To War with Wallace

This book will be available August 2025

About the Book: 

Scottish Wars of Independence, 1297. Scottish resistance has been crushed, and King Edward, Hammer of the Scots, now rules the North.
Doesn’t he?

At Chester Castle, young apprentice armourer Harry has no idea just how much his life is going to change from the moment he is told to guard an imprisoned Scottish 
nobleman: the rebel Andrew de Moray. The boy’s momentary carelessness gives the prisoner all he needs: an opportunity to escape. Harry finds himself kidnapped, and on his way to Scotland.

Soon, he is caught up in the Northern Rising with its skirmishes and stealth attacks. But these are nothing to the storm of questions in Harry’s mind: Whose cause is right? Why has his new master joined forces with the outlaw William Wallace? Can his new friend 
Euphemia be trusted?

As arrows fly and swords clash at the battle of Stirling Bridge, Harry must choose: Whose side is he on?

Reviews: 

Praise for The Boy, The Witch & The Queen of Scots:

The Boy, The Witch & The Queen of Scots is a thrilling, gripping historical adventure. SUSAN BROWNRIGG, Children’s Author

It’s a great way to get history into children and even as an adult I learnt a lot. HELEN BYLES, Blogger

A true gem in children's literature, The Boy, the Witch & The Queen of Scots is a triumph that brings history to life in a way that both educates and entertains. MR RIPLEY, Blogger

The action started straight away which will hook children in. RACHEL BRUCE, Teacher and Historian

A fascinating glimpse into the past – perfect for the primary classroom. STEVEN KENYON, Teacher Educator for English and History

I was completely gripped by this page-turner! Barbara has tapped into a truly unique perspective of one of Scotland’s most fascinating eras! TRACY HARROWER-RENNIE, Teacher and Historian

A fascinating, historical adventure! I really enjoyed all of the twists and turns in the story and I loved that it was rooted in historical accuracy. The book contains many themes which would ignite and inspire children to learn more about this time period. I was kindly sent an early review copy and I found the plot very engaging and the characters were well written. The story telling made you feel like you were there, witnessing the plot first hand with Alexander and Lizzie! CASEY McCORMACK, GoodReads

Full of intrigue, adventure and treachery, it is totally gripping. HELEN, BookSirens

About the Author:

BARBARA HENDERSON is an Inverness-based children’s writer and Drama teacher. Her energetic school visits take her across the length and breadth of Scotland, and sometimes beyond. As a teacher, she loves to get young people on their feet as they respond to stories. ‘Writing is like magic,’ she says. ‘I see something in my imagination, and I try to capture it by writing it down – nothing more than black marks on white paper. Much later, young people see these black marks on white paper and suddenly they see something too, feel something of their own. I cannot think of anything more special than that.’ Scottish by Inclination is Barbara’s first foray into adult non-fiction. She shares her home with her teenage son, her long-suffering husband and a scruffy Schnauzer called Merry.