Author & Illustrators

Terry Deary Books

Terrible True Tales: Shakespeare

Non-fiction

From the author of the blockbuster Horrible Histories series, also a TV show and movie, who has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

Horrible Histories author Terry Deary presents a fantastic collection of Shakespeare tales based on action-packed true stories – four books in one! Perfect for history fans (and those who don’t know they’re history fans yet) aged 7+.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Molly loves travelling with Shakespeare’s theatre company but the jester, Armin, keeps picking on her. Meanwhile, on stage, Helena wants revenge on Hermia, Lysander wants revenge on Demetrius and the fairy queen Titania has fallen in love with a donkey!

Macbeth: Mary has buckets of stage blood to clear up under the horrible gaze of Master ‘Foulbrew’. Can she find a way to escape her revolting master? In the play, Lady Macbeth wants to be queen but Duncan is on the throne. The witches say Macbeth will rule, so ghosts, treason and blood are bound to follow.

Romeo and Juliet: Sam is about to star in Shakespeare’s new play but a plague is spreading through the city. Will Sam get his big break or will the plague shut down the theatre? On stage, Romeo and Juliet are in love but their families can’t stand each other!

Twelfth Night: Jane and John have uncovered a plot to steal the throne from Queen Elizabeth I while she watches a play. Can they stop it in time? Meanwhile, in the play, Olivia loves the boy Caesario, who is in fact not a boy but a girl, Viola. Viola loves Orsino but Orsino loves Olivia. What a tangle…

Terrible True Tales: Shakespeare explores the fascinating world of William Shakespeare through the eyes of children who could have lived at the time. Join master storyteller Terry Deary for a trip back in time to Shakespeare’s travelling theatre company and a laugh-out loud comedy. This new edition features notes for the reader to help extend learning and exploration of the historical period.

Terrible True Tales: Saxons

Terry Deary

Chapter book

From the author of the popular Horrible Histories, this book is a set of four of Terry Deary‘s ‘Saxon Tales’ short stories.

Our favourite of the four is the story about King Vortigern (who may or may not have existed in real life, but many believe that he did) and his servant Mervyn, as they are faced with the threat of invading Saxons and Picts. The book also includes The Shepherd Who Ate His Sheep, The Witch Who Faced the Fire and The Lord Who Lost His Head – covering different perspectives on Anglo-Saxon life without ever passing the opportunity to explore the gruesome bits with characteristic humour.

Each story provides a relatively short text, which is accompanied by fun illustrations, making the volume easily accessible to most pupils in lower KS2.

Terrible Traitors

Martin Brown & Terry Deary

Graphic novel

This a a clever tie-in to the current interest in traitors, following on from the TV programme of the same name. It is fairly typical Horrible Histories fare, with their trademark humour and puns.

It tells us of fifty-two assumed traitors, from 2700 BC (the Awful Ancients) to 1945 (the Woeful Second World War) and gives us two to three pages of information about each turncoat, dispelling certain myths along the way. There are twenty-six time periods covered, including Rotten Romans, Slimy Stewarts and Vile Victorians, as well as regional headings such as Wales, USA and The British Empire.

Readers will definitely learn some new facts, no matter what they already know about the time periods, although the number of pages allocated to the double-crossers means that their deeds are relatively précised with the included trademark illustrations. There is a brief ‘Did You Know?’ section at the end of each tale of treachery that gives interesting facts, and children are encouraged to think about the despicable deeds and consider whether there might be extenuating circumstances.

It’s the sort of book that I can see children dipping in and out of, rather than reading it all at once. It covers so much of history that it may be of limited use within the school curriculum, apart from a Crime and Punishment topic. It would be good fun for debate and discussion in Key Stage 2.

Terrible True Tales: First World War

Terry Deary

Chapter book

Horrible Histories author Terry Deary presents an exciting collection of tales from the First World War based on thrilling true stories – four books in one! Perfect for history fans (and those who don’t know they’re history fans yet) aged 7+.

The War Game: Flanders, 1914. The German and British soldiers in the trenches make an unofficial Christmas truce, with carols and a football match. But the officers aren’t happy…
The Bomber Balloon: November 1916 – the war on the Home Front. A German Zeppelin crashes during a raid on Essex. Can a constable and a schoolgirl round up the armed air crew?
The Last Flight: France 1917 – the war in the air. An air observer is shot down behind enemy lines and meets the German flying ace, the famous Red Baron.
The Pigeon Spy: Flanders, 1918. The extraordinary true story of a pigeon, a black bird called Cher Ami, who saved nearly 200 lives.

