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The Boy Who Held Back the Sea
Jan had never done anything more heroic than shout for the guard because he'd imagined he'd seen a sea serpent. But when Jan discovered water trickling through a desolate stretch of the dike that protected his low-lying village, he knew he had to act fast.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
About the author
Thomas Locker
53 books20 followersThomas Locker was one of the major American painters of the past century. In a career that spanned almost 60 years, he had over 75 solo exhibitions. His work ranged from the delicate to the monumental, but all had one thing in common: the beauty of the natural world. He had a deep appreciation for the elusive link between the human spirit and the sublime force of nature.
He spent his entire life in service to his two great passions: painting and nature. Through widespread exhibition of his artwork and publication of his illustrated children’s books, Mr. Locker touched the hearts and minds of countless people.
Mr. Locker’s early paintings were poetic landscapes. Dr. Joshua C. Taylor, former director of the National Collection of Fine Arts for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., wrote, "Although Locker’s landscapes are not glimpses of a new Arcadia, the quotation from the past re-emphasizes their cerebral play. They call attention less to Nature than to the complex intermingling of perception and thought in the mind of man. Suddenly, seeing becomes thinking, and thinking a delight to the age."
In 1982, Thomas Locker’s career took on a new and even broader dimension. In an effort to connect with a wider audience and educate younger minds, he began work on his first children’s picture book, Where the River Begins. Today, Mr. Locker’s exceptional paintings and illustrations grace the pages of some 30 different books, several of which he also wrote. These unique books have been honoured with numerous awards, including the prestigious Christopher Award, the John Burroughs Award, and the New York Times Award for best illustration.
Thomas Locker’s landscapes have a quality all their own. His years of experimentation and research into the glazing techniques and paint chemistry of traditional European painting have enabled him to achieve a new vision of the traditional for a non-traditional age.
His books have received many awards, including the John Burroughs Young Reader Award, NCTE Notable Trade Books in the Language Arts, NSTA-CBS Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, the Christopher Award, and others.
http://www.rmichelson.com/Artist_Page...
He spent his entire life in service to his two great passions: painting and nature. Through widespread exhibition of his artwork and publication of his illustrated children’s books, Mr. Locker touched the hearts and minds of countless people.
Mr. Locker’s early paintings were poetic landscapes. Dr. Joshua C. Taylor, former director of the National Collection of Fine Arts for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., wrote, "Although Locker’s landscapes are not glimpses of a new Arcadia, the quotation from the past re-emphasizes their cerebral play. They call attention less to Nature than to the complex intermingling of perception and thought in the mind of man. Suddenly, seeing becomes thinking, and thinking a delight to the age."
In 1982, Thomas Locker’s career took on a new and even broader dimension. In an effort to connect with a wider audience and educate younger minds, he began work on his first children’s picture book, Where the River Begins. Today, Mr. Locker’s exceptional paintings and illustrations grace the pages of some 30 different books, several of which he also wrote. These unique books have been honoured with numerous awards, including the prestigious Christopher Award, the John Burroughs Award, and the New York Times Award for best illustration.
Thomas Locker’s landscapes have a quality all their own. His years of experimentation and research into the glazing techniques and paint chemistry of traditional European painting have enabled him to achieve a new vision of the traditional for a non-traditional age.
His books have received many awards, including the John Burroughs Young Reader Award, NCTE Notable Trade Books in the Language Arts, NSTA-CBS Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, the Christopher Award, and others.
http://www.rmichelson.com/Artist_Page...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 4, 2012
Brat Beats Bay
August 7, 2020
I liked this book because the boy was very brave to hold back the sea. This book helped me learn more about the Netherlands and Holland and dikes and the sea. Go History!!!!
January 16, 2020
This is like a Jolly Rancher of a book - short, sweet, a bit sour around the edges, doesn't leave a negative or positive impression, predictable, but still somehow a trifle potent. I'd give it a rough 3.75, 4 if I'm judging by the lovely illustrations alone. Jan, the protagonist, isn't really likable, so if you don't enjoy "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" retellings, look elsewhere. If you're all for redemption stories, and you don't need to feel the earth move beneath your feet in a book, give 'er a go!
October 16, 2008
This is the famous Dutch story about the boy who plugged the hole in the dike with his finger. This version makes him a naughty boy, who nobody believes because he is always making up stories. He ends up having to spend all night protecting the dike.
The illustrations in this book remind me of Rembrandt paintings from a museum.
The illustrations in this book remind me of Rembrandt paintings from a museum.
October 22, 2019
For Children AND Adults
I had this book as a child and appreciated it then for the story and the pictures. But the illustrations hold great permanent value. I came back to them again as a teenager and as an adult. It's gorgeously illustrated. Buy it for a kid you know or buy it for yourself!
