This is a good book set in London. There is some mystery in this. The ending was very rushed. Perfect for younger readers

I love reading about WW2 and especially enjoy childrens or middle grade fiction. I loved this cute time travel story and really liked the characters Emmie & Jack. The storyline and the characters that were introduced was amazing.

I was drawn into this one by the cover and the story inside definitely did not disappoint! This book reminded me so much of the Magic Tree House Series!

I love time travel novels. The cognitive dissonance caused by the future and the past overlapping has intrigued me since I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle as a child. Accordingly, I was excited to read Glen Blackwell’s time travel book, The Blitz Bus, about two modern day children who find themselves in 1940 London.

I also was intrigued because my mother spent half of her childhood living through WWII, including being evacuated from the east end of London. Her stories of seeing the horror of the Blitz, of making friends with a little girl from the Kindertransport,* of sheltering from the bombs in the Underground stations, and of holding her little brother’s hand as they were forced onto a train going to an unknown evacuation destination, were an integral part of my childhood.

The Blitz Bus was an exceptional read that paralleled some of the stories of my mother’s childhood with whimsey, science, magic, and sweetness thrown into the mix. Emma and Jack, two 21st century children from East London, take their usual bus home but end up in 1940 in Bethnal Green during the Blitz. Having just studied the war in school, they knew “when” they were but they had to learn where to shelter and how to find food. All the while trying to get home to their own time. As they struggle to survive, including sheltering in the not yet finished Bethnal Green Underground Station, they make two dear friends, both of whom are lonely, Jewish children rescued from Poland via the Kindertransport.

This is an important book for children and their parents to read; it not only provides lessons in history, it also is a sweet book that mixes a little science and magic with that history.

In return for an honest review, I was provided an advance review copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley.

*The author provides this note at the end of the book:

“The Kindertransport (which is German for ‘children’s transport’) was a rescue mission which took place over 9 months, starting in December 1938. The purpose was to help children in countries threatened by or under German occupation get to safety in the lead up to the Second World War. In the end, the United Kingdom took in nearly 10,000 children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig (a city state between Germany and Poland which existed between 1920 and 1939). Most of the children rescued were Jewish and, sadly, many of them were the only members of their families to survive the Holocaust.”

Enjoyed this look back at history through the eyes of a student in the present. I read a lot of WW2 fiction and this was right up my alley.

After being assigned to write about how it may have felt to be in the Blitz during WWII, Jack and his friend Emmie accidentally end up back in time during the Blitz! They meet a Polish refugee and another kid who appears suspicious. Could he be a spy?

The Blitz Bus is a fun romp that is great for introducing younger readers to the Blitz in a child appropriate way. It goes through a lot of great details, really letting the reader understand what is was like and also talks about the Kindertranpsort, which is often lesser known. The story wraps up very quickly, which is not likely to bother younger readers. There are some references or words that may take a while for an American student to get used to. I would happily add it to an intermediate classroom.

Thank you to Glen Blackwell and NetGalley for providing a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

When his teacher assigns her class to write a fictional diary entry of a WWII evacuee, Jack, 12, just can't think of anything to write. Somehow, the war seems so long ago and he just can't relate. And now, he's going to be late meeting his best friend, Emmie Langford after school. Being a good friend, Emmie has been waiting at their bus stop when Jack finally shows up.

Everything seems normal until they reached their stop and notice a new blue storefront with a mannequin wearing a long coat and a gas mask in the window. Suddenly, there is a flash of light and it begins to rain heavily, so they head to the nearby Tube station for shelter, along with everyone else.

Everything at the Tube station feels like it's out of time, causing Emmie to think they are in the midst of a film set in 1940. But gradually she and Jack realize they have landed in the midst of a WWII air raid, instead, and that somehow they have traveled back in time. With no money, no food, and no friends, Jack and Emmie begin to try to figure out how they can return to their own time. Along the way, they become friends with Jan, a Polish boy who arrived in England a few years earlier on the Kindertransport. The three discover an old Anderson shelter behind a bombed and abandoned house as Jan helps them navigate this unfamiliar London. When they discover what appears someone trying to build a makeshift radio, they are convinced the mysterious boy/man they have noticed is a German spy.

The German spy turns out to be Stan, who also arrived in London on the Kindertransport, but unlike Jan, whose foster family is quite kind, Stan's treats him terribly. As they become friends with Jan and Stan, can Jack and Emmie trust them with their secret and perhaps get some ideas of how they can return to the own time? Or will they be stranded in 1940 forever?

