Louise Borden

"You're a strong skater, Piet, and you have a quick mind. This is why I know you'll succeed in this important task. I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't know it could be done." In 1941 Piet, a young Dutch boy from Sluis, gets the assignment of a lifetime: He must skate along the frozen canals of the Netherlands and across the Belgian border, in order to guide two neighborhood children to their aunt's house in Brugge, where the children will remain for the duration of World War II. Their show more father has been taken by German soldiers, and the children are no longer safe in Sluis -- but the journey with Piet, past soldiers and enemies, is fraught with danger. Along the treacherous path to Belgium the three children skate using every bit of speed, courage, and strength they can muster. All the time they try to appear like innocent schoolchildren simply out for a skate, for if the German soldiers discover their escape plan, the children will be in grave trouble. During the journey Piet thinks about his hero, Pim Mulier -- the first person to ever skate the Elfstedentocht, the famous and prestigious Eleven Towns Race that takes place in his country. For years Piet has dreamed of proving that he is a skater as brave and strong as Pim Mulier -- but he had never imagined that his test would fall under such dangerous circumstances. show less

A young boy narrates this gentle tale of his seasonal visits to his grandmother's house in the country, and the watching game he and his cousins play with the fox that lives near her property. Whether during the snowy cold of winter or the heat of summer, the children watch for Lickety-Quick, or 'Nana's fox,' as they sometimes call him, each hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse. When Halloween comes, the boy, dressed up as a fox himself, finds that it is he who is being watched by this show more vulpine neighbor...

Although I wouldn't describe it as particularly memorable, there was a sweet quality to the narrative of The Watching Game that I found appealing. Author Louise Borden manages to capture that sense of nature as both nearby and far-off, familiar yet separate, in her text. The illustrations from Teri Weidner, which look to be done in watercolor, are likewise gentle and sweet. My favorite part, visually speaking, was the fox (naturally), although I also liked Nana's cat. Published in 1991 and long out-of-print, this is one I might never have picked up, were it not for my interest in the depiction of foxes in children's books. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books featuring foxes and/or the four seasons. show less

I love this story, and am delighted to see it in a children's book. I found the scrapbook style mildly distracting, although it's not out of place. Finding age appropriate WW2 resources for children is valuable, if we are to hold on to the lessons our world learned during this time. This book is not just a good resource, but also a good story, especially for children who have already been introduced to Curious George.

I love this book. It provides a gateway for young students to gain interest in World War II and history in general. It describes Hans & Margaret Rey's partnership in writing children's books and how difficult it was for them to save Curious George.