If the Invader Comes (Allies 1)

By Author / Illustrator

Tom Palmer, Paul Blow

Genre

Historical Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Barrington Stoke

ISBN

9780008802226

Format

Paperback / softback

Expected

07-05-2026

Synopsis

With the spectre of a Nazi invasion looming over Britain, three children are forced into an unlikely allyship in this gripping wartime tale from multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer.

June 1940 - after the devastating defeat of the British forces at Dunkirk, the terrifying prospect of a Nazi invasion of Britain seems ever more likely. In these dark days, three children whose parents are involved in top-secret war work are brought together in unlikely ally ship, covering for their parents and facing down malicious gossip as they come under suspicion from their local community.

Forced to confront the brutal realities of war as it affects every aspect of their lives, the children find the courage to play their part, rescuing survivors and refugees at sea, and undertaking river patrols to detect German E-boat incursions.

But when it appears that the invader is at their shores, will they be able to pull off the most daring feat of all?

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Reviews

Jane

Whether the central theme is football, crime, war, or all three, Tom Palmer's writing is always gripping. This latest story is no exception.

No quiet family holiday awaits Bobble, Cadan and Cilla, even if the setting is a small town in Cornwall. During World War II, Falmouth was scene to bombings, e-boat incursions and daring rescue attempts by local fishermen. Woe betide anyone who was suspected of aiding the enemy - the children's parents included. What were they up to when others were doing their duty in the Home Guard, the Royal Navy, as air raid wardens, or 'digging for victory', all for King and Country?

We get to find out, as we immerse ourselves in their uncertain world and, with bated breath, follow their dangerous escapades. Will they succeed in foiling German attack, in saving the pilot from his burning fuselage, in defusing a bomb, and - perhaps most taxing of all - keeping their work secret so that others have a fighting chance of survival?

In terms of reading level, the book will present few difficulties for Y4+ (ages 8+, thanks partly to simplicity of writing style and clarity in presentation), but in terms of content, I shall be recommending it to Y5 (ages 9+) and above, not least because it will then link to their curriculum work.

There are free resources at https://tompalmer.co.uk/if/ for classroom use, and interesting Local Studies connections to be made by Cornish schools. An excellent addition to any library or home bookshelf.

208 pages / Reviewed by Jane Rew, school librarian