World War II Tales: The Bike Escape

By Terry Deary and James de la Rue

From the bestselling author of Horrible Histories, named 'the outstanding children's non-fiction author of the 20th century' by Books For Keeps
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Ideal for readers aged 7+
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Stories of the Second World War on the Home Front from the bestselling Terry Deary, author of the hugely successful Horrible Histories. A young tearaway unwillingly evacuated to the countryside is unjustly accused of theft. He decides to make his way back home, never mind the Blitz - but he'll need to steal a bike to do it...
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'Bubbling with wit, language play and robust dialogue....just the right mix of ingredients to trigger young readers' interest in all things historical' - Books For Keeps

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jan 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781472916259

Terry Deary

Terry Deary is the author of over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, which have been published in 32 languages. His historical fiction for older children Tudor Terror has been praised as "a marvellous blend of fact and fiction" (School Librarian). His non-fiction has been consistently in the best-seller lists since 1994. His Horrible Histories celebrated their 15th anniversary in 2008, having sold over 10 million copies worldwide and been adapted as television series, theatre tours and museum exhibitions. Terry Deary was voted "Outstanding children's non-fiction author of the 20th Century" by Books for Keeps magazine.

Book preview

WORLD WAR II TALES

THE BIKE ESCAPE

WORLD WAR II TALES

THE BIKE ESCAPE

Illustrated by James de la Rue

Chapter 1

Chalk and cheese

October 1939, Highgate, London

It all started when I stole one piece of chalk. Mr Denton our teacher wasn’t looking and I stole his chalk. Not all of it. Just a new stick of bright white chalk. My friend Myra Dodds kept watch at the door.

‘He’s out of sight, Harry!’ she said in a whisper loud enough to wake half of Highgate Cemetery. You don’t want to wake up the dead in Highgate Cemetery. They say one of Dracula’s victims is buried there. It gives me the creeps.

Anyway, Myra watched Mr Denton go down the corridor and into the staff room. I opened the door to his cupboard, found the box of chalk and pulled it off the shelf. The blackboard rubber fell off the top of the box and hit me in the chest. It clattered onto the floor and left a white cloud to settle quietly. I didn’t notice the white mark on my school tie.

There were three sticks of chalk left in the box. I slipped one into the pocket of my grey jacket. I picked up the rubber and put the box back where I’d found it. Then I ran out of the classroom to join the lads in a game of football.

There weren’t a lot of lads left in the school. As soon as the war started in September that year they shipped half of the kids into the countryside.