Sam is being bullied at school. A quiet, creeping insidious form of bullying that has Sam terrified of his persecutors. Sam is also very angry with his father, as it appears that he is the cause of the bullying. Sam's father keeps pigeons and the bullies find this amusing. When Sam's father has to go off and help in the D-Day landings, and Sam is left at home with his mother and little sister, things begin to change for him. He begins to see things in a new light and finds a new resolve to deal with the problems around him. This is an accomplished and finely rendered novel that gently brings to life some complex issues in the life of a young boy.