Little Exiles

Jon Heather, proud to be nearly nine, keeps a vigil at the end of his lane. Determined not to be beaten by the cold he stands and waits for his Father. It is Christmas Eve, 1948. Christmas, a time of family and a time of miracles. Although he has never once seen his Father, Jon knows that he is coming home.But Jon’s Father does not return, and one evening no longer able to cope, his mother leaves him by the door above which the legend reads, Chapeltown Boys Home of the Children’s Crusade. Several weeks later, still believing his mother will return for him, Jon finds himself on a boat set for Australia. Promised paradise and a new, better life, Jon soon realises the reality is very, very, different.Epic in scope, LITTLE EXILES is the incredibly moving and heartbreaking story of one boy’s struggle to get home. Rooted in historical fact - based on the forced child migration between Britain and Australia that took place after WWII - this novel shines a light on the appalling human cost of the Children’s Crusade.