Stay Where You Are and Then Leave audiobook by John Boyne
Narrated by Euan Morton (2014)
The day the First World War broke out, Alfie Summerfield's father promised he wouldn't go away to fight—but he broke that promise the following day. Four years later, Alfie doesn't know where his father might be, other than that he's away on a special, secret mission.
Then, while shining shoes at King's Cross Station, Alfie unexpectedly sees his father's name on a sheaf of papers belonging to a military doctor. Bewildered and confused, Alfie realizes his father is in a hospital close by—a hospital treating soldiers with shell shock. Alfie isn't sure what shell shock is, but he is determined to rescue his father from this strange, unnerving place.
From the author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne's Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is a touching look at the effects war has on a family, seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy trying to understand a world turned upside down.
Critical acclaim for the narration
AudioFile Magazine praised Euan Morton's performance:
"Narrator Euan Morton faces, and conquers, a tough challenge in Boyne's WWI story for young listeners. From the perspective of 5-year-old Archie Summerfield, Morton voices the confusion and dread of those on the London home front. Morton's clearly adult voice is disconcerting at first but soon suits the character as Archie rapidly matures and contrives a secret mission to rescue his institutionalized father. Morton's presentation will capture listeners of all ages as Archie tackles the war head-on from home."
School Library Journal praised Euan Morton's performance:
"Despite some contrived events, the characters are so realistic and endearing that listeners' concern for their heartrending experiences will override any plot holes. Euan Morton's fully voiced narration is stunning, not only showing exasperation during the intense moments, but also the subtleties of the parents' love for each other and the weariness brought on by four years of war. This audiobook is an engaging way for students to understand historical events and terms like conscientious objector and shell shock, relevant today as PTSD."
Recognition
- USBBY Outstanding International Books longlist (2015) — The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) annual honor list recognizes outstanding children's books originally published outside the United States. The list introduces young American readers to exceptional international authors and illustrators.
About John Boyne
John Boyne is an Irish novelist. Born in Dublin in 1971, his novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2006) became an international bestseller and was adapted into a major motion picture. He has written 15 novels for adults and 6 novels for younger readers, translated into 60 languages. He has won 4 Irish Book Awards and many international literary prizes, including the Qué Leer Award for Novel of the Year (Spain), the Prix Femina Étranger and the Prix du Roman FNAC (France), and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize (Germany) for his work on Holocaust Education. In 2015, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave has been published in 22 languages worldwide, including French (Gallimard Jeunesse), German (S.Fischer), Italian (Rizzoli), Spanish (Mondadori), Chinese (Jieli), and Brazilian Portuguese (Companhia das Letras). The novel was shortlisted for the Irish Book Award: Children's Book of the Year and the UKLA Book Award. The audiobook, narrated by Euan Morton, was produced for both UK and US markets by Macmillan Audio.
Critical Praise
Kirkus Reviews: "A vivid, accessible tale of the staggering price war exacts from those who had no voice in waging it."
School Library Journal: "Boyne, much like in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, takes readers into the throes of war as seen through the eyes of a child."
Publication Details
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave
Links
Purchase & Listen: Audible | Amazon | Libro.fm | Macmillan Publishers
Visit John Boyne's official website for more information about the author and his works.