Showing titles in Historical

Jack can't wait for the school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. It's his chance to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired – brave men like his dad, who is a reserve soldier. But when his dad is called up to action and things at home spiral out of control, everything Jack believes about war is thrown into question. Finding comfort only in the presence of his loyal dog, Finn, Jack is drawn to the heart-wrenching true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper.

Ever since Cordelia discovered the hidden map in her father's precious telescope, she's been searching the streets of London by starlight and trying to uncover its secrets. She's sure that her missing father is out there somewhere and that if she follows his map, she'll finally discover the truth about his disappearance. She never expects to stumble upon a secret society of mapmakers - or to learn that magic isn't limited to the few maker families, but is instead is all around, if you just know where to look.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization of Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle of the Ninth. Around 117 AD, the Roman Ninth Legion was ordered to put down an uprising among the Caledonian tribes. Four thousand men vanished without a trace into the swirling mists of the north of Roman Britain. Many years after their disappearance, a young centurion, Marcus Aquila, sets out to discover the truth about what happened to the legion and to its First Cohort Commander - his father.

Amy and Dan make shocking discoveries about their family's power and their parents' deaths as they track the next clue to a remote corner of the world.

Luna thinks that an evening at her aunt's butterfly club sounds deathly boring. But it turns out that the meeting, held in the Butterfly Room at the Greenwich Observatory, is not at all as Luna expects. The Butterfly Club is a society with an unusual secret...they use time travel to plunder the future for wonders. Together with her friends, Konstantin and Aidan, and a clockwork cuckoo, Luna boards the Time Train. Luna and her friends travel to 1912 and find themselves aboard a great ship travelling from Southampton to New York...the RMS Titanic.

The Philippines, 1899. Ten-year-old Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows that home is in the mountains. He knows who his friends and his enemies are. And he knows that he will grow up to become a warrior like his dad, with his own shield, spear and axe. His best friend is Little Luki and she too wants to become a warrior—though there's little chance of that because she is just a girl. Then strangers arrive: a boy with many languages in his throat... and weird-looking men called Americans who bring war and death.

Peter Brownrigg finds himself on the wrong side of the law - and on the run. As he makes his way to London he meets Kit, another runaway, and with luck on their side they find jobs as apprentices to William Shakespeare. But then a chance discovery endangers their lives once more... An action-packed spy thriller set in Elizabethan times, 'Cue for Treason' is a masterpiece of historical fiction, widely considered to be a modern classic.

The story of a farm horse sold from Devon into the mire, wire and machine guns of the Great War of 1914-1918 brings together a stellar cast, including Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn and Bob Hoskins, with music and songs from some of the UK's finest folk musicians. This drama was directed by John Tams, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for his work on the phenomenally successful War Horse stage epic at the National Theatre ['the theatrical event of the decade' ( Times)] and which also inspired the Steven Spielberg film.

In ‘The Pirate Lord’, Tom is a cabin boy for Captain Francis Drake, on a mission to defeat the Spanish galleons and steal their plundered gold. ‘The Pirate Queen’ tells of Cassia O’Malley, the terror of the Irish sea. Her gang of sea-robbers rule the waves - until she is captured…. ‘The Pirate Prisoner’ is the story of Red-legs Greaves, who has been a slave, a pirate and a rich sugar planter.

Karana, a Ghalas-at Indian, lives peacefully on the island with her tribe until the arrival of a Russian otter-hunting ship. In spite of the deal the Aleutian hunters make with her father, the Ghalas-at chief, in the end they prove treacherous, killing most of the tribe. Karana's younger brother, Ramo, is all that is left of her family. Fearful of the Aleuts' return, the remaining Indians decide to move to another island, and are offered safe passage by some friendly ships. But as Karana boards the ship to leave the island forever, she is unable to find Ramo.

July, 1936. As the Queen Mary sets sail across the Atlantic, Alice can't wait for the summer of adventure that lies ahead. She's excited to explore the huge ship, with its shops, animals and even celebrities on board. But while Alice's sailor father focuses on winning a prestigious race, she witnesses a shocking attack. Alice and her new friend Sonny start to uncover a dark sabotage plot, and as they investigate gold bars, anonymous notes and lost silk gloves, secrets in their own lives come to the surface.

Gunnar is the son of a Viking chieftain, living peacefully with his mother, father, and their people - until they are raided by Skuli and his Wolf Men, who raze his home to the ground and take his father’s life. Gunnar swears to avenge his father’s death and save his mother from Skuli - but first he must run to save himself facing murderous raiders, hand to hand battles, mythical flying wolves, and a relentless sea journey to the Land of Fire and Ice... Unknown to Gunnar, his life has been foretold, and he finds he has a destiny greater than his own story.

A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. But just one of the girls has a chance at survival. Arrested by the Gestapo, 'Verity' is given a choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. They’ll get the truth out of her. Only, it won’t be what they expect.

“The Persians are coming…” Hearing these words, Gorgo of Sparta is plunged into a dangerous world of vengeful gods and invincible heroes. For a mighty empire threatens Athens, Sparta and all who stand in its path... Calling on the ancient power to transform into a wolf and the blood of Zeus that runs through her veins, Gorgo must lead her nation in one of history's greatest wars. Multi-award-winning author Tom Holland and acclaimed illustrator Jason Cockcroft boldly weave myth and history in this dramatic tale of Greeks and Gods.

Britain, 1940, the world is at war and 10-year-old twins Harry and Sophie are evacuated from London to live with their Great Uncle. The twins immediately miss home and perhaps most of all for Harry, the tearoom where their mum works, and Harry spends hours watching the professional dancers – secretly dreaming of the day he might do the same.

India, 1855. There are two kinds of magic in Chompa's world. The kind her mother favours: writing-magic, which anyone can do if they take the time. Write a spell in Farsi, and wait. It's calm, controlled, safe, says Ammi. It's slow, frustrating, boring, thinks Chompa. Then there's finger-magic, which only those descended from ancient djinn are born with. Immediate, powerful - and dangerous, for every act of finger-magic leaves a trace, and comes at a price.

Before the war starts, Ned is resigned to a future working in the family funeral parlour. Then the covert operations at Bletchley Park begin and his life is transformed. Ned and his mother leave Bletchley Park on a vital wartime mission into the remote Welsh countryside. Their task: to protect the priceless artwork that is being stored in a slate mine in the village of Manod. As long as its whereabouts are secret, they'll keep the national treasures out of the hands of the enemy. But when it appears that someone in the village is trying to expose the truth, suspicion turns to the newcomers.

This breathtaking, full-color illustrated fantasy is inspired by Chinese folklore, and is a companion to the Newbery Honor winner Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Pinmei's gentle, loving grandmother always has the most thrilling tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night.

Homeless and lost in a dark, strange forest, young Robin is rescued by a motley crew of misfits. He yearns to avenge his father and seek justice against cruel oppressors, to finally defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham, once and for all. And through his friends, Robin Hood finds the courage to become a legendary hero.

Wonder at the puzzling disappearance of the Jewelled Moth! Marvel as our heroines, Sophie and Lil, don cunning disguises, mingle in high society and munch many cucumber sandwiches to solve this curious case! Applaud their bravery as they follow a trail of terrible secrets that leads straight to London’s most dangerous criminal mastermind, and could put their own lives at risk too....