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Barbara Henderson Books

to war with wallace

To War With Wallace

Chapter book

Scottish Wars of Independence, 1297. Scottish resistance has been crushed, and King Edward, Hammer of the Scots, now rules the North. Doesn’t he?

At Chester Castle, young apprentice armourer Harry has no idea just how much his life is going to change from the moment he is told to guard an imprisoned Scottish nobleman: the rebel Andrew de Moray. The boy’s momentary carelessness gives the prisoner all he needs: an opportunity to escape. Harry finds himself kidnapped, and on his way to Scotland.

Soon, he is caught up in the Northern Rising with its skirmishes and stealth attacks. But these are nothing to the storm of questions in Harry’s mind: Whose cause is right? Why has his new master joined forces with the outlaw William Wallace? Can his new friend Euphemia be trusted?

As arrows fly and swords clash at the battle of Stirling Bridge, Harry must choose: Whose side is he on?

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i dont do mountains

I Don’t Do Mountains

Chapter book

Kenzie is the least likely participant on a school hillwalking residential trip to the Cairngorms in Scotland: she would much rather be in her school library reading about such things. She doesn’t make friends easily either, so the fact that her class will join year 6 pupils from other schools makes it doubly daunting.

Despite all her best efforts to feign illness and get out of going, she finds herself in a small group with her nemesis Sorley – the class clown – and two strangers. Their guide, Birdy, is an outspoken outdoor enthusiast, but Sorley is uncharacteristically quiet and Kenzie manages an uneasy comradeship with the others.

After a sleep-deprived first night in their camp halfway up a mountain, Kenzie wakes first to find that Birdy is no longer with them – his tent and belongings left behind. The four young companions must find a way to get help, but no one will be looking for them until they fail to make it to the meeting place in two days. They have to find the village that Birdy was leading them towards, even though they aren’t sure of their location and the weather is not on their side. However, it turns out that being lost and alone is the least of their problems.

This would be perfect for mountains or British Isles topics and has themes of conservation, wildlife protection, friendship and courage. It would also be an excellent read for year 6 students transitioning to secondary school.

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the boy the witch and the queen of scots

The Boy, the Witch and The Queen of Scots

Chapter book

This book takes on a classic period and story from history and gives it a different point of view. The tale is told from the view point of child servants at the court of queen Mary. The story builds tension from the first page and doesn’t stop until it’s done. With, threats of plots and treason, religious and political divides, superstition and witchcraft, wealth and poverty explored throughout the book has enough to keep a history lover going.

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wilderness wars

Wilderness Wars

Chapter book
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Wilderness Wars is a gripping adventure story about respecting nature’s power and caring for the environment.

Em is unsure what to expect when she and her family move to the uninhabited Scottish island of Skelsay due to her father’s construction project. The harsh remoteness of the island seems at once exciting and terrifying at first. The families will live in a settlement of portacabins and the few children in the group will be taught together by the enthusiastic teacher Mr Johnston. After quickly befriending Zac, who is the only other young person of the same age, Em begins to notice how the project to build a new luxury retreat seems to be facing more than the usual amount of setbacks and mishaps due to the island’s natural wildness. Could nature be fighting back?

Em and Zac encounter a race against time to persuade their families of the danger they face on Skelsay. Tension quickly mounts in the story as a series of disasters unfold, leading to an almost apocalyptic climax.

Wilderness Wars is an edge-of-your-seat exciting story with a strong environmental theme, making it an excellent addition to classroom libraries in Upper KS2.

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rivet boy

Rivet Boy

Chapter book
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Set in Victorian times, this is the story of the children who worked on the dangerous job of building the famous Forth Bridge.

This is a truly exciting adventure that brings a real historical scenario to life. The thought of being perched up on top of the bridge with no safety measures at all made my blood run cold! Add into that some villainous villains and a child hero and you have a recipe for breath-taking episodes and action-packed escapades, with a seamless blending of fact and fiction.

The topic of Victorian child labour is often covered in schools, and this story has a new dimension to add to the more commonly covered workplace scenarios of mines and factories. The story will also appeal to budding engineers, with fascinating insights into the construction of one of the UK’s most iconic bridges.

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The Siege of Caerlaverock

Chapter book

In a draughty castle in Scotland in the year 1300, a young laundress called Ada creeps into the tower to clandestinely deliver bread to the captured English noble Colban Graham. Unfortunately, Ada thinks she’s been spotted helping the prisoner by the cruel Castle Commander, Brian de Berclay, and he will want her head to roll. Soon, however, this becomes subsumed into a larger problem – Scotland is at war with England, Lord Maxwell is away with most of the fighting men, Caerlaverock is the first castle over the border, and King Edward is on his way to lay siege with an army of 3,000…

At only 159 pages, and mainly set over one day, this is a story that zips along like one of the arrows fired over the castle ramparts. Barbara Henderson brings the harshness of the Middle Ages so vividly to life, with all the damp and cold and stink that entails.

Fans of historical adventure fiction will love this book. An excellent introduction to the period, breathing life into a period many pupils may know little about.

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Punch

Chapter book

Readers of ‘Punch’ will find themselves quickly immersed in its world of the darkened streets of late Victorian Scotland. After being accused of setting the local market place on fire, twelve-year-old Phineas flees and soon finds himself in the company of a travelling puppet show. As Phineas learns the art of puppetry, he feels unsure who he can really trust and begins to confront some difficult memories from his past. There is a real contrast between the sense of darkness that never really leaves Phineas and the gleeful escapism of the travelling show. This text is suitable for upper KS2, and especially well-suited for those looking for a Scottish setting.

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The Chessmen Thief

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Chapter book
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Set in the Viking era, The Chessmen Thief is an intriguing tale of 12-year-old Kylan’s quest to return to his mother, having been captured by Norsemen when he was just 7 years old. The Lewis Chessmen – which his master reluctantly let him help carve – are his only hope. However, great craftsmanship gains attention, including that of Sven Asleifsson, a cruel and barbaric Viking known throughout the realm.

Based on the real-life Lewis Chessmen (a group of distinctive 12th-century chess pieces discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis), The Chessmen Thief is a great addition to existing Vikings-themed booklists and a suitable choice for all year groups across Key Stage 2. Barbara Henderson has carefully crafted the plot around the chess motif, and the story is not overwhelmed with action and gore, as can often be the case with books written about this era. 

The book would particularly complement history topics for those teaching in Scotland, providing opportunities to find out about the Viking era closer to home.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?

yes

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