Voices: Hardit Singh Malik: World War One Flying Ace

In this fascinating true story based on the life of Hardit Singh Malik, discover the adventures of WWI’s first Indian pilot. “If the name Hardit Singh Malik does not ring a bell, that’s precisely the point of the superb Voices series which takes unsung heroes of the past and imagines them recounting the story of their remarkable lives” – The Times ‘Children’s Book of the Week’ Hardit, who flew into battle high above the trenches of Passchendaele on the hunt for the Red Baron, arrived in England at the age of 14 to attend school. Young Hardit was a devout Sikh and quick to defend himself when anyone interfered with his turban. He went on to study at Balliol College, Oxford, and played county cricket for Sussex. When he tried to join up to help in the war effort, he was only permitted to drive ambulances at the front. Instead he planned to join the French air force before a former teacher intervened and the Royal Flying Corps gave Hardit an ‘honorary’ commission as a 2nd lieutenant flying Sopwith Camels. About the series: A thrilling series showcasing some of the UK’s finest writers for young people Voices reflects the authentic, unsung stories of our past Each shows that, even in times of great upheaval, a myriad of people have arrived on this island and made a home for themselves – from Roman times to the present day Perfect for teaching children about inclusivity and diversity. Praise for other books in the series: Diver’s Daughter “a thrilling tale, with the expertly described Tudor world brought to hideous, harsh life” BookTrust “a uniquely fascinating perspective into life in Tudor times.” Books For Topics “engaging and insightful” Aisha, Historical Association UK “exciting and full of tension” Damian, Historical Association UK Son of the Circus “E. L. Norry’s Son of the Circus is perfect for children with an itch to run away to spit and sawdust and rearing horses, in a fictionalised account of Pablo Fanque, the first black circus proprietor in Victorian Britain. A joy of a book: exciting and brilliantly vivid.’ Katherine Rundell