The Apple and the Arrow - by Conrad Buff & Mary Buff (Paperback)

About the Book

Winner of a 1952 Newbery Honor Medal, this story of William Tell and his 12-year-old son, Walter, is now available in a special 50th anniversary dual edition. In 1291, William Tell is ordered by an Austrian tyrant to shoot an apple balanced atop Walter's head with his crossbow. The tale of William's arrest and escape and the daring revolt of the Swiss against the Austrians has become a legend around the world. Full-color and black-and-white illustrations.

Book Synopsis

A 1952 Newbery Honor Book

The year is 1291, and Walter is the twelve-year-old son of William Tell, the greatest bowman in the land of Uri. Walter lives happily in the remote heights of the Alpine Mountains, caring for his family's goat herd and practicing his marksmanship in the hopes of making his father proud. But as the end of the year approaches, Walter's peaceful life is shaken as his country enters a revolution, and Walter must carry a secret that could threaten the life of the father he loves so dearly.
More than seven hundred years have passed since the day Walter stood in the marketplace balancing an apple on his head while the Austrian tyrant Gessler commanded Walter's father, William Tell, to take aim at the apple with his great crossbow. The dramatic tale of William's arrest and escape and the daring revolt of the Swiss against the Austrians has become a legend around the world.