PIERRE KEEPS WATCH

by Maria Gleit ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 17, 1944

This is a humdinger. Anyone, of any age, would find it absorbing reading, and yet it is direct enough to catch and hold the attention of nine and ten year olds. It might be characterized as a juvenile Avalanche -- an adventure story of the budding French Underground, set in the mountains of Southern France. A mountain village has chosen the role of obstinate ignoring of edicts. The Nazis are slow in getting around to the district, but smoke reveals their presence across the ridge -- and Pierre undertakes to remove the sheep and goats, the mules and the Mayor's pig to a hidden meadow (supposedly devil haunted). Pierre is a very real small boy, with his fear and his courage intermingled. He doesn't think much of girls -- and has some surprises. And he manages to stumble into successive adventures, plausibly handled, and in the end the village is saved by the Nazis being summoned to more important duties -- and by Pierre discovering that they'd started some fires quite casually as they were leaving. Helene Carter has done some of her finest drawings, stressing not the military crudities of the hated foe (matters are not minced in the story), but the pastoral and mountainous aspects. Good reproduction by offset process.

Pub Date: July 17, 1944

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1944

Categories: CHILDREN'S