It is September 1939 and Britain is on the brink of being attacked by Germany. The government declares all pets, that cannot be evacuated to the countryside, must be euthanized. So as you can see the premise of this story is based on real events.
Noah is determined to save his precious dog Winn especially since as his father left for the front line Noah made a promise to look after their dog, mum and their old boat - Queen Maudie.
"Don't let anything happen to her, you hear? ... We've been through a lot, me and Winn. And knowing that the three of you are safe is all I'll need to keep me safe. Can you do that for me, Noah?"
Noah is also worried about his best friend Clem and her old dog Frank. Noah and Clem make a plan to save their pets by taking them to the Battersea Dogs home but when they arrive hundreds of other people are in a line ahead of them. Battersea cannot help all the pet owners but then someone in the line suggests the Duchess Nina Douglas-Hamilton lives on a large estate and she cares for animals. The directions are vague but Noah, Clem and a boy from their school named Big Col decide to set off in Queen Maudie - it might be the only way to save their precious companions.
"From what I was told she lives on some estate west of London. Big old place with huge grounds."
It's Clem who suggests this lady might be connected with royalty and that surely means she lives near Windsor.
Along the way they pick up a donkey, two crazy kittens and they find a way to cope with Big Col who viciously taunted and belittled Noah in the past. Adding to the tension Big Col has bought along an enormous python called Delilah. And yes the name Noah is of course a perfect choice for this young boy and his boat full of animals that he knows must be rescued.
Here is a video where Phil Earle talks about While the Storm Rages. I picked this book out at my local bookshop because I loved a previous book by Phil Earl - When the sky Falls.
While the Storm Rages moves slowly at times so readers (aged 11+) will need quite a lot of reading stamina. The final scenes are filled with action and there is that all important happy ending. I will give a warning that sensitive readers, especially those who love animals, may find some scenes in this story quite distressing. I did wish this book had come with a map so I could follow the children's journey along the Thames.
Reviews - Books for Keeps; A Library Lady; and this very detailed one from The Kids Book Curator.
Phil Earle mentions these adventure stories in his video:
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