Set in London during the Blitz, this is a deeply

affecting story of compassion, courage and the

connection between people and animals. Telling

of the friendship between troubled northern boy

Joseph and Adonis, a silverback gorilla, When the

Sky Falls is based on a true story. As well as

winning the hearts and minds of legions of

readers, it has been praised by reviewers and

won many prizes including the British Book

Awards Children’s Fiction Book of the Year and

Books Are My Bag Readers’ Award. For Philip

Pullman, it is ‘A magnificent story… It deserves

every prize going’, while Michael Morpurgo called

Phil Earle is the much-loved author of an impressive

collection of award-winning books for children and

teenagers. Phil found reading a struggle as a young

person but had a love of comics and graphic novels. His life changed when working in the children’s section of a bookshop. Now Phil’s infectious knowledge and

enthusiasm for children’s books and his writing inspires

The Litfest Big Read - Phil Earle: When the Sky Falls