The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses » (Reprint)

The Victorian poet and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." The author of the magical A Child's Garden of Verses and the chilling The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson indeed planted powerful literary seeds -- that grew into undisputed classics.

Caught in the midst of England's War of the Roses, young Dick Shelton's loyalties are torn between a guardian who betrays him and the leader of the secret fellowship, "The Black Arrow."

David Lisk - Children's Literature

Dick Shelton, an orphaned young noble, dreams of becoming a knight. Growing up in the house of Sir Daniel Brackley, his guardian, Dick learns the art of being a knight, becomes betrothed to an orphaned noble lady, and falls in love with her. However, Sir Daniel is not all that he seems to be. Dick learns of Sir Daniel's involvement in the murder of his father and joins a group of outlaws who have vowed revenge against Sir Daniel and those who helped him. Dick must defeat Sir Daniel, recover his true love, and somehow elude the trappings of the Wars of the Roses. This story may be less famous than Stevenson's other works, such as Treasure Island or Kidnapped, yet Stevenson is true to his writing style. Stevenson does not use complicated plot development yet fills this story with simple action and romance. His use of the vernacular lends credence to characters, and his vivid descriptions ground the book in its historical time and place. 2001 (orig. 1888), Cassell & Company Ltd/Dover Publications, Ages 12 up.