I have recently had a nostalgic wish to reread some of Geoffrey Trease's novels. When I was a child in the 1970s I loved his historical novels for children and was always checking for a new unread one in the public library. In particular I remember the 'Gadfly' novels of which this is the first. So request to public library and I get to reread and it was just as enjoyable as an adult. I'm sure his novels would probably be regarded as old-fashioned now to today's children but personally I think a good adventure is always in fashion. I am now looking forward to burying myself in Crown of Violet about the writing of Gadfly in Ancient Greece. ( )

Well done young adult novel about a search for a missing play in Renaissance Europe. ( )