Harry is safe in the backyard shelter when German bombs flatten his family's house. Numb and disoriented, he evades the authorities and makes his way to the beach, where he is befriended by Don, a stray dog. Together the boy and his new companion leave town and travel up the coast toward the holy island of Lindisfarne. Along the way the pair comes in contact with several remarkably kind people, some equally cruel ones and a few genuine eccentrics. At odds with the otherwise genial storytelling are scenes in which a sadistic homosexual corporal attempts to molest Harry. Here the author perpetuates an ugly, misguided stereotype by implying that the corporal's brutal behavior is part and parcel of his sexual preference. This flaw aside, much of the novel pleasantly blends the period details and high adventure typical of Westall's other World War II novels. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)
The Kingdom by the Sea
The air raid siren that pierces the English night sky comes as no surprise to young Harry Baguely. Ever since Hitler began sending his warplanes to raid London, Harry has become an old hand at running to his family's bomb shelter and waiting for the attacks to end. This time, though, Harry's family doesn't make it to the shelter. A war orphan with no where to go and only a lonely dog for a friend, Harry decides to make a courageous journey up the English coast. He is looking for a place to call home, a safe place far away from the danger and confusion of the city. But when he finds it, will it be worth the struggle? In Harry's encounters with the frightened civilians and weary soldiers of war-torn England, Robert Westall draws a compelling portrait of the devastating effects of war on children. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults and an American Booksellers Pick of the Lists, The Kingdom by the Sea is both a powerful historical record and a moving tale of one boy's adventure.
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The Kingdom by the Sea
The air raid siren that pierces the English night sky comes as no surprise to young Harry Baguely. Ever since Hitler began sending his warplanes to raid London, Harry has become an old hand at running to his family's bomb shelter and waiting for the attacks to end. This time, though, Harry's family doesn't make it to the shelter. A war orphan with no where to go and only a lonely dog for a friend, Harry decides to make a courageous journey up the English coast. He is looking for a place to call home, a safe place far away from the danger and confusion of the city. But when he finds it, will it be worth the struggle? In Harry's encounters with the frightened civilians and weary soldiers of war-torn England, Robert Westall draws a compelling portrait of the devastating effects of war on children. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults and an American Booksellers Pick of the Lists, The Kingdom by the Sea is both a powerful historical record and a moving tale of one boy's adventure.
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Product Details
BN ID: | 2940172792885 |
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Publisher: | Recorded Books, LLC |
Publication date: | 03/15/2013 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |
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