The Silver Sword
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| Author | Ian Serraillier |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | C. Walter Hodges |
| Cover artist | C. Walter Hodges |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Released | 1956 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 159 (Puffin Books 1960 edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0140301461 (Puffin Books) |
The Silver Sword is a classic piece of children's literature written by Ian Serrailler, first published in the UK in 1956 by Jonathan Cape and then by Puffin Books in 1960. It has also been published in the U.S. under the title Escape From Warsaw. The story is based upon fact, although imaginary names are given to a few of the places mentioned.
In the 2006 edition(?) of The Silver Sword, the book was published with a summary. There are two summaries:
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
[edit] Summary One
(found in page five of the book)
- "When Joseph Balicki escaped from his Nazi prison, it took him four and a half weeks to walk back to Warsaw. He was looking for his wife Margrit and his three children-Ruth, Edek and Bronia. But when he reached the city, there was hardly a street he recognised. Warsaw was one gigantic bomb-site. As he sifted through the pile of rubble that had been his home he thought he would never see his family again. His wife Margrit had been taken away by the Nazis, and no one had seen his children since the night the house was destroyed.
- But the children had survived, and this is the story of their search for their parents-a search which was to take them half way across Europe."
[edit] Summary Two
(found at the back of the book)
- "When the Nazis seize their father and mother, in World War II, the three Balicki children are left to fend for themselves in occupied Poland. Bravely they survive the hardships of war, and never completely lose hope of finding their parents again. This is the exciting story of their quest, of the clever orphan boy Jan who helps them, and of the silver talisman that accompanies them on their dangerous journey."
[edit] Characters in "The Silver Sword"
In order according to when the character first introduced. Main characters are in bold.
- Joseph Balicki
- Margrit Balicki
- Ruth Balicki
- Edek Balicki
- Bronia Balicki
- Nazis
- POW
- Nazi Guards
- Nazi Soldiers
- Drunken Soldier
- Old Man
- Old Woman
- Civilians of Warsaw
- Mrs. Krause
- Dr. Frank
- Margrit's Parents
- Jan
- Jan's nameless cat
- Nazi Patrols
- Chief food smugglers
- Russian Marshal Rokossovsky
- General Bor
- The Burgomaster
- Soviet Troops
- Prime Minister Churchill
- Stalin
- Yankel
- Eva
- Jimpy (Jan's Pet friend, a cock)
- Ivan the Sentry
- Lieutenant
[edit] Chapters in "The Silver Sword"
- The Escape
- Journey Through the Air
- The Hiding-Place
- The Silver Sword
- The Goods Train
- The Night of the Storm Troopers
- Winter and Summer Homes
- The Newcomer
- The Russian Sentry
- More Help from Ivan
- The Road to Posen
- The Hand
- Frozen Journey
- City of the Lost
- Jan finds a new Pal
- Through the Russian Zone
- The Signal
- Captain Greenwood
- The Bavarian Farmer
- The Burgomaster
- Orders
- The Farmer hits on a Plan
- Dangerous Water
- Missing
- Joe Wolski
- News at Last
- The Storm
- The Meeting
- The New Beginning
