Deze serie volgt de levens van de familie Hollis terwijl ze de uitdagingen en transformaties van Groot-Brittannië na de oorlog doorkruisen. Elke aflevering biedt een inkijkje in hun persoonlijke dromen, worstelingen en aspiraties om hun plek te vinden in een wereld die zich herstelt van oorlogsschade. De verhalen verkennen thema's als ambitie, klassenverschillen en het nastreven van vervulling, zowel in de kunst als in het dagelijks leven. Het is een aangrijpende verkenning van familiebanden en de veerkrachtige menselijke geest tegenover tegenspoed.
As an evacuee, Ralph received a good education, but after the war Ralph's working-class father resents his education and his ambition to be an actor, and is furious when Ralph is sacked from the paper mill. The story traces Ralph's struggle to reconcile the disparate strands of his life.
By the author of Goodnight Mr Tom, this is a heart-warming story of a young girl growing up in the immediate post-war era. For Elsie, though, the fighting isn't over. Not only does she have to cope with the indifference of her father, himself adjusting to family life after the war, she also has to run the gauntlet of a vicious bully and cope with being a scholarship girl at the local grammar school. Through her work with the local repertory theatre, Elsie's confidence slowly grows and she finds herself able to confront all her demons. This is the rich and dramatic story of a young girl who manages to overcome many obstacles in her attempts to lead a normal life. Michelle Magorian's great strength is her ability to understand both the vulnerabilities and the strengths of her characters, and to imbue even the most distressing events with elements of humour and warmth. --Philippa Reece
Henry misses his father who died a war hero. One day Mrs Beaumont lends Henry a camera for his school project. Henry is disgusted that he's been put in a group with Jeffries, the son of a man who went AWOL, and Pip, who was born illegitimate; but he's about to learn that tolerance and friendship are more important than social stigmas.