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Enemy at the Gate
"Being in quarantine sounds like being in prison," I said, shivering. Lily nodded. "A bit like that. Except that the prison is your own home."
"Or like being in a besieged castle," I said, thinking aloud. "With an invisible enemy at the gates."
In 1936 a deadly disease holds New Zealand in terror. Known as infantile paralysis, or polio, the disease appears to strike at random. Schools close. Going to the pictures is out of the question. Seeing your friends is dangerous.
Caught up in the confusion and fear, twelve-year-old Tom finds refuge in his dream: to run in the Olympics like the famous Jack Lovelock.
"Or like being in a besieged castle," I said, thinking aloud. "With an invisible enemy at the gates."
In 1936 a deadly disease holds New Zealand in terror. Known as infantile paralysis, or polio, the disease appears to strike at random. Schools close. Going to the pictures is out of the question. Seeing your friends is dangerous.
Caught up in the confusion and fear, twelve-year-old Tom finds refuge in his dream: to run in the Olympics like the famous Jack Lovelock.
- GenresChildrensHistorical
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 26, 2022
I used to get this book out of the library all the time as a kid so reading it was good nostalgic vibes although it was very interesting to read about the polio epidemic in NZ and the contrast to covid now. With schools being shut down (they had to do school lessons in the newspapers) and quarantines and isolation etc, because the last time I read this book was well before 2020 it they all very foreign concepts.
It could be good for yr 9s looking to compare books about that experience and our experience now.
It could be good for yr 9s looking to compare books about that experience and our experience now.
October 29, 2020
I’m just self appointing Philippa Werry as the NZ Queen of historical fiction. This one has just been timely re released - a polio epidemic to rival our corona virus. The parallels in schools closing etc were interesting but remember this is the 1930s so there’s no zoom! Your lessons are printed in the newspaper! Super engaging
September 22, 2013
Why i decided to read this book...
I decided to read this book because i had read it before and wanted to reread it. it was a very good book and i really enjoyed it.
Category...
The category this book fits in to is a book that teaches you about another time in history and a book written by a NZ author. This book is set during the time of the NZ epidemics.
A character and/or setting...
A character i found interesting was Flo (the younger sister of the main character). She loves life, wants to be a singer, a dancer and to be famous. She dosen't like being inside she wants to be free.She was interesting to me as even thought she caught the epidemic and became paralysed, she was optimistic, she didn't let the fact that she couldn't walk anymore bring her down infact it made her want to recover faster. She was brave and kept her family from falling to pieces and helped her family survive.
What I learnt...
I learnt that, when life gives you lemons make lemonade. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from doing what you love or from being who you want to be.
A quote...
I quote I liked was "Running makes it all go away, all the bad things"- Tom (main character). I liked this quote because for me the quote has 2 meanings 1. Running makes Toms pain and suffering all go away 2. He is running away from his pain and all the bad things happening to him and his family.
January 2, 2021
I’m not sure I read this properly first time round and my rating and review certainly didn’t do it justice. I was glad to get my hands on this new edition and found the whole thing quite moving. I think my year 5-8 boys and girls will enjoy this, especially in light of 2020. The NZ setting is just wonderful, and in Philippa’s style the context will be thoroughly accurate to the time. The short appendices and photographs at the end really made it for me too. Would make a good group set for this age group.
June 5, 2024
Another children’s book so I’m not the intended audience but I really enjoyed this easy and entertaining read while recovering from COVID.
June 5, 2013
Enemy at the gates
I decided to read this book because I some how remembered the title from somewhere so I searched it up and it fitted into a category that I hadn't done yet so I decided to read it.
This book fits into the category: a book written by a New Zealand author. I really enjoyed this category because it was set in New Zealand so i could understand the setting/plot better. Which made me enjoy it better.
My favourtie quote in this book would be: "I didn't think of anything else, except for a small slight figure in a black running shirt, arms close by his sides, flying like the wind, fighting to stay ahead of his pursuers...I was fighting to keep Flo alive." Because I thought it was so cool that Tom fought in his own way to try keep Flo alive.
Something new that I learnt from this book is that family is the strongest bond you could ever have, u should never stop fighting. U should never lose faith in one another! Something else I learnt from this book would be that there is a deadly disease known as infantile disease and also polio.
A character in this book that was interesting for me would be Tom because through out the book it shows how e feels and how much he is hurting. I also found him interesting because he loved to run and how I made him feel good!! Even though he goes through some rough times he still loved his family and his best friend Charlie.
I decided to read this book because I some how remembered the title from somewhere so I searched it up and it fitted into a category that I hadn't done yet so I decided to read it.
This book fits into the category: a book written by a New Zealand author. I really enjoyed this category because it was set in New Zealand so i could understand the setting/plot better. Which made me enjoy it better.
My favourtie quote in this book would be: "I didn't think of anything else, except for a small slight figure in a black running shirt, arms close by his sides, flying like the wind, fighting to stay ahead of his pursuers...I was fighting to keep Flo alive." Because I thought it was so cool that Tom fought in his own way to try keep Flo alive.
Something new that I learnt from this book is that family is the strongest bond you could ever have, u should never stop fighting. U should never lose faith in one another! Something else I learnt from this book would be that there is a deadly disease known as infantile disease and also polio.
A character in this book that was interesting for me would be Tom because through out the book it shows how e feels and how much he is hurting. I also found him interesting because he loved to run and how I made him feel good!! Even though he goes through some rough times he still loved his family and his best friend Charlie.
July 2, 2013
I decided to read this book because I had read it a while ago and I enjoyed it but I forgot what happened so i re-read it.
This fills the 'new zealand author' spot on the bingo board.
My favourite quote from this book is when Tom says "Running makes it all go away, all the bad things".
I like this quote because it is relavant to me because I like to run and you don't need to think about anything else just the rythm of your feet. So i like this because I can relate with Tom and how he enjoys running.
My favourite character in the book was Tom. I liked Tom because I can relate to him and how we both share intrests in running. Tom is nice and also smart and him and his best friend Charlie always play down at the beach in Wellington. The setting in New Zealand is also interesting because you find out what it is like to live in NewZealand in the 1930's.
I learnt about living in New Zealand in the 1930's and found this really interesting and how they would treat the ill. I also learnt that Polio can also be called Infantile Paraylis.
This fills the 'new zealand author' spot on the bingo board.
My favourite quote from this book is when Tom says "Running makes it all go away, all the bad things".
I like this quote because it is relavant to me because I like to run and you don't need to think about anything else just the rythm of your feet. So i like this because I can relate with Tom and how he enjoys running.
My favourite character in the book was Tom. I liked Tom because I can relate to him and how we both share intrests in running. Tom is nice and also smart and him and his best friend Charlie always play down at the beach in Wellington. The setting in New Zealand is also interesting because you find out what it is like to live in NewZealand in the 1930's.
I learnt about living in New Zealand in the 1930's and found this really interesting and how they would treat the ill. I also learnt that Polio can also be called Infantile Paraylis.
January 1, 2016
This book was incredible look back to the past and the tragic times before adequate vaccinations were available. It was so descriptive that I felt my leg tingle at the thought of such horror. A great follow on book to those who enjoy the "My Story" series.
October 17, 2014
Kids book, easy read.
January 12, 2015
very interesting
May 15, 2015
Really good it has so many points and I just loved it
November 4, 2016
This book has plagued by brain for like 8 years
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews