Guest Blog: Martin Impey
Author of Blitz: One Family’s War
The Beginning
I’d had the idea of creating a children’s book based on the Blitz in WW2 for many years, but finding the time to do it justice was proving difficult. Then as Covid 19 swept across the globe, the government explaining about us having a unique period in lockdown – with shops and warehouses closed and the phone not ringing – our world seemed to drop into a period of deep slumber. I thought maybe then was the right time to start Blitz One Family’s War.
I had created many drawings and ideas in my sketchbooks over the years, so it was just a matter of collating and bringing them to life.
Drawing on Inspiration
The idea to create it was originally inspired by my own family’s experiences during the Blitz on London’s East End. My grandparents were living in Bow, where my father was born shortly before the war. They said it was a close community with family’s living within a few roads of each other.
During WW2 my Grandfather volunteered to become a fireman in the Auxiliary Fire Service, who were on the frontline of London’s defense against Hitler’s invasion plans, later being described by Winston Churchill as the ‘Heroes with grimy faces’.
I wanted to set this story where they lived in Dane Place as a tribute them, however, as it was destroyed and rebuilt after the war, there was nothing left of the old street nor were there any photos showing how it looked for me to draw from.
I began extensive research online, I walked the streets seeking out many sites in London and key locations (looking for evidence of WW2). I visited the archives held at Tower Hamlets History Library, where I managed to find street maps of the area, this along with studying the surrounding architecture, I reimagined what Dane Place would have looked like when my family lived there.
How the Book Grew and Grew
The book was originally planned to consist of around 36 pages, but it evolved into a something that needed more time, room and detail to fulfill what I wanted to achieve – a book that KS2 children of all abilities and older could easily follow the story with minimal text, focusing more on the historical visual detail and allowing them to expand their own narrative to the illustrations – I have added so many details that I wanted parents and teachers to be able to plan discussion points easily. Visual examples like – why were the curbs, lampposts, traffic lights painted with black and white stripes? – What did the letters on the tin helmets stand for? – What was the ‘miracle of Dunkirk?… Other little details that I added are my memories growing up listening to emotional stories of a time that was full of togetherness and community, we saw echoes of that during Covid 19!
Although I have illustrated many books, this is my first that I have both written and illustrated. It has 120 pages with 247 illustrations all packed with scenes of the home front during WW2 and the Blitz, perfect for anyone with a love of illustrated books!
Relevant Today
Sadly, the subject is as relevant today as ever before with conflicts, displaced people and ruined cities filling our news feeds and TV screens daily. I would like children to see the similarities in the then and now, safe in the knowledge that through education and time, yesterday’s enemies can become today’s friends.
My hope is that the book will – inspire and encourage a love of books, art, history, reading and writing.
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Thank you to Martin for visiting our blog this week to tell us more about Blitz: One Family’s War. The book is available to purchase from Amazon or Bookshop.
Our review panel said that “This beautiful and moving book is well researched and rich with detail, making it an excellent addition to any classroom studying World War Two.” Read the full review here.
The book features on our recommended list of World War 2 books for children as well as being a January 2025 Book of the Month.
Readers might also enjoy the following booklists:
Check out our reading for pleasure and curriculum booklists to find more books for children in KS2.
Where next?
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
> Browse our Topic Booklists
> View our printable year group booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.