Peggy's Letters by Jacqueline Halsey Read Free Book Online

changing the classes round again. Here are four new pupils for you: Stanley, Thelma, Ivy and Alice.”
    Spud holds two fingers up behind Thelma’s head giving her rabbit’s ears.The class titters. Mrs. Mashman spins round, but Spud’s too quick for her. The ears have disappeared into his pocket.
    With a parting glare that freezes everyone in their seats, Mrs. Mashman turns and leaves the room.
    â€œCan you imagine having her for your mother?” says Doreen. Annie and I shudder.
    Mrs. Bottomly assigns the new kids their seats, stands up and bangs her desk with a ruler. “From now until the end of term, we’re going to do something different. Peggy gave me the idea.”
    I did?
    â€œWhat idea?” mouths Annie.
    â€œDon’t know.”
    â€œWe’re all going to be reporters,” continues Mrs. Bottomly, unrolling a large sheet of paper.
    â€œWhere did she get all that paper,” whispers Doreen from behind. “I thought paper was in short supply, and that’s not even utility paper.”
    â€œSshhh,” I tell her. “I want to be a reporter.”
    â€œThis paper is going to be our newspaper. It’s going to be divided into columns. Each of you can write a true story about your family and the things that are going on around you.
    â€œNow who would like to be our editor?”
    â€œSounds like extra work to me,” whispers Doreen.
    I like the idea, but before my hand is all the way up, Spud shoots his into the air. I didn’t know he was keen on writing.
    â€œWell, Stanley and Peggy you can both be our editors.” Spud gives me a wink.
    What have I let myself in for?
    â€œLet’s talk about what we’re going to write about. You must all have lots of stories.”
    Doreen puts her hand up. “I haven’t got any stories, Miss.”
    â€œGoodness me, child,” says Mrs. Bottomly. “Look around you. Just being in London in 1944 makes you part of history.” She walks into the center of the classroom and waves her sheet of paper. “Just think, everyone, this newspaper could become a historic document.”
    I’m part of history? The words buzz round my head. That makes me as important as any king or queen.
    â€œTom, you start us off. Stand up, and tell us something about yourself or your family,” says Mrs. Bottomly.
    â€œI’ve got one-hundred-and-thirty-two spent bullet cases,” says Tom.
    The boy next to him gives him a shove. “No you ’aven’t,” he says. “Half of them’s mine.”
    The room erupts into a shrapnel shouting-match. I lean back in my chair. I knew the class-newspaper idea was too good to be true.
    â€œQUIET!”
    Everyone stops talking and looks up at Spud, who is standing on his desk.
    â€œThank you, Stanley,” says Mrs. Bottomly. “You can sit down now.”
    â€œI’m the editor, so I get to keep everyone in order.”
    Mrs. Bottomly flutters her hands. “I don’t know about that, dear. Umm… Let’s continue.” She points to Elsie in the front row.
    â€œMy story is going to be about how our chimney was blown off by a bomb,” she says.
    â€œThat’s exactly the sort of story we need in our newspaper. Very good, dear… Now, Thelma.”
    â€œMy cousins were evacuated to Canada at the beginning of the war. Mum wouldn’t let me go. She wanted us all to stay together. I wonder if I’ll ever see them again.”
    George sticks his hand up. “Miss, Miss,” he says before Thelma has finished talking. “My brother lied about his age just so that he could be a pilot and fly Spitfires. Dad is so furious he won’t talk to him.”
    â€œThat’s what I’m going to do when I’m old enough,” says Fred. “I’m going to get into dogfights and shoot down enemy planes.” He gives a demonstration with loud sound effects. George joins in. Why do boys