The Blitz Bus is an interesting time travel novel that points out how as things recede into history, they don't carry the same level of interest or impact that they once had. Jack may live in East London, which had been heavily bombed and damaged during the war, but he's interested in video games and football, not history. I thought that Blackwell portrayed what London in the Blitz was like quite well, layering it with the different experiences of the two Kindertransport kids, their loneliness and homesickness, emotions Jack comes to appreciate firsthand.

The novel also points out how people were so suspicious of foreigners during the war that they often suspected them of being spies, just as Jack, Emmie, and Jan thought that about Stan.

Interestingly, the Tube station that Emmie and Jack shelter in was the Bethnal Green Station which was destroyed in 1943, killing 173 people. Blackwell includes more about it in his back matter, that also includes information on the Kindertransport, and instructions for making the kind of radio out things found, similar to the radio Stan builds to listen to new about Poland.

I have to admit that I was hoping that once they returned to their own time, Jack and Emmie would try to find out what happened to Jan and Stan, whether they were living, and if they were, did they remember their two time traveling friends?

Readers looking for a time travel adventure, as well as those who enjoy historical fiction set in WWII will no doubt enjoy reading about Jack and Emmie's exploits in this imaginative novel.

This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley

This book is definitely recommended for middle grade readers in the UK, and for others, if and when they learn about WWII. The story is told about 2 kids who are learning about WWII in school, and when they get on a red bus, they are somehow transported back in time to when The Blitz has occurred. They meet children who were moved from their homes to new families to try and keep them safe, and experience what life was like during that time, as they try to find their way home.

Last year I read Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah, and that was the first time I heard about the children being sent away from their families to try and stay safe. Had I not read that, then this book would have been confusing for me. The ending is very abrupt though - I do wish that there was a bit more to it in order to see what each child learned. This would be a great companion piece to a project about WWII.

What better way for kids to learn what it was really like to experience a challenging period in history than to transport them to that time? (okay, I realize that this would be a horrible idea for certain times or for us to do it en masse)

Emmie and Jack get to experience what the WWII blitz was like firsthand. From scurrying to find an underground shelter, to kids being shipped out from other countries for their safety to live with strangers and still be in a different sort of danger, to finding food when most ingredients are rationed and more, these two learn about it and live it.

Well done!

This was a very cute book. Obviously, the cover is very pretty, so that's what got me into it, as well as the travelling back in time aspect.

I think this would be perfect for kids in primary school. It was a really, really fast read. It's not complicated, it's very easy to follow, as you can imagine the language isn't too complex.

I liked that historical facts were mixed into the story.

Overall, it was enjoyable.

A good story via NetGalley for older children about two twelve year olds who are taking the bus home from school when they are sent back to 1940. They had been studying 1940 in school at the time. They meet two boys from Poland who were sent to England to keep them safe. How to get home is on their mind as they make it by day to day with the bombings and lack of food availability.

I didn't realize at the beginning that this was aimed at primary school children but it still made for a very enjoyable read. Based in London 1940 the wording in all ways was very good. Giving the real feel of that period in time. Children should learn a great deal from this novel. I must admit that the ending was rather quick but then I think it had to be. As an ageing adult I found this a very interesting read without it being hard to understand and I am sure hat children would have the same feeling about this and it certainly gives the right vibes of the period. Any history teacher who teaches the primary years would find this a valuable piece to add to there lessons. Well done, very well written and well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this eARC

I love reading children's historical novels and this one didn't disappoint. A lovelytimeslip historical fiction story for children. Bringing to life, the historical facts that faced the people living in London during WW2. When two friends are finding it tricky to understand in their history lessons, how life really was during WW2, they get transported in a London bus back to wartime. There they find fitting in difficult and at first can't believe it has happened. Emotions run high. Making friends with two children from Poland, trying to fit in as well, they find themselves not only understanding how people coped but also eventually finding how keeping up moral and being positive is the best way forward.

A great insight for children into the sights, feelings and nostalgia of WW2 from the perspective of the younger generation.

An enjoyable read, aimed at 9-13 year olds, I would say. It’s based around the London Blitz in WW2 abs whilst being enjoyable time travel fiction it’s also educational for that age group, inviting the reader to understand what the Blitz meant for Londoners.
Lovely book cover too, very inviting.

An enjoyable time travel story set in London in the present day and the 1940’s.
Accurate historical detail and an exciting plot involving evacuees, spies, police chases, air-raids and bomb-shelters. Simply written, it would appeal to readers aged 9-12. I could certainly see myself using this in class as part of a unit on “Life during WW2”.

