Frederick Marryat 
The Children of the New Forest 

First Published in 1847, “The Children of the New Forest” is the enduringly popular children’s novel by British author and Royal Navy officer Frederick Marryat. “The Children of the New Forest” was an early children’s historical novel and has remained well-read and often adapted for the screen. The story is set during the English Civil War and begins in 1647 when King Charles I was defeated and fled from London towards the New Forest, one of England’s last great woodlands. Soldiers sent to search the forest decide to burn Arnwood, the manor home of Colonel Beverly, a Cavalier officer who had died in battle. Beverly’s four children are thought to have died in the fire, but instead are rescued and make a new and simpler life for themselves in the New Forest. However, the dangers and complications of war and politics are never far away and the Beverly children must use their cleverness and bravery to survive it. An entertaining story with well-crafted and engaging characters, “The Children of the New Forest” remains one of English literature’s best novels for young readers.