 (UK) and Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2015 (UK) and Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 (UK) and Hillingdon Book Award 2015 (UK) and Haringey Childrens Book Award 2015 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9780552570589
Author John Boyne
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Corgi Childrens
Publisher Penguin Random House Children's UK
Weight(grams) 202g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 17mm