Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 15-16: TreeTops True Stories: I Runned Away to Sea

TreeTops True Stories are exciting, motivating non-fiction books which will broaden your pupils' reading experience. They are part of a structured reading programme for juniors. This is a very moving story about a young boy in Victorian times, who is press-ganged into going to sea. The grammatical error in the title is a talking point in itself, as it is derived from his letter home where he tries to account for his actions. Walter Claridge soon learns that he has been betrayed into giving up his freedom to become no better than a slave in a frightening world of heaving seas, cruel masters, and the loss of his only friend. The story does have a happy outcome for Walter, but should serve as a useful illustration of a depiction of Victorian childhood that is not often known. This book is also available as part of a mixed pack of 6 different books or a class pack of 36 books of the same Oxford Reading Tree stage. Each book pack comes with a free copy of invaluable teaching notes.