The Secret Shelter

Sandi LeFaucheur
Brown Barn Books (2004)
ISBN 9780974648149
Reviewed by Megan Kurz (age 12) for Reader Views (3/07)

This story is about a girl named Sophie Pinkerton who goes back in time to the 1940’s with friends and a teacher.  They discover a secret shelter that takes them back in time to World War II.

When they get there, they find themselves in a small town in England.  They had to wear gas masks because the war was going on and if they were bombed, they had to be protected from the gas.  They also did not have any identity and no food.

They found a lady to take them into her home.  Her name is Ester and she is really good to them.  She gives them food and shelter.  One day Sophie gets shot by one of the planes and has to go the hospital.  Ester takes care of her until she gets better.  Quigs’ grandfather who is a pilot gets shot and dies.  That leaves Ester all by herself to take care of her son Joseph.  She has a hard time taking care of him because food is really hard to get with the war going on.

Mr. Schmitt, the teacher, ends up getting a job as the head master of the school.  So that gives them the extra money they need to pay the rent at Ester’s house.  They end up going to hide in the shelter with Mr. Schmitt and they hurry down the stairs to go back to the 21st century.  They are really glad to be home where there is no war and they are not scared of dying.

The main part of the story is a teacher and three students go back in time in the 1940’s.  They have a lot of things happen to them and they meet new people.  They also experience what it was like to live during a war.  Then they need to return to their lives in the 21st century.  I think the author was very successful because all the events wrapped up the story in the end.

I think the author writes very well.  She can paint a picture in your mind of the events that were happening and you felt like you were there.  She also got the story across to the reader.

This book would be for a reader who has an interest in history.  The age would be for 10 to adult.  My personal opinion is I would not like to go back in time.  It could be dangerous and some things are best left in the past.

The best part is when the children go to the school and learn what it was like to live in the 1940’s with a war going on.  The story was very suspenseful and it keeps you wanting to read more to find out if they were going to be able to return back home.  I really enjoyed “The Secret Shelter” and was happy the way it all ended.

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