I had this book as a child and appreciated it then for the story and the pictures. But the illustrations hold great permanent value. I came back to them again as a teenager and as an adult. It's gorgeously illustrated. Buy it for a kid you know or buy it for yourself!
April 7, 2010
Classic Dutch fairytale accompanied by paintings reminiscent of the Masters. The story is good, but the art is wonderful.
January 7, 2020
Reread this beautifully illustrated book for our virtue of dedication/perseverance. Thomas Locker has enormous talent in bringing a story alive through his detailed illustrations!
July 15, 2019
Beautiful illustrations reminiscent of the Dutch masters. My only criticisms are that they never show the hole in the dike, meaning that children who are unfamiliar with the concept will have difficulty picturing it. Also, the text prefers to describe what characters said instead of having actual dialogue, when I think dialogue would have been more effective for a child audience. Lastly, there is a frame story about a grandmother telling the main story to her grandson, but it doesn’t add anything useful or significant. But these are fairly minor criticisms. The story is still good, and the art rich in detail and appropriate for the subject matter. It deserves a place on your child’s home bookshelf.
August 1, 2025
Imaginative title, decently pretty paintings, zero point or moral teaching to the story. Kind of pointless? It ends and you’re like, “Okay.. So.. WHY??” It was only when reading other reviews that I found out it’s a classic retelling of a fairytale. I felt like it didn’t achieve the objective. Good thing I read it because now off to the Free Little Library it goes!
Trying to whittle down my enormous children’s book collection because I’m still unmarried and childless. We’re only keeping winners here, people!
Trying to whittle down my enormous children’s book collection because I’m still unmarried and childless. We’re only keeping winners here, people!
October 1, 2021
The illustrations in this book are gorgeous—almost like an Old Master’s painting. But the story is kind of dark and depressing. It begins with a young boy expecting a belting from his father for some unmentioned naughtiness, and then the grandmother relates a slightly-sanitized story of the boy who sticks his finger in the dike to keep the town from being swept away.
March 16, 2021
Famous Dutch tale of the boy who saved the town by plugging the dike overnight. Unfortunately in this version, the "hero" is a deceitful boy who's disobeyed his mom. The illustrations are nicely done in the style of Rembrandt.
#passportaroundtheworld #netherlands
#passportaroundtheworld #netherlands
January 28, 2026
So many reasons to love this book. The story was wonderful - a story within a story. The illustrations were beautiful. A moral from the story was- how a good reputation or a bad reputation can affect you.
August 15, 2017
A Dutch version of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, with beautiful Dutch style paintings.
October 27, 2019
Like The boy who cried wolf, but with a Dutch flavor and illustrations inspired by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
December 28, 2019
Beautiful illustrations
November 7, 2020
Gorgeous artwork
January 29, 2021
Loved the illustrations in this book!!
February 16, 2021
Gorgeous illustrations.
April 24, 2021
I just purchased a copy of this book. The story lesson for my grandkids, the pictures for me.
July 18, 2021
"A hundred stars!"
June 10, 2023
4.5⭐ Classic story and gorgeously painted illustrations.
July 25, 2023
The paintings were beautiful, I didn't care for the story.
October 18, 2025
The most gorgeous illustrations in this classic Dutch tale!
January 27, 2010
This story is told as a story within a story but with almost no development. The second story could have stood alone and would have made for a much less confusing book. The second story is the tale of the little boy who puts him finger in the dam to keep the town from being flooded. Not for first or younger they can not follow the everywhere story.
October 24, 2008
The paintings were awesome, but the story was terrible! We all know the story of the boy in Holland who held back the water in the dike. This story portrayed him as a naughty boy who got out of it by saving the day. I hated it!
February 27, 2009
The review on the back of this books says, "Visually stunning." I'll say. I want to own this book, just so I can look at the artwork. Good thing Paperbackswap has it!
The story itself was like The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I liked how it showed the change in the boy's character.
The story itself was like The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I liked how it showed the change in the boy's character.
April 19, 2016
I loved this particular retelling of the boy who put his thumb in the dike and saved the village. The pictures by Thomas Locker are so life like and puts you into the place of the story. Highly recommend this version..krb 4/19/16
January 24, 2009
A story of a bad boy who demonstrated heroic courage and saved his village. Lots of lessons to talk about with kids.
May 23, 2009
Strange there is no picture of this book. I give it four stars largely because of the beautiful illustrations.
August 3, 2010
A recommended title from Summer Reading Club, this beautifully illustrated work tells the story of a young boy who single handedly (or fingeredly) blocked a leak in the dike.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews