The Air Raid and the Easter Egg: Two Stories of a Scottish Childhood, 1940

On the way to school one morning in 1940, six-year-old Maisie hears the air raid siren for the first time. Her brother Maolcolm is supposed to be walking to school with her but at the sound of the siren, Maisie freezes with fear while Malolm runs as fast as he can through the school gates. He leaves her and in her fright she falls over and pees her knickers. It is Maisie's worst day. Eight-year-old Malolm redeems himself a week or two later on Easter day when he takes her to an egg rolling competition on the field outsideEdinburgh's famous Fettes College. These stories draw a vivd picture of wartime family life. They are memories of the author's childhood in Edinburgh when her father was away in the army and her older brother and mum were her world.