Sentimental Tommy

Barry did a masterful job of drawing you into the world of Tommy Sands. Told in a conversational style, one becomes immersed in the world in which the child grows up. The book starts with a young Tommy living in the slums of London. Soon a baby sister appears, Elspeth. Living under such harsh conditions could harden a child, but instead Tommy becomes an empathetic figure, developing the ability to put himself, on an emotional level, into another person\'s shoes. We are told the story of Tommy and his sister as they relocate to Thrums, Scottland, after the death of their mother, taken in by the man scorned by their mother many years ago. Tommy\'s imagination and ability to create fantasy worlds for them to live in aid in their survival. Just as Barry\'s imagination ability draws you into the world of Sentimental Tommy.