Historical Fiction

Grisly Grisell

Author(s): 
Charlotte M. Yonge

Grisly Grisell begins with a bang, in fact, an explosion. Unfortunately, the result is more than a loud noise. Set in medieval England, during the War of the Roses (the reigns of Kings Henry V and Henry VI), the children of the castle are curiously investigating a keg when, to their horror, they discover that it contains gunpowder. The devastating result is a seriously wounded little girl, who is brutally scarred for life. How she, as well as others, deals with this devastating disfigurement affects much of the rest of the story.

Men of Iron

Author(s): 
Howard Pyle

This is a stirring tale in the tradition of the Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoe. It takes place in the early 15th century. Myles Falworth is a young boy brought up in a poor but noble household, late in the reign of Henry IV of England. His father, a supporter of Richard II, has been unfairly accused of treason and outlawed. As a youth, Myles is sent as squire to the household of an old family friend, where his unpolished manners, fierce strength of will and impulsive actions win him both loyal friends and fervent enemies.