Marcus is a young baker in Ancient Rome, living with his family in the shadow of the murderous Emperor Littleboots. When a slave boy shoves the reins of a sleek, beautiful horse into Marcus's hands seconds before he is killed by a soldier, Marcus knows he's in danger - because the horse is Incitatus, the Emperor's most prized and powerful animal.

Will Marcus find a way to keep Incitatus hidden? Are the rumours of Littleboots's death true - or is it all a trick? And how can Marcus save himself, and his family?

A fast-paced adventure from the winner of both the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the 2005 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.

A pacy, exciting adventure through the streets of Ancient Rome for younger readers, with beautiful illustrations that really bring the story to life.

About the Author

Kate Thompson is one of the most exciting authors writing for young people today. A born storyteller, her work is highly original and she is thought provoking in her ideas. She has travelled widely in the USA and India and studied law in London. After living in County Clare, she moved to Kinvara in County Galway and there, she discovered her passion for playing the fiddle. She is now an accomplished player and also has a great interest in restoring instruments.

Kate is the only author to win the Children's Books Ireland Bisto Book of the Year award four times - in 2002 for The Beguilers, in 2003 for The Alchemist's Apprentice, in 2004 for Annan Water and in 2006 for The New Policeman.

The New Policeman also won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2005, the Whitbread Book Award Children's category 2005, the Children's Book of the Year in the Irish Book Awards in March 2006 and has been longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.

In 2008 Kate was again shortlisted for the Children's Books Ireland Bisto Award for her book, The Last of the High Kings, a beautiful and haunting story that delves deep into the magic of Irish myth and folklore.

Reviews
This is a lovely book, with fine line drawings, the sort you'd be happy to see a boy of eight reading, and I hope it is the beginning of a series -- Toby Clements * Daily Telegraph *
Told in beautiful clear prose, this short novel does not try to emulate the historical fiction published in the Antelope and Gazelle series of 1960s-1980s by such authors as Rosemary Sutcliff, but gives the reader a glimpse of a past era in a different, humorous way -- Janet Fisher * Books for Keeps *



Book Information
ISBN 9781862305199
Author Kate Thompson
Format Paperback
Page Count 128
Imprint Red Fox
Publisher Penguin Random House Children's UK
Weight(grams) 96g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 7mm