Cloak for a Spy

by Geoffrey Trease

Travelling through Europe, Stephen Martell and Giles Taberdar find proof that Philip of Spain is seeking support for an invasion of England. A story of espionage and adventure set in Elizabethan times leading up to the Spanish Armada in 1585.

Genres: Historical Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

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

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this book from AGES ago unfortunately, i never quite finished it. If there was one book i've been most desperate to hunt down over the years, it's this one. It's a crime hardly anyone has read it!

Edit: Well, i finally got hold of a copy and finished it after ten years or so! Not quite so good as i remembered.