'There's going to be a crusade. A boy came to the cathedral and preached. He's going to lead a crusade of children. And we'll take Jerusalem because we're innocent, we're closer to God. We'll be soldiers for Christ.' Rufus is an apprentice in his father's goldsmith workshop in Cologne, Gemany. One day he hears a boy, Nick, preach in the city centre. Nick's message and words are mesmerising and Rufus is spellbound. He is overcome with the desire to follow the flawed yet charismatic young Crusade leader on his journey to the Holy Land. And Rufus is not alone. Many children are captivated just as Rufus is, and leave their homes and families having fallen under Nick's spell. But what begins as a journey of innocence turns, terribly, into a journey of sorrow and despair. An extraordinary tale based on a historical event that has resonated through the ages.

 

 

There are 352 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2012 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC .

Bridget Collins is a graduate of both university and drama school. This is her first novel. Bridget lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.