Midwinter Burning

A historical time-slip adventure for middle grade readers, from the Carnegie Medal-winning author of Apache and Buffalo Soldier. Alfie Wright? Alfie Wrong, more like. Alfie has never really fitted in anywhere – he doesn’t have any friends, and even his mum seems embarrassed of him.

So when he’s evacuated to a farm in rural Devon run by kind old Aunt Bell and her gentle giant of a son, Alfie can’t believe his luck. The War seems a long way off, and among the cows and pigs and geese Alfie’s happier than he’s ever been – especially when he makes friends with one of the local boys, Snidge. But Snidge, for all his friendliness, is not all he appears.

And the mystery that surrounds him seems to be connected to the Midwinter Burning, an annual ritual held at the Standing Stones, high up on the cliffs. Aunt Bell says it’s all just a bit of harmless superstition, but when Snidge goes missing, Alfie finally discovers who his friend really is – and relives the true horror of the legend…