A wonderfully nostalgic story about one boy's determination to follow his dreams from the award-winning author of Goodnight Mister Tom. Amid the rubble of post-war Britain, Ralph is entranced by the theatre. He loves seeing the performances, talking to the actors, the buzz of the audience, and the corridors and dressing rooms backstage. But how can a working-class boy achieve his dream when there is no opportunity for theatre training?

Author Biography

Michelle Magorian is the best-selling author of numerous award-winning stories for children. Several of her books, including Goodnight, Mr Tom and Just Henry have been adapted for TV, helping book sales to reach the millions in the UK alone. Michelle was born in 1947 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, of a Welsh mother and Irish father with an Armenian Surname! Michelle Spent her toddler years in Singapore and two-and-a-half years (aged 7-9) in Australia. In between times, up to the age of eighteen, she lived in Portsmouth. She was educated at Kilbreda college, Mentone (Victoria, Australia) and the Covent of the Cross, Waterlooville, Hampshire. From 1969-1970 she was a mime student at Marcel Marceau's L'Ecole International de Mime in Paris. Since then Michelle has worked in theatre, television and films and has an established reputation as a comedienne, performing in plays and musicals. Michelle also toured with her one woman mime show in Italy and England. Some of her best-loved stories include A Spoonful of Jam, A Little Love Song, Cuckoo in the Nest, Just Henry and Goodnight, Mr Tom. Her extensive list of awards includes the Costa Prize and the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.