ABSTRACT
War stories for young readers, based on real events during conflicts, are a special category of historical fiction. Some of the best historical novels support children’s growing understanding of our social history. If teachers are reading a novel to enrich the study of a period in history, it is best if the story is fixed in a clear time frame to provide a more than superficial understanding of a period. Rosemary Sutcliff’s novels set in Roman Britain – The Eagle of the Ninth, for example – have remained in print because of their authenticity and their exploration of the timeless themes of honour, courage, friendship, loyalty and determination, which continue to appeal to young readers. One of the outstanding writers of the historical adventure novel is Geraldine McCaughrean, whose thrilling tales are often set in exotic places as well as in the past.
