The Silver Sword

Ian Serraillier

Oxford University Press

2003

Abstract

The Silver Sword is a children's novel written by Ian Serraillier and published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape in 1956 and then by Puffin Books in 1960. It has also been published in the United States under the title Escape From Warsaw. In this bestselling novel, first published in 1963 and made into a successful movie starring Hayley Mills the following year, Mary Stewart, in her magical way, evokes Crete as she has Delphi, Provence, Northumberland, and the Hebrides in her other books. With her keen delineation of character, she once again casts a spell of suspense and romance.

The story is based on fact, although fictional names are given to a few of the places mentioned. The account of the Red Army on the march is derived from eyewitness accounts in Jan Stransky's East Wind over Prague. In an Afterword to the 2003 edition Jane Serraillier Grossfeld, the author's daughter, identifies a Picture Post article about the Pestalozzi children’s village as a source.The Silver Sword has been adapted for television and radio.