Thank you to the author, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book combines London in WWII and time travel - which sounds an unlikely pairing, but it's so well done that middle grade children will find this a great read. Starting from the present day, and jumping back into London in 1940, the book has well-researched descriptions and brings in aspects that will appeal to children, making history real to them, while at the same time injecting a sombre note into what were terribly difficult times. I loved the way the author used the characters Jan and Stan to introduce the Kindertransport and show how important giving others safe refuge is. Highly recommend!

Jack and Emmie are struggling to visualise what life would have actually been like during World War 2, for a school project. When they find themselves somehow trapped in war-torn London in 1940, they are confused and unsure how to survive, and more importantly get home again. They meet Jan, who came to England on the kindertransport, and many curriculum topics are touched on, such as bombings, rationing, air raids, spies etc.
I think some children would enjoy the book, but as an adult I found myself skim-reading to get to the end. Sometimes the story would jump in time without ever filling in the blanks eg suddenly it would say “the next afternoon” with no mention of what happened in the intervening time.
All in all, could be interesting for a child studying world war 2, but there are many similar options out there too.

First off, thank you @netgalley and @gblackwellbooks for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this lovely book! The book is due to be published in two days time, September 07, 2021.

This is my first book ever in the time travel genre, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it even though it is aimed for younger readers. I found myself engrossed in the historical elements of it, I am not particularly learned about World War history, so this simplified version really tweaked my interest, I might even seek out other books set during those times.

The writing style is simple but engaging with the right hint of poignancy and excitement. I couldnt help feeling a deep sense of anxiety for the children; for Jack and Emmie stuck in the past and for Jan who fled home because of war. Every time Jan mentions lugging his gas-mask around everywhere, I felt a jolt of emotion I cannot explain. The sheer terror or trying to hold on to normalcy in the middle of a war torn world is something I cannot imagine. This book will surely help readers empathize with the countless refugees and refugee children scattered all over the globe, who are trying to claim a little place for themselves in a world where they constantly labeled as strangers.

I would definitely recommend this book to children and adults alike. It's a fun, thrilling ride through time, scattered with relevant historical facts that could teach us a thing or two about kindness and tolerance.

Very enjoyable read! The time of the Blitz in London is a special interest of mine, and this one did not disappoint. Full of interesting, and often sad, details about civilian life during WW2, but not so graphic as to make this a Y.A. book. Perfect for introducing middle-grade readers to the subject of WW2.
**I received a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own. Thanks, Netgalley!**

I love children’s historical fiction and was delighted when I received a copy of Glen Blackwell’s new book. As a primary school teacher I have read many quality children’s books set during the second world war; Once, Goodnight Mister Tom, Letters from the Lighthouse, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, The Umbrella Mouse and Our Castle by the Sea are all superb and explore various aspects and experiences of World War 2. All of the aforementioned are must reads and I can now add The Blitz Bus to that list of wonderful wartime stories.

The Blitz Bus is the story of two children, Jack and Emmie, who inexplicably find themselves transported back to London, 1940, on their way home from school. At first they are convinced they have inadvertently stepped into a film set but then the bombs start falling, they attract the attention of the authorities, have to seek safety in the underground and it quickly becomes apparent that this is most definitely their new reality. Along with new friend Jan - a polish refugee - they must work to uncover the identity of a potential spy and try to find a way to get back home.

The Blitz Bus is a thrilling wartime adventure that explores the Blitz through the eyes of children and it makes for a very enjoyable and educational read. For a historical wartime read, the whole idea for the book is unique and original and I love the concept. At school, both Jack and Emmie are struggling to properly imagine what life would have been like during World War 2 so what better way to understand it than to experience it for themselves.

Finding themselves in 1940’s London the children are surrounded by a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar. London is being bombed, people seek shelter in air-raid shelters, food is rationed and every day is a battle to survive. The story-telling is peppered with historical facts and Blackwell’s well-researched and accurate descriptions immerse readers into wartime London, it is easy to imagine what it would have been like which is exactly what children need unless they plan on sneaking a ride on the Blitz Bus.

In their search to get back home, Emmie and Jack meet two young polish children, Jan and Stan, who have travelled to England via the Kindertransport system in the hope of finding safe refuge from the German army. Jan and Stan's personal stories add another welcome historical element to the narrative and as the friendship develops between the children from the past and the present, emotional conversations shed light on the experiences of wartime refugees and the struggles and challenges they faced at being in an unfamiliar country and far from home. I really enjoyed this aspect of the narrative as these are important stories that need to be heard.

The Blitz Bus is a very accessible read that I raced through in a very enjoyable morning. I would highly recommend to children in upper key stage two, it would be an excellent book to read when studying World War 2.

With huge thanks to Glen Blackwell and Zoetrope for my copy of this brilliant wartime read.

Recommended for 9+.