The Dragon and the Raven by Henty - Book 26 of 52 in 52

The Dragon and the Raven by Henty is a delightful peace of historical fiction set in England during the reign of King Alfred the Great during the invasions of the Danes.  Edmund and his father are driven out of their home in East Anglia by the invaders.  After his father's death, Edmund travels to Wessex with his companion Egbert to join the West Saxons under Alfred in their attempts to repel the invasion.  Edmund proves to be an exceptional leader himself as he trains his men to harry the Danes on land and then builds a ship to harry them on the sea as well.  Along the way he mercifully spares the life of a Dane at the request of his daughter.  That one act of kindness changes the course of several subsequent events in the story.  As with all Henty stories, there is plenty of historical detail, plenty of action, and of course a bit of romance as well.  Sure to be a hit with both boys and girls.