Heroes coming of age ... and changing history.

Poison and pistols, thieves and treachery, bandits and naval battles, opium addicts and mysterious Caliphs and love triangles-readers will find it all in this richly illustrated collection of historical fiction short stories from Tom Durwood, literature instructor and author of Kid Lit, The Illustrated Boatman's Daughter, Teddy's Tantrum, and more.

Young protagonists take on overwhelming obstacles in a wide range of historical eras. Spectacular full-color artwork by an international cast of rising artists brings these characters and their perils to life. In these pages, you will take part in a violent battle over succession in the Benin kingdoms, meet a young clerk who gets pulled into a murderous plot in 17th century Amsterdam, witness revenge in a cowboy saloon, and much more.

Enter a world of history's most treasured settings, ranging from the Golden Age of Sail to the cowboy west. Readers of Louis L'Amour and Robert E. Howard will find themselves in familiar territory. In addition to action-packed prose, each short story concludes with an afterword providing details and historical context for the characters, time setting, and environment in which the story takes place.