▁generally ▁regarded ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁No el ▁Stre at fe ild ' s ▁nov els ▁for ▁adult s , ▁it ▁is ▁at ▁least ▁partially ▁told ▁from ▁the ▁perspective ▁of ▁four ▁children ▁- ▁La ure l , ▁Tony , ▁T ues day , ▁and ▁Kim , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁from ▁the ▁perspective ▁of ▁their ▁mother , ▁L ena . ▁The ▁W ilt sh ires ▁are ▁an ▁id yl lic ▁middle - class ▁family ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁comfort s ▁of ▁Reg ent ' s ▁Park ▁in ▁pre - Second ▁World ▁War ▁London . ▁ ▁However , ▁with ▁the ▁break down ▁of ▁society ▁under ▁German ▁attack , ▁the ▁family , ▁like ▁so ▁many ▁others ▁in ▁Britain ▁and ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁Europe , ▁begins ▁to ▁under go ▁its ▁own ▁rapid ▁dis integration . ▁ ▁Stre at fe ild ▁we aves ▁between ▁the ▁fant asy ▁and ▁make - bel ieve ▁of ▁her ▁children ' s ▁books ▁and ▁a ▁more ▁m ature ▁psych ological ▁real ism , ▁thereby ▁conj uring ▁a ▁unique ▁and ▁comp elling ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁far - re aching ▁cor ros iveness ▁of ▁war . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁S ap lings ▁was ▁made ▁into ▁a ▁ten - part ▁radio ▁series ▁on ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁ 4 . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁featured ▁on ▁Radio ▁ 4 ' s ▁' A ▁Good ▁Read ' ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁S ap lings ▁was ▁repub lished ▁by ▁Per se phone ▁Books ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1