Overview
Deep in the woods, a young boy is kept prisoner by his uncle. He sees no other children, and has no friends. But he does hold the key to a secret. Meanwhile, in a nearby village, schoolteacher Frans invents stories of perilous deeds, shipwrecks, and haunted castles to entertain his pupils. Then one stormy evening, he is summoned to a clandestine meeting, and sent on a real-life quest - to free the boy in the woods. His adventure will involve hidden treasure, magicians and a prophecy. He will learn the secret of the Seven Ways. He will find seven allies. And he will make a fearsome enemy. But will he accomplish his mission?
Full Product Details
Author: Tonke Dragt (Author) ,
Laura Watkinson (Translator)
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Imprint: Pushkin Children's Books
ISBN: 9781782695042
ISBN 10: 1782695044
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 20 November 2025
Recommended Age: From 9 to 11 years
Audience:
Children/juvenile
,
Children / Juvenile
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Language: English
Reviews
""Enchanting. . . Dragt’s tale is a curious, magical adventure that will appeal to those who love Tolkien and Lloyd Alexander."" — Booklist (starred review) ""Dragt's twisty, light mystery tale has the charm of an old classic (which it is, having been published originally in Dutch in 1967). The pleasure in this whimsically Kafkaesque tale is in its unfolding. . . the slow reveals will keep the pages turning for fans of Elizabeth Enright and E. Nesbit."" — Kirkus Reviews ""A cracking adventure... so nail-biting you'll need to wear protective gloves."" -- The Times ""A wandering, winding ballad with occasional joyous percussion, to the spell of which the reader can’t help but succumb."" – Guardian ""A riveting story."" -- The Bay ""A magical, strange gripping tale about a teacher and his class who help a boy, kept virtual prisoner by his wicked uncle, to find treasure, friends and liberation."" -- Spectator Praise for The Letter for the King: A Sunday Times, Metro and Times Book of the Year; 'A true page-turner' Sunday Times; 'Thrilling' Daily Telegraph; 'A pulse-pounding epic' Metro; 'Spellbinding' Financial Times; 'A cracker' Spectator. Praise for The Secrets of the Wild Wood: A Daily Telegraph and Sunday Times Book of the Year; 'Action-packed drama' Daily Mail; 'Thrilling' Metro; 'A spellbinding tale that will appeal to the young and old' The Lady
Author Information
Tonke Dragt was born in 1930 in Jakarta. When she was twelve, she was imprisoned in a Japanese camp during the war, where she wrote her very first book using begged and borrowed paper. After the war, she and her family moved to the Netherlands, where she became an art teacher. In 1962 she published her most famous story, The Letter for the King, which won the Children's Book of the Year Award and has been translated into sixteen languages; its sequel, The Secrets of the Wild Wood, followed in 1965, and both are published by Pushkin Press. Dragt was awarded the State Prize for Youth Literature in 1976 and was knighted in 2001.
