During the terror of World War II, German forces occupy the island of Jersey, only twelve miles off the coast of Normandy, France. The residents despise their German overlords and particularly the forced labour camp located on the small island. As a young boy, Richard Le Miere watches the camp prisoners shuffle past him every day on their way home from school, and he soon befriends one of the Polish POWs, a boy named Alex. The two speak through the camp fence and share their troubles, forging a bond made only possible by the war. Richard discovers Alex's father has died, and he gives Alex a teddy bear to help him cope, but it's not enough. Alex's body has been weakened from hard labour, diphtheria, and lack of food; he will not survive this ordeal unless Richard steps in and does something unthinkable: help Alex escape. Will his daring plan work or will he too end up a prisoner of the Germans? Filled with vivid historical detail, "Tears in the Sand" is a moving portrait of compassion, friendship, and hope in the face of the tragedy of war.