It's a pacy, twisting story that appeals to all ages and across classes and cultures. It's a tale of friendship in adversity, and a coming-of-age story

Generations of readers have been enthralled by his tale of the gauche young David, orphaned at 17, who is plunged into a life of danger and excitement... His rescue by the daredevil Jacobite Alan Breck Stewart, their bloody battle with the crew of the Covenant and shipwreck on rocks off the west coast isle of Earraid are among the most exciting scenes penned

Stevenson 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

A rollicking adventure story

So 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!

A 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