THE SILVER SWORD by Ian Serraillier is an unforgettable World War II survival story.Although the silver sword was only a paper knife, it became the symbol of hope and courage which kept the Balicki children and their orphan friend Jan alive through the four years of occupation when they had to fend for themselves. And afterwards it inspired them to keep going on the exhausting and dangerous journey from war-torn Poland to Switzerland, where they hoped to find their parents.Based on true accounts, this is a moving story of life during and after the Second World War.Ian Serraillier (1912-1994), was a British novelist and poet. Born in London, he was educated at Brighton College, and took his degree at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He was best known for his children's books, especially The Silver Sword published in 1976. As well as children's novels and poetry, Serrailler produced his own retellings of classic tales, in prose and verse, including Beowulf, Chaucer and the Greek myths.

Together with his wife Anne he founded the New Windmill Series in 1948, published by Heinemann Educational Books, which set out to provide inexpensive editions of good stories.