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Review
I must also mention the welcome reissue in January of Foreman's The Little Ships which has been out of print for some time and has been sorely missed. Written by Louise Borden in a poetic style, this is a moving account for children of all ages of the evacuation of Dunkirk. (Marylin Brocklehurst Bookseller )
Their dramatic and touching story is vivdly brought to life in this atmospheric picture book with poetic style writing and animated illustrations. (Primary Times )
Stunning watercolour illustrations bring this piece of history to dramatic life. (Angels and Urchins )
A fascinating book and a welcome reissue. (Carousel )
The striking and evocative text is equally matched with the distinctive and powerful illustrations from Michael Foreman. (School Librarian )
Their dramatic and touching story is vivdly brought to life in this atmospheric picture book with poetic style writing and animated illustrations. (Primary Times )
Stunning watercolour illustrations bring this piece of history to dramatic life. (Angels and Urchins )
A fascinating book and a welcome reissue. (Carousel )
The striking and evocative text is equally matched with the distinctive and powerful illustrations from Michael Foreman. (School Librarian )
Product Description
In May 1940, many countries in Europe were at war with Nazi Germany. Half a million British and French soldiers were trapped on three sides in northern France by German troops and tanks. The only escape for the Allied army was the sea. An incredible armada of over 800 craft, including Royal Navy ships and a flotilla of small river and coastal boats, thereafter known as "the little ships", was assembled on the south-eastern coast of England. They sailed across the English Channel to Dunkirk in France to rescue the beseiged troops. The wide Dunkirk beach was covered with men who were hungry and thirsty, with horses running loose from their French riders, with dozens of barking dogs, with trucks and equipment - the disarray of an army on the run.
In her vivid and deeply moving text, Louise Borden tells the story of one small fishing craft from Deal that was part of the armada. It is told from the point of view of a young girl who donned her brother's old clothes and sailed with her father on the family boat, the Lucy. The story of that incredible venture is part truth, part fiction. It could have happened.
Michael Foreman, who as a boy during World War II lived in a small fishing town on the English coast, has created remarkable pictures that, together with Louise Borden's spare and dramatic text and an interesting introductory note by Christopher Dreyer, who commanded the Royal Navy ship MTB 102 in the armada, bring vividly alive this historic rescue in which over 300,000 men were saved.
In her vivid and deeply moving text, Louise Borden tells the story of one small fishing craft from Deal that was part of the armada. It is told from the point of view of a young girl who donned her brother's old clothes and sailed with her father on the family boat, the Lucy. The story of that incredible venture is part truth, part fiction. It could have happened.
Michael Foreman, who as a boy during World War II lived in a small fishing town on the English coast, has created remarkable pictures that, together with Louise Borden's spare and dramatic text and an interesting introductory note by Christopher Dreyer, who commanded the Royal Navy ship MTB 102 in the armada, bring vividly alive this historic rescue in which over 300,000 men were saved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"The Little Ships" is a combination of fact and fiction. It takes an all to real event, the evacuation of Dunkirk and portrays it through the eyes of a fictional child. The book is written by Louise Borden, who has written a number of books I would call "historical fiction for children", for want of a better word. She also written about such real life heroes as The Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and Bessie Coleman. The illustrator, Michael Foreman will be more familiar as the illustrator of many Michael Morpurgo Books. The combination of Borden's expertly written text in the first person and Foreman's lifelike illustrations make you feel as if you are actually present, during the evacuation and witnessing events as they unfold.
We never learn the name of the main character in this story, a young girl who dresses in her brothers old clothes to help her father on their small fishing boat as they join the rag tag armada, dubbed "The Cockleshell Fleet", going to rescue as many British soldiers as time will allow and bring them home. The young girl is especially hoping her brother will be among those waiting for safe passage home, but I do not want to give away too much of the story itself. I will say this, both of my sons, ages 2 & 6 sat wide eyed through the reading of this. To my surprise, my husband turned down the volume on the television and came over and sat beside us, seemingly as wrapped up in the story as the children. The only interruption was as the boys scanned each illustration, carefully checking the insignia of the aircraft, hoping to see their beloved Spitfires. To their disappointment, the only aircraft visible bear the iron cross, and one can almost hear the howl of stuka as the planes dive toward the little ships below.
There is sadness in this story, which is unavoidable, but no direct mention of death, only a reference to some who "would not be coming home". The illustrations show smoke and flames and bandages, but nothing especially gory, so I do believe this book is acceptable for children. I think this book gives children a sense of national pride, and of respect without being terrifying, and strikes a very good balance in just how much to show. I also think history becomes much more real and memorable to children when presented as a story. It makes history alive and exciting rather than stuffy and boring as many describe history classes. This book wins my full recommendation.
(portions of this review may appear elsewhere)
We never learn the name of the main character in this story, a young girl who dresses in her brothers old clothes to help her father on their small fishing boat as they join the rag tag armada, dubbed "The Cockleshell Fleet", going to rescue as many British soldiers as time will allow and bring them home. The young girl is especially hoping her brother will be among those waiting for safe passage home, but I do not want to give away too much of the story itself. I will say this, both of my sons, ages 2 & 6 sat wide eyed through the reading of this. To my surprise, my husband turned down the volume on the television and came over and sat beside us, seemingly as wrapped up in the story as the children. The only interruption was as the boys scanned each illustration, carefully checking the insignia of the aircraft, hoping to see their beloved Spitfires. To their disappointment, the only aircraft visible bear the iron cross, and one can almost hear the howl of stuka as the planes dive toward the little ships below.
There is sadness in this story, which is unavoidable, but no direct mention of death, only a reference to some who "would not be coming home". The illustrations show smoke and flames and bandages, but nothing especially gory, so I do believe this book is acceptable for children. I think this book gives children a sense of national pride, and of respect without being terrifying, and strikes a very good balance in just how much to show. I also think history becomes much more real and memorable to children when presented as a story. It makes history alive and exciting rather than stuffy and boring as many describe history classes. This book wins my full recommendation.
(portions of this review may appear elsewhere)
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A well told story told from the point of view of a boy whose father owned one of the ships that sailed from Deal, via Ramsgate, to Dunkirk. Great illustrations, but why not have English spellings instead of American ones? For me this spoils the book. It's a shame as it wouldn't have taken much to correct things for a U.K audience.
Format:Paperback
My 10-year-old granddaughter has been studying this period of history at school so I thought this would be an appropriate present for her. She was pleased to get it but as yet I've had no feedback on the book itself. To me it seems the type of book which a child could take into school and others would find it interesting too.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Little Ships
A lovely book with delightful illustrations that bring home to children what an enormous undertaking it was for the people of Britain who had a boat to rescue our troops from... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Cronley
Lovely little book!
I knew the story of the little ships (I attended a secondary in the 1980s, where the teachers taught well - possibly because they didn't put up with any inappropriate behaviour),... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jane Louise
The Little Ships
The book had my year two children rivetted to their seats. I used this as part of our WWII topic. It was one of the few books suitable for this age group, however, I feel it would... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mrs. J. Hill
Dunkirk Little Ships
Excellent story of Dunkirk evacuation written for intelleigent 10 plus year old - good read for adults also
Published 21 months ago by B. A. Smith
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