While the storm rages by Phil Earle

When war is declared between Germany and the Allies it creates a storm for everyone in England as new regulations and plans are introduced to protect the residents of London in the face of the threats of attack. For Noah, the difficulty of farewelling his father to serve and the likelihood of evacuation is compounded by the Government’s demand that his dog, Winn should be put down, along with the other pets in London. Time pressures means that there is little time to come up with a plan to save Winn, but Noah and his intelligent and wise friend Clem, desperately want to save their pets. Noah always has ideas, some of them good, that Clem seems able to iron out using her reasoning skills and intelligent responses. But this time, commandeering his father’s dilapidated river boat and finding a haven for the animals he has gathered along the way (including the local bully’s pet python, a donkey and some rescued kittens) comes with all sorts of dilemmas that even Clem with all her wisdom cannot solve. But persistence and team work give them a chance to attempt to save their ‘Noah’s ark’ of animals and leads them to discover that the bully, Col and his python, can help too.

This is a brilliant story of the courageous actions of young people in the face of the awfulness of the war’s impacts on a community. The friendship between Noah and Clem is powerful, but the promise that Noah made to his father to protect Winn drives the young boy to action. This story reminds me of Michael Morpurgo’s war stories written for children. It is mature in its thoughtful dealing with a difficult time in history, but child-focused in that it deals with the children’s love for their animals and their impetuosity to save them, and is written in a child-friendly style. There is a quest-like aspect to the journey along the Thames that is exciting and action-packed, and some decisions made are ill-conceived and potentially life-threatening. The courage and quick-thinking of Noah and Clem are woven into the 1939 historical period, and yet the story has a fresh contemporary feel that will appeal to young readers aged 10-14. I loved this story and it is worth promoting to young readers who will definitely recommend it to their friends.

Themes: World War II, Evacuation, Animals, Friendship, Perseverance.

Carolyn Hull