The Secret Shelter [Paperback]

Sandi LeFaucheur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2004 | Age Level: 9 and up

What happens when three London kids who explore a long-abandoned World War II air-raid shelter find themselves back in the 1940's?

Without homes, identities, or the ration books they need to buy food, they must avoid dangers ranging from a direct hit from the bombs of the Blitz falling each night to authorities who suspect them of being spies.

How can Sophie, Marina, and Quigs survive long enough to find out how to travel in time, to get home to the 21st century. Exciting time travel!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9 - Sophie Pinkerton, a high school student growing up in present-day London, shares both a curiosity and history assignment with her friends about what their neighborhood would have been like during World War II. "Leave the past alone," warns old Mr. Martin, who seems to have a special knowledge of what may await them. However, Sophie, Marina, Quigs, and their teacher, Mr. Schmidt, insist on exploring the old air-raid shelter buried on the school grounds, and find themselves transported back to 1940, where they meet Quigs's ancestors. The danger is great from both the cruelties of war and the possible discovery of their true identities, especially for German-born Mr. Schmidt. LeFaucheur has written a real page-turner, somewhat akin to Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic (Viking, 1988), and the resolution of the story contains some imaginative twists. Even minor characters are well developed and interesting, and the historical facts are woven seamlessly into the story. Excellent for "what if" discussions. - Paula J. LaRue, Van Wert City Schools, OH
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Review

"...an amazing book which kept me hanging on right until the very end..." -- Thisislocallondon.co.uk

...a sure winner...brought to life with a (great) writing style...intriguing in the least and spellbinding at best. -- Bookwire Reviews, November 5, 2004

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Brown Barn Books (September 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974648140
• ISBN-13: 978-0974648149
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,423,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Time Travel Made Easy, September 14, 2004

By 

Lynn - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Shelter (Paperback)

Well researched, The Secret Shelter provides insight into the lives of those who struggled through the Blitz. I especially liked the time travel concept and how the three modern-day kids had to learn to deal with the bombs, scarcity of food, and blackouts.

This book would be a great introduction to some of the realities of WWII. And it's was much easier to digest this information while being entertained by likeable main characters. I learned about barrage balloons (who knew?), air raid shelters and how the women and kids in a close knit community in South London coped with unimaginable burdens.

I believe The Secret Shelter would be a great read for teens as well as those a bit younger. It's a part of history that shouldn't be forgotten.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars child's eyeview of the Battle of Britain, August 29, 2005

By 

Rebecca Brown "rebeccasreads" (Clallam Bay, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Shelter (Paperback)

Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE SECRET SHELTER as an engaging & authentic recreation of a child's eyeview of a desperate time when ordinary people did extraordinary deeds, love shone like the Sun through the clouds of war, & danger fell from the sky.

When Sophie, Marina & Quigs thought of digging down through 60 years of earth to open the WWII air-raid shelter outside their school, Mr. Martin, the janitor, had warned them not to meddle with things past. Undeterred the classmates & their teacher find the door & open the dark, dank space. Once inside, Mr. Martin disappears & Mr. Schmidt falls through the rotted staircase & hurts his head.

Frantic, the friends drag their teacher out into the fresh air... except it's not the same place or time they'd just left. Now their school is painted a disgusting brown with all the windows covered with brown paper. Then the air starts humming, a hair-raising siren starts wailing & hordes of airplanes come rumbling overhead.

That's when it dawns on them they have traveled back in time to 1940.

Without homes, families or identities, carrying only the fake ration books Mr. Schmidt had made as samples for their class project, Sophie, Marina, & Quigs must avoid the dangers of the nightly bombardment by the Luftwaffe, suspicious classmates & the authorities on the lookout for German spies. Will they survive long enough to find out how to get back to the 21st century?

Moved me to tears & because I've been there & done that, brought up many memories. Outstanding, & perfect for (great)grandparents to tell (great)grandchildren what it was like.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Time-Travel Tale, September 25, 2004

By 

a reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Shelter (Paperback)

The Secret Shelter is an amazing book that takes you right back to London in the bombing raids in the World War. I couldn't put the book down till I got to the very end. It's very exciting.