What other topics are we hiding from our children when writing children’s books?

The Silver Sword

Written by: Ian Serraillier

Illustrated by: David Frankland

Published by: Vintage Books @PenguinUKBooks

Published on: August 2012

Price: £8.99

First line: This is the story of a Polish family, and of what happened to them during the Second World War and immediately afterwards.

Genre: History, Adventure, Family

Thanks to my school’s English Lead for choosing this book for Year 6 to read in the Autumn term and therefore lending me a school’s copy.

What’s it all about? The first line basically explains this. However, in a little more detail, the Balicki family (Joseph and Magrit, the parents, and their three children: Eden, Ruth and Bronia, who Ian Serraillier based on real children, but not from the same family, who had been through similar circumstances in real life) are all separate during World War 2. The story follows father, Joseph’s escape from a prisoner camp to his freedom in Switzerland, and then the three children’s journey from Warsaw to Switzerland to find him (there is a detailed map at the beginning of the story to help). Along the way, through a lucky series of events they also have a new addition to the family, Jan, a young tearaway child who is willing to do anything to survive, but also gives them a continuing renewed sense of purpose whenever life gets too tough.

Why should I read it? Quite frankly this is a brilliant book, with great detail about World War Two thrown into it, possibly froma direction not many people have really thought about it from before. The author, as explained in the notes at the end of the story spent five years writing the book and did a lot of research in order to make it as life like as possible. The positive and negative emotions through the children’s journey are captured amazingly well and the story rumbles along at a great pace, with you never really knowing if all the children are going to survive or not (I’ll say no more). I think Year 6 children will be able to really emphasise with the feelings of the characters. Each character has their own clear personality and as they go through each experience you can see them changing from it. Inspiring, gritty and a powerful voice for those willing to listen.