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The Highwayman

Book Synopsis

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding- Riding-riding- The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

In Alfred Noyes’s thrilling poem, charged with drama and tension, we ride with the highwayman and recoil from the terrible fate that befalls him and his sweetheart Bess, the landlord’s daughter. The vivid imagery of the writing is matched by Charles Keeping’s haunting illustrations which won him the Kate Greenaway Medal. This new edition features rescanned artwork to capture the breath-taking detail of Keeping’s illustrations and a striking new cover.

Our Review Panel says...

This is a classic narrative poem from 1906. It tells the story of an 18th Century highwayman who rides the roads at night to rob travellers. He falls for a landlord’s daughter called Bess and comes to a terrible fate in a tale of betrayal and sacrifice. This version won the Kate Greenaway Medal for its atmospheric illustrations.

If you study this poem in KS2, take the opportunity to show pupils the picture book the Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – they will enjoy their newly informed understanding of the inspiration behind an old favourite picture book!

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The Highwayman

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