Q&A with Tom Palmer all about Resist

What inspired you to write this book?

My wife. Well… when I am thinking about what to do next I end up chatting it over with my wife. I was very keen to write a story about a girl or young woman’s involvement in the war, because most of my other war books feature male soldiers, sailors, airmen. I told my wife, she went online and – three minutes later – slapped an A4 sheet about Audrey Hepburn’s role in the Dutch resistance in front of me. There was no going back. And the more I found out about off-screen Audrey the more it had to be her.

How would you suggest primary teachers use this book?  

There are lots of resources on my website – including those created by CLPE. I’ve done films on location in Holland and other materials. The main subjects are WW2 and what civilians did to stand up to oppression, but also dance, facing your fears and how outside events affect a family. There are also some parallels between Audrey Hepburn and Anne Frank. They were both the same age in Holland, though having very different experiences. I hope – also – it is a short novel that can work in the classroom. I try to write them so they are good to read aloud.

What motivated you to begin a career in writing?

Becoming a born again reader. I really didn’t enjoy reading at school. I never found the right thing and books intimidated me. Then my mum got me reading about football in newspapers and in magazines. She built up my reading stamina so I could try books. Over the years I came to love reading and to admire authors so much I wanted to be like my heroes.

Which books had a lasting impact on you as a child and why?

None, I’m afraid. The reading that really impacted me was the local newspaper with its match reports and other football coverage. I loved it. I read every word. Then comics like Roy of the Rovers and Shoot. I liked short things to read. I liked the sense of achievement of finishing reading a magazine, something I struggled to achieve with books. Then I came to books.

What are the major influences in your work and how do you decide on your subjects?

I choose to write about what really interests me. Football. Fell running. History. Dogs. Girls doing sport. Things that are important to me. Things that I know about. Then I read around and find how I can link my passions with what could be useful to school teachers. WW1 and WW2. The Holocaust. The Armistice. I need to think about what I want to write, but also what teachers need for the classroom. Finding a way to fuse the two seems to work out well.

As for major influences… for each book I immerse myself in books, films, museums, short trips and – if I can – meeting the people who I am writing about. In the last year or two I have met several Holocaust survivors and men who served in the RAF, Royal Navy and British Army. Hearing stories from those who were there help me make my stories as authentic as possible. And it also makes me sure to be careful to get my facts right, out of respect to them. I like to write stories that are based on testimony.

Discover Resist by Tom Palmer, published by Barrington Stoke...