Terry Deary’s Terrible True Tales: First World War explores the First World War through the eyes of children and real people who could have lived at the time. Packed with thoughtful illustrations by James de la Rue, these stories feature real people and take place in some of the most recognisable First World War settings. Featuring notes for the reader to help extend learning and exploration of the historical period.

Terrible True Tales: Second World War

Terry Deary

Chapter book

Terry Deary, author of the hugely popular Horrible Histories series, continues to make history accessible and engaging with this collection of four short stories about the Second World War.

The focus is on everyday life in World War 2 Britain, rather than frontline conflict. There are stories about spies, evacuees, the Home Guard and the black market. Each of the four stories has plucky children at its heart.

The chapters are short, and the stories are pacy, with engaging illustrations throughout. This makes the book ideal for reluctant or newly confident readers. The book will also appeal to non-fiction enthusiasts as the stories are packed full of historical details – from blackouts and air raids to ration books, the Land Army and propaganda slogans. There’s a real mix of locations too, with stories set across the UK.

The stories are exciting with plenty of tension, and there are some moments of comic relief too. Each of the stories is based on true events, and at the end of each story, there’s a historical note providing more context and details.

Terrible True Tales: The Stone Age

Terry Deary

Chapter book

Terrible True Tales is a selection of four short stories, all set in the Stone Age and previously published separately. The Stone Age stories are well written and make some of the factual information about the Stone Age come to life for the children. The stories are set in different places around the world, including Skara Brae, which is often a topic taught in primary history lessons.

The exciting tales are based on real historical and archaeological evidence, told with Terry Deary‘s imaginative style and dry wit. Each story has a fact file with additional information and activities for the children to complete. With helpful reading notes to extend learning, this book is the perfect springboard for further study of the Stone Age under the Key Stage 2 History Curriculum.

Terrible True Tales: Romans

Terry Deary

Chapter book

‘Terrible True Tales by Terry Deary (of Horrible Histories fame) allows young readers to learn about the history of the Romans in a fun, engaging way.

Like with any good historical fiction, children are introduced to an array of death, rebirth, slaves, soldiers and a little bit of gore! The book is split into four short stories, previously published separately, which capture some famous legends from Roman history. Through the story collection, we witness the fire of Circus Maximum, Roman Emperor Claudius betraying the Queen and the volcanic eruption in Pompeii. In the final story, readers will learn about the infamous legend of the Roman geese, much to their amusement.

At the end of each short story, the author has included a ‘you try’ section, which allows the reader to engage in an activity linked to the story and imagine themselves as a Roman. Readers are also given a guide to which elements of the Roman stories are based on historical fact, teaching them about history as they read.

Horrible Christmas (2024)

Martin Brown & Terry Deary

Non-fiction

Filled with all the festive facts every Horrible Histories reader wants to know! The complete horrible history of Christmas tells tales of:

the dark days when the Puritans tried to abolish Christmas

the Christmas in the trenches when the British and Germans traded bullets for footballs

plus dreadful jokes, rotten recipes and a Christmas quiz!

Packed with full-colour illustrations by Martin Brown, this 2024 edition of Horrible Christmas is the perfect festive gift.

World War I Tales: The War Game

Terry Deary

Chapter book

Stories of the First World War from the bestselling Terry Deary, author of the hugely successful Horrible Histories. Flanders, 1914. The German and British soldiers in the trenches make an unofficial Christmas truce, with carols and a football match. But the officers aren’t happy…

A veteran soldier and a young recruit are ‘celebrating’ Christmas in the trenches of Flanders in 1914. They hear the enemy sing carols and watch them place Christmas Trees in the trenches opposite. They begin to shout greetings across no-man’s land and end up playing an international football match. The match is hard-fought but with moments of generosity and sportsmanship on both sides.

They see the ‘enemy’ as vulnerable humans and the officers are furious. Further unofficial truces are banned and the war goes on with bullets instead of footballs. But it’s a memory that stays with young Albert long after the war. A moving and fascinating look at a very human moment of the Great War, by the master historical storyteller.

Victorian Tales: The Fabulous Flyer

Helen Flook & Terry Deary

Chapter book

The Fabulous Flyer is part of Terry Deary’s fantastic series of short, fictional chapter books set in different historical periods.

The Fabulous Flyer tells the story of Henri Giffard and his attempt to make the first ever powered flying machine in 1852, with the help of urchin girl Marie. He plans to fly the machine in front of a crowd of thousands. The relationship between Marie and Mr Gifford is quite touching, and it always adds interest to a story when a villain is featured too.

Interestingly, at the back of the book, there is a section entitled ‘True History’ which also gives you a little more background information and facts on the subject of the book, including the development of flight during the Victorian period.