Centuries of Stories - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0001857150 ISBN 13: 9780001857155

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, 1999

Synopsis

An anthology of twenty specially commissioned stories from top children’s authors, each story set against the background of one of the last twenty centuries.

Twenty specially commissioned stories by the best contemporary writers for children to celebrate the last 2000 years: Michael Morpurgo, Henrietta Branford, Vivian French, Jean Ure, Robert Swindells, Mary Hoffman, Annie Dalton, Melvin Burgess, Gillian Cross, Alan Durant, Theresa Bresling, Bernard Ashley, Jenny Nimmo, Geraldine McCaughrean, Pete Johnson, Jacqueline Wilson, Jeremy Strong, Adele Geras, Malorie Blackman and Margaret Mahy. Each story is fictional but set against the background of one particular time and place in one century. Settings are worldwide, and include England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, China, America and Africa. Story themes range from the Crucifixtion to Space Exploration; Romans in Britain to the Mongols in China; Irish saints to medieval monks; the Vikings, Saxons as well as elves, fairies and giants. A range of genre from humour to fantasy make this a brilliantly balanced collection with something to suit every taste.

Gripping -often scintillating, sometimes uncrompromising – aimed at the 10 plus age group, by today’s finest authors. Specially commissioned by Wendy Cooling, a highly respected and well-known anthologist. This collection promises to be around for years to come and will be a treasured gift for adults and children alike.

About this title

Review:

Twenty of the finest children's authors have each woven a brand new tale around one century in the stunning and unique anthology Centuries ofStories, and together have come up with an amazing celebration of storytelling for the new millennium.

Michael Morpurgo's "In Ancient Time" breaths an intense life into the friendship between Jesus of Nazareth and a young follower who travels from Glastonbury to Palestine, while Jean Ure tells of a time-slip between two young boys and their dogs in "The Valley of The Crocuses". Mary Hoffman writes of a young girl in who wants to be a boy in sixth- century Cornwall in "A Taste Of Freedom" and Melvin Burgess takes us back to the days of the Viking sacrifices in the extraordinarily chilling "Odin's Day".

The list of excellent authors goes on and on--Bernard Ashley, Vivian French, Jacqueline Wilson, Adele Geras, Malorie Blackman, Pete Johnstone, Geraldine McCaughrean, Jenny Nimmo, Margaret Mahy, Jeremy Strong, Gillian Cross, Alan Durant, Theresa Breslin, Annie Dalton, Robert Swindells, Henrietta Branford--and together they have produced possibly some of the finest work any child , or indeed, any adult, is likely to encounter.

A truly breathtaking selection which demonstrates the length and breadth of talent available to young readers, Centuries of Stories is a fitting anthology to celebrate 20 centuries of life. And the best of the bunch? Impossible to judge, each one is sure to strike a chord with someone, opening young minds to the endless possibilities of the past and the future. (Age 10 and over) --Susan Harrison

Review:

... It’s a splendid collection, and a marvellous showcase for the writers. Guardian

With writers of this calibre, expectations should be rightly high, but even their greatest fans will be impressed by the ingenuity with which they have interpreted their brief. Irish Times

From the first opening to the last re-reading,... it’s a lovely book. TES

... rated highly for 10 – 12 year olds Bookseller

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0001857150
• ISBN 13: 9780001857155
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320
• Editor: Cooling Wendy