Operation Banana

By Tony Bradman and Tania Rex

As World War ll drags on, Susan sets out on a mission to cheer up her mum in this heartwarming wartime tale from award-winning historical fiction writer Tony Bradman.

Susan is worried about her mum. She’s struggling with long hours at her job in the factory and it’s a long time since they’ve heard from Susan’s dad, who’s on the front line in North Africa. Everything is in short supply in London, but Susan decides she’s going to cheer her mum up by getting her a treat, and what could be more rare at that time than a sweet, delicious banana? But what lengths will Susan have to go to find one? Let Operation Banana commence!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Apr 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781800902619

Tony Bradman

Tony Bradman started working life in the music press. In 1979 he joined Parents magazine where he launched their highly successful children’s book pages and, in 1985, the Best Books For Babies Award. He went freelance as a children’s author in 1987 and by 1992 was among the top 20 children’s authors borrowed from UK public libraries.

Book preview

For my mum and dad, children of the war

CONTENTS

Title Page

Dedication

1 Doom and Gloom

2 The Black Market

3 A Hard Task

4 Skipping School

5 The Big Surprise

Historical Note

Old and New Money

Copyright

Chapter 1

Doom and Gloom

North London, November 1942

It all started the night Susan’s mum burst into tears at dinner.

Susan and Mum were sitting at the kitchen table in their flat with the radio on. It was the BBC News at Six O’Clock, but Susan wasn’t listening. She was too excited about what was on her plate.

As a special treat, the butcher had let Mum have two pork chops. They were tiny and a bit tough. But Susan couldn’t remember the last time they’d had meat for dinner, and she really wanted to enjoy it.

Mum was still wearing her khaki work overalls and had a red scarf tied up over her fair hair. Susan’s hair was brown and cut in a neat bob, and she was wearing her school uniform: an old navy-blue pinafore dress and a white blouse.

Suddenly, Mum began to cry, the tears running down her cheeks and dripping onto the table. Susan sat there for a moment with a piece of pork on her fork, halfway to her mouth. Then she jumped up and hugged Mum.

I’m sorry, love, Mum said