The Arpino Assignment

by Geoffrey Trease

First edition hardcover with unclipped dust jacket, in very good condition. Jacket and illustrations within by Paul Leith. Jacket is slightly scuffed, and edges are creased and nicked. Lower board corners and spine ends are bumped, and page block and page edges are tanned. Pages are otherwise clear throughout. LW

Paperback

Published January 1, 1998

About the author

Robert Geoffrey Trease (1909-1998) was a prolific writer, publishing 113 books between 1934 (Bows Against the Barons) and 1997 (Cloak for a Spy). His work has been translated into 20 languages. His grandfather was a historian, and was one of the main influences towards Trease's work.

He is best known for writing children's historical novels, whose content reflects his insistence on historically correct backgrounds, which he meticulously researched. However, with his ground-breaking study Tales Out of School (1949), he was also a pioneer of the idea that children's literature should be a serious subject for study and debate. When he began his career, his radical viewpoint was a change from the conventional and often jingoistic tone of most children's literature of the time, and he was one of the first authors who deliberately set out to appeal to both boys and girls and to feature strong leading characters of both sexes.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of Trease's best books - a riveting story set in the Italian resistance to the German army in WW2. I'm a huge Trease fan though, so I'm biased.