After reading Blitzcat by the same author, I thought more of his books would be a good thing. I was right! What a great cast of characters. I enjoyed my time with all of them immensely. Gold hearts all around us. ( )

This wonderful book has me out looking for the rest of this author's books. A wonderful adventure of a boy and his dog during WWII. Terrific growth in the character and a realistic ending. I wish there was a sequel, though the ending is very satisfying. ( )

The Kingdom by the Sea is a wonderful book. The setting is England in World War II. When Harry's family goes missing in a air raid, he decides to set out on his own instead of going into foster care or with relatives. A dog joins him on his journey. Most of the book is concerned with his travel and what he is able to find along the way. The reader sees Harry's naiveity give way to hard knowledge. The friendships he makes along the way also build him into the person he is by the end of the book. The mood by the end is decidedly upbeat - and then Westall decides to bring it all crashing down with a heartbreakingly uncomprimising ending. The bittersweet taste it leaves in the mouth is easily the book's best feature, because it shows how one has bonded with the book's characters along the way. It also raises questions about who we consider family and why. Those very questions are the reason the book is so great.

A wonderful coming of age book regarding a twelve year old Enlgish boy whose house and family were bombed during WWII. While initially traveling alone, he finds a dog and both bond and search for a sense of belonging and a place to call home. Before finding their Kingdom by the Sea, they face many difficult situations.
This beautifully written gem is an incredible book. Once again Westall's young adult book deals with very heavy topics and leaves the reader in awe of his ability to search the soul and clearly identify human emotions. ( )

In de zomer van 1942 wordt het ouderlijk huis van Harry getroffen door een bom. Harry was al in de schuilkelder in de tuin, maar zijn ouders en zusje niet.
Gedesoriënteerd en overstuur rent Harry weg van de hulpverleners. Op het strand ontmoet hij de herdershond Don, die ook alleen is. Samen trekken ze verder langs de kust.
Een mooi en ontroerend verhaal over een jongen en een hond, die samen overleven. ( )