When We Were Young & Brave
Page 33
When Baden-Powell married, his wife, Olave, was very keen to become involved in Girl Guides. In 1918, she was appointed Chief Guide for Britain, and two years later, she helped to form an International Council, which went on to become the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Olave spent her married life promoting Guiding and Scouting, making many trips overseas (including 648 flights), and visiting many countries to promote the work, which she loved. Following Lord Robert Baden-Powell’s death in 1941, Olave continued to lead the movement as Chief Guide.
Before her own death, Olave left a message for her family in which she expressed “how greatly I rejoiced over the way in which you have all carried out your share in the work of the movement that my beloved husband invented for the advancement of boys and girls of all countries, years ago . . . I trust that you will continue fully to use the system of work and play that our movement provides, keeping up the fun and friendships made at your meetings and camps, abiding by the Promise and upholding the Laws that you undertook to live by when you joined up. In that way you will not only advance yourself in body, mind and spirit, but you will affect those around you, in doing what is honorable and right and wise, and in giving out kindness of thought and action, thus striving against all ills and helping to make the world a happier and better place in which to live.”
The Guide Movement continues to thrive today as an essential youth organization for young girls, offering a place for them to practice teamwork and leadership skills, to explore a wide range of interests, and to develop a sense of confidence and belief in their potential. In a world in which we still strive for equality for women, Girl Guides is perhaps more important and relevant than ever.
As Juliette Gordon Low once said, “The work of today is the history of tomorrow and we are its makers.”
Further Reading
The following books and websites were invaluable to me during my research. I hope you might find them interesting if you wish to read more about the war in the Pacific during World War II and/or about the history of Girl Guiding.
Empire of the Sun, J.G. Ballard
Dragon Seed, Pearl S. Buck
The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck
How the Girl Guides Won the War, Janie Hampton
Girl Scouts Handbook: The Original 1913 Edition, W.J. Hoxie
The Story of the Girl Guides, Rose Kerr
Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II, 1937–1945, Rana Mitter
China’s War with Japan, 1937–1945, Rana Mitter
From Sprites to Dark Horses: A Girlguiding Journey, Avril Stouse
Stolen Childhoods: The Untold Story of the Children Interned by the Japanese in the Second World War, Nicola Tyrer
weihsien-paintings.org
Reading Group Questions
The book opens with Nancy reflecting on her experiences of the war. Why do you think so many of those who lived through World War II haven’t been able to talk about it? Do you have family members who were involved in World War II? What memories have they shared?
The sense of routine and unity and optimism provided by the girls’ involvement in Brownies and Girl Guides is key to their ability to endure life in the internment camp. Were you ever a Brownie, or a Guide or Scout? What do you remember from that experience? How did it help you as a child or adult?
The book is narrated in alternating points of view between Nancy and Elspeth. Why do you think the author chose to do that? How did their different perspectives of the unfolding events affect you?
There has been a surge in popularity of World War II fiction in recent years. Why do you think that is? What do you enjoy about novels set in this era? Has the book inspired you to read more fiction set during World War II?
Did the book give you a better understanding about the war in the Pacific, and life under Japanese occupation and internment during World War II? What did you learn about this aspect of the war? Was there anything that especially surprised you or resonated with you about the Chefoo schoolchildren and their teachers?
Nancy and Elspeth share a close bond as child and teacher. Did you have a favorite teacher or one you especially remember, and why? What was it about them that left an impression on you?
Nancy feels a strong urge to see Elspeth one last time and to thank her for all she did for her and for the other children in her care. If you could meet any of your school teachers now, what would you say to them?
Sprout’s illness and death affect Nancy and the Chefoo group profoundly. What were your thoughts when reading those scenes?
Despite being “the quiet one,” Mouse plays a pivotal role in the end. How did you react to her as a character, and to the chapter written in her voice?
Did you cry, or were you shocked at any stage during the book? If so, which scenes provoked the strongest emotional reaction? Which character(s) were you rooting for the most? Whose story did you find the most compelling?
What will you remember most about the book? Are there any particular passages or quotes that resonated with you? If you could summarize the book in three words, what would they be?
