Set in the East End of London in 1936, this is the story of an unlikely friendship between a Jewish and a Gentile boy during the upsurge of fascist violence led by Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirts.

Jimmy lives in a tenement with his newly widowed mother; Benny comes from a large Orthodox Jewish family. The discovery that Jimmy’s mother’s new friend Mr Searle is a Blackshirt places Jimmy in an agonizing dilemma. A vivid and compelling story that raises issues with many parallels today.

Alan Gibbons is the author of more than fifty books for older children and young adults. His many awards include the Blue Peter Book Award, Catalyst Award, Leicester Book Award, Stockport Book Award, Angus Book Award, Birmingham Chills Award, Salford KS4 Book of the Year, Salford Special Award, Hackney Short Novels Award. He has undertaken hundreds of school visits here and overseas. His books include: Shadow of the Minotaur, The Edge, Caught in the Crossfire, the Booked Up choice The Dying Photo and the non-fiction picture book Darwin. He is the organiser of the Campaign for the Book.