Can you help me remember title of this book? Boy and a girl, evacuated from London

[8oreighty]

I think..all a bit vague in my memory, go off to the countryside and eventually make it back to london to see their parents, but the house has been bombed, nothing is left. I could have sworn it was Black Hearts in Battersea but just looked it up and doesn't look right at all. I read it when I was about 11 or 12.

You couldn't be misremembering Carrie's War? A brother and sister are evacuated to the countryside and there is a destroyed house at the end, but it's a house in the countryside (I don't remember what happens about going back to London).

That's not ringing a bell...but will look it up. I was sure they went back to London to find their parents and the house was just missing, totally destroyed. Maybe I have made it up! I have no idea why I thought it was Black Hearts in Battersea....ooh maybe was someething to do with Black and Hearts...going to go check.

maybe it was carrie's war then...it sort of fits. I was sure about the london bit though, and don't remember them being in wales, we used to go to wales so I would have noticed...hmmm

Or it could be When The Siren Wailed / When The Sirens Wailed (UK and US titles) by Noel Streatfeild -- the children in that do try to get home to London, I think, although I can't remember what happens. And I think there were three of them rather than two.

Fireweed?

theres a similar story line in the Silver Sword but that's set in Poland and is about 3 siblings looking for their parents.

I don't think it was any of those actually...although all really similar. goign to have to phone my mum. Why did I think it was something to do with battersea?

no black hearts in battersea was part of the wolves of willoughby chase series by Joan Aiken I think - set much earlier than the war

I loved those books but my mum found them irritating for some reason

the book you're describing sounds like Carrie's War

Second vote for Fireweed by Jill Paton Walsh. One of my favourite books - though only he goes off to the country. When he escapes back to London he meets her there and they set up home in a bombed out cellar

I've read a book with that story too, OP, and ihavenewsockson's suggestion is a book I've definitely read - could it be that? Fireweed btw.

they were too young for fireweed, still children. I am sure it was a brother and sister, maybe separated then reunited when they went back to london? Mum doesn't remember. Really don't think was Carrie's War as title really doesn't ring a bell, and I was sure they were in English countryside...we went to Wales every summer so would remember that. The main part of the story was def. in the countryside...but then sure their parents died or something awful.

Maybe I have made it all up?!! but so real in my memory.

Are you sure it's not When the Sirens Wailed? There are three children, Laura, Andy and Tim and they get sent to the country and then run away and come back to find their home in Mansfield Road, SE8 bombed. They are eventually reunited with their mum who is in hospital.

Go to www.abebooks.com (don't bother with the .co.uk, it gets far less traffic and there are lots of UK posters on the .com boards) and navigate to the BookSleuth forum (watch out as a login bug sometimes sends you to the main forum instead of the BookSleuth one).

I am almost prepared to guarantee that someone there will have identified the book within a couple of days, tops.

I think it must be When the Sirens Wailed, that does seem like it - just read long summary on abebooks. phew...thanks everyone, and for link to abebooks

Puddles in the Lane, or similar title, by Alan Parker or similarly named author - rings a dim and distant bell but you have probably found by now.