From the opening sentence-"He was an old hand at air raids now."-this is the perfect lost boy meets lost dog story. The beaches of WWII England is the setting for what I think is Robert Westall's best novel. (An opinion apparently not shared by the experts.) However, due to some profanity and thematic elements, this book is PG in our library. Which provides, I believe, an opportunity: if I had a son, say ten or twelve years old, I would consider reading this story to him, editing out the profanity and discussing the scene where Harry is rescued from the danger of sexual abuse by a soldier. The incident is reported sensitively and is germane to the story, which artfully follows Harry's learning how to relate to various men in his life. Westall's style is engaging and his story compelling.
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