Book list
Books set in the past
Did you ever wish you could travel back in time? Here's how to do it, from the safety of your own armchair!
Books for younger readers
Highway Robbery by Kate Thompson
A tale of highway robbery, but not necessarily the obvious kind.
The Fire-Eaters by David Almond
Another beautiful hymn to humanity from David Almond.
The Smugglers by Iain Lawrence
The pretty little Dragon harbours many secrets . . .
The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence
Surviving the shipwreck but still at the mercy of the wreckers in the village, John Spencer must rescue his father who is being held captive somewhere.
Death and the Arrow by Chris Priestley
Gruesome murder in eighteenth century London needs investigation.
Stop the Train by Geraldine McCaughrean
There's no point settling a township in the middle of the desert if the train won't stop at your station . . .
The Last Wolf by Michael Morpurgo
Boy and wolf, befriended, escape the murderous English redcoats after the Jacobite Rebellion.
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
Exotic adventure deep in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest.
Toro! Toro! by Michael Morpurgo
Antonio and his little bull calf caught up in the dreadful events of the Spanish Civil War.
Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French
If Hitler had really had a daughter, how could she have loved him? And how could she live a normal life after his death at the end of the war?
The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean
Haoyou rides his magnificent kite into the skies for the travelling JadeCircus.
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
A trustee of the orphanage offers to send Judy Abbott to college. But he insists on anonymity. All he asks is that she write a letter to him once a month to let him know of her progress through college. She is to address him as JohnSmith, and she is to expect no reply. So, you see, it is a rather one-sided correspondence!
And The Stars Were Gold by Gaye Hicyilmaz
In 1940 a young Polish boy is dragged from his bed, given thirty minutes to pack, and transported with his mother and brother thousands of miles acrossEurope to Kazakhstan.
The Wreck of the Zanzibar by Michael Morpurgo
Every day is a struggle for survival on the tiny island of Bryher in the Scilly Isles, but storms and wrecks can bring bounty as well as hardship.
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
The silver sword, a little paper-knife, is a symbol of hope to four children as they make their way across the wastes of post-war Europe from Warsaw to Switzerland in search of their parents.
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Anna and her family try to make a new life for themselves as refugees in Europe in 1933.
Carrie's War by Nina Bawden
Life as an evacuee with the difficult Mr Evans is bad enough. But did Carrie also bring down a curse on those she loved, living at Druid's Bottom?
War Dog by Martin Booth
Jet, the poacher's dog, is taken into the army when her owner is sent to prison. She is trained as an infantry patrol dog and sent to France on active service.