Praise for When We Were Young & Brave
“In her latest compelling novel, Hazel Gaynor brings to the forefront a lesser known yet important piece of WWII history. . . . Penned by an assured and compassionate hand, When We Were Young & Brave interweaves the beauty, cruelty, hope, and resilience found in wartime, to powerful result. A unique and moving tale not to be missed.”
—Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday
“In a story of courage, friendship, and humanity in the bleakest of circumstances, Gaynor takes a slice of true history and brings it to vivid life. I loved these characters and rooted for them all the way.”
—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes
“Hazel Gaynor again breathes fresh life into a lost piece of history. . . . The British female voices, and their Girl Guide values, are as vivid as the landscape of this fascinating novel. While the students and teachers are tested to the limits by the hardship and privations of war, this is ultimately a story of deep friendship and profound bravery. When We Were Young & Brave is transporting, important, and tremendously moving.”
—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis
“When We Were Young & Brave is a stunning novel of resilience and hope, as a young Girl Scout troop must brave the hardships of life in a Japanese internment camp during WWII. Set amidst the captivating and colorful backdrop of China, Gaynor enchants with her masterful storytelling. A book not to be missed!”
—Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author
“In When We Were Young & Brave, Hazel Gaynor gifts readers with an extraordinary and unique story of war—one unlike any we have read before. . . . Like her unforgettable characters, Gaynor has a gift for finding compassion and hope beneath the fear and deprivation of wartime life. With skill, warmth, and delicate grace, Gaynor peels back the layers of research and fact to reveal the tender heart behind this fascinating piece of history.”
—Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters
“With her latest, Gaynor unveils a fresh perspective in World War II historical fiction, one that profoundly reveals the power of resilience and community in troubled times. Deeply moving and unforgettable.”
—Fiona Davis, nationally bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
“A compelling story of innocents caught up in the machine of global conflict, so wonderfully written and soul-stirring. Gaynor beautifully explores the heart’s brave struggle to make sense of the upside-down world that is war. Well done!”
—Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War
“I couldn’t put When We Were Young & Brave down. This wonderful story about the Chefoo School’s courageous educators and tenacious students can teach us all something about the power of hope and per
severance in the face of crisis and uncertainty.”
—Elise Hooper, author of The Other Alcott and Fast Girls
“Hazel Gaynor’s novels are so well researched and so rich in detail that one cannot help but be swept away to a time and place far removed from our own and live the drama through characters so beautifully realized that one walks amongst them. An absolute treat for any reader interested in history.”
—Liz Nugent, #1 Irish Times bestselling author of Little Cruelties
“Important. Heartrending. Hopeful. . . . I was moved to tears many times as Gaynor paid witness to the extraordinary bravery and resilience of the teachers and children of Chefoo School. . . . A truly phenomenal read. Hazel Gaynor is an author who never fails to shine a bright light onto our historical pasts, making real-life events and characters dance on the page.”
—Carmel Harrington, Irish Times bestselling author of A Thousand Roads Home
Also by Hazel Gaynor
Meet Me in Monaco (with Heather Webb)
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter
Last Christmas in Paris (with Heather Webb)
The Cottingley Secret
The Girl from The Savoy
Fall of Poppies (with Heather Webb and others)
A Memory of Violets
The Girl Who Came Home
Copyright
‘Pamphlet B’ - Baden-Powell Girl Guides – a Suggestion for Character Training for Girls Copyright © 1909 by Agnes Baden-Powell
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
P.S.™ is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers.
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG & BRAVE. Copyright © 2020 by Hazel Gaynor. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
Cover design by Mumtaz Mustafa
Cover photographs © Svetoslava Madarova/Trevillion Images (girl); © Copestello/BigStock (landscape); © daniilphotos/BigStock (landscape); © agefotostock (buildings); © Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red//Newscom (planes) © Valadzionak Volha/Shutterstock (paper)
Title page image © SERG KOVALENKO / Shutterstock, Inc.
Planes on title page © Vectorcarrot / Shutterstock, Inc.
Part title bird image © pansuang / Shutterstock, Inc.
Digital Edition OCTOBER 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-299527-8
Version 07222020
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-299526-1
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-303483-9 (library edition)
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com