Book excerpt: “The life of this little evacuee couldn’t be more different from those other unlucky children his own age, who had been left behind in a state of dreamy delirium on the battered streets of London.” While World War II was raging and turmoil spread throughout Europe, thousands of children were evacuated in the hope of protecting them from the trauma of war. Among these children was newly-born Edward (Teddy), who was rescued from the terror of the London Blitz by his parents and sent to live with his grandmother in Tipperary, Ireland. He spent his childhood among the vibrant hillside community, where he had the rare opportunity to develop at the hands of nature. The Early Morning Light is a celebration of his young life, which was a stark contrast to those of countless other children living traumatised across Europe. This detailed account explores the gradual change of Edward’s life as a small boy throughout World War II, with a continuous undercurrent of how his life may have been had he never been evacuated. Sharing some of his favourite childhood memories, including his hunting and fishing expeditions with his uncle, Edward shares with the reader a very different story to other wartime memoirs. Written in the same linguistic manner as the Irish tales of the time, The Early Morning Light moves poetically as it tells his touching story. Inspired by literary greats such as Virgil and Kafka, The Early Morning Light is a compelling memoir that will appeal to those who enjoy reading about family life during the Second World War.