Author:Rosemary Sutcliff
Along with his faithful dog Argos, eleven-year-old Hugh Copplestone decides to leave his Aunt and Uncle's house after one beating too many, and heads for Oxford to seek his fortune.
When he meets a group of strolling players along the way, Hugh joins them, becoming part of their acting troupe. A new life meeting jugglers, puppet players, quack doctors and ballard singers starts for Hugh as the Players travel the country, and, as one of the Dusty-Feet, Hugh also experiences the freedom and fellowship of life on the road.
In Rosemary Sutcliff's hands, the children's historical novel has gained passion, insight, and depth
—— Twentieth Century Children's WritersA nursery classic
—— ObserverStevenson conveyed such a strong sense of place and time that I felt I was right there with the Jacobites, running through the heather, being chased by the Redcoats
—— Michael Morpurgo , Daily MailA rollicking adventure story
—— Sunday MirrorSo what makes these different to any other set of classics? In a moment of inspiration Random House had the bright idea of actually asking Key stage 2 children what extra ingredients they could add to make children want to read. And does it work? Well, put it this way...my 13-year-old daughter announced that she had to read a book over the summer holiday and, without any prompting, spotted The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas...and proceeded to read it! Now, if you knew my 13-year-old daughter, you would realise that this is quite remarkable. She reads texts, blogs and tags by the thousand - but this is the first book she has read since going to high school, so all hail Vintage Classics!
—— National Association for the Teaching of EnglishA fun and thought-provoking story of self-discovery, and the humour and gentleness with which Boyne delivers his message make it both unforgettable and delightful
—— Publishers Weekly