Set in the South-West during the Second World War, Emma Carroll's latest book is a collection of three short stories with children taking the lead. The first two refer back to earlier books and combine familiar and new characters. First, Frost Hollow Hall has become a home for evacuees including the rather nervous Stan and his two sisters little Maggie and bossy June (who seems determined to make life as miserable as possible for Stan). Tilly Higgins reappears as Mrs Potter, an elderly lady who clearly knows more than she initially reveals about the mysterious secrets of Frost Hollow Hall. When the children bceome involved in a dangerous game of 'dares', it looks like history might repeat itself...

In the second story, Cliff, Olive and Esther (central characters from Letters to the Lighthouse) have to take action to save Ephraim Pengelly (the lighthouse keeper) following the strange discovery of a 'dead Nazi' on Budmouth beach. When the adults appear to jump to the wrong conclusions, will the children be able to piece together the truth about the body in time to save Ephraim and protect the village?

The final story follows Velvet and her friends as they try to keep their pets safe during the blitz. After the new A.R.P. warden enforces shelter regulations reserving them for humans only, the children can't bear to abandon their pets. For Velvet, having animals at the shelter is even more important as it enables her to cope with her fears during an air-raid. With their parents fully absorbed with war work, will the children have the courage needed to find a way to protect their animals?

Whilst each story can be read independently, there are sufficient links between them to make the book make sense as a whole too. Appearing in all the stories is a new character, Eddie Johnson, an American G.I., whose kindness plays a vital role in each story and ties them all together, sometimes in rather unexpected ways. Part of the appeal of 'When we were Warriors' for Emma Carroll fans will probably be spotting the links between characters, places and to the plots of her earlier books. Those reading Emma Carroll for the first time are likely to want to try more.