The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown

Based on Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war Britain, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a warm, witty and beautiful coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle.

Charity Brown’s life is about to change – her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to those in need.

Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious – her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher – so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers.

It’s a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity’s age . . .

Elizabeth Laird is the author of dozens of much-loved children’s books, including The Garbage King, The Fastest Boy in the World, Oranges in No Man’s Land and the UKLA award-winning Welcome to Nowhere. She is a winner of the Children’s Book Award and has been shortlisted six times for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal.

Many of Elizabeth’s books reflect her years living and working in the Middle East and Africa, but others, including Red Sky in the Morning, Jake’s Tower and Song of the Dolphin Boy, are set in Britain. She now divides her time between London and Edinburgh, but still loves to travel.