In this extraordinary sequel to War Boy, Michael Foreman continues his story. With the same charm and humor, After the War Was Over shows, through the eyes of the boy Foreman was, Britain rebuilding. In the summer of 1945, victory bonfires burn and the British Empire spans the globe anew. As the lads come home, the beaches are cleared of barbed wire and mines. Bomb sites become playgrounds, and blitzed gardens the occasion for a filched apple or potato. Foreman recalls the ongoing rationing, prefab houses, and baths in tin tubs; movies with Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, and Robin Hood with an American accent; newspaper routes and soccer madness; school days and his discovery of the opposite sex. He also describes his development as an artist: the magical revelation of Treasure Island, first read aloud by a teacher; postwar comic books; his early drawing lessons; and the art school where his hobby started to become a vocation.As in War Boy, Foreman's evocative watercolor illustrations depict the detail of daily life and include period documents. After the War Was Over recreates an enchanting world - a time of innocence, wonder, and the simple pleasures, illuminated by the artist's vivid memory. Here is a marvelous achievement and an enduring memoir for all ages. Read Less