The Edge of the Cloud

The Edge of the Cloud
Front cover of first edition
AuthorK. M. Peyton
IllustratorVictor Ambrus
Cover artistVictor Ambrus
LanguageEnglish
SeriesFlambards
GenreChildren's realistic novel, historical novel
PublisherOxford University Press
Publication date
January 1969
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (hardcover & paperback)
Pages166 pp (first edition)
OCLC477505761
LC ClassPZ7.P4483 Ed[1][2]
Preceded byFlambards 
Followed byFlambards in Summer 

The Edge of the Cloud is a 1969 historical novel written for children or young adults by K. M. Peyton. It was the second book in Peyton's original Flambards trilogy, comprising three books published by Oxford with illustrations by Victor Ambrus (1967 to 1969), a series the author extended more than a decade later. Set in England prior to the First World War, it continues the romance of Christina Parsons and Will Russell. The title alludes to Will's participation in early aviation.

Peyton won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.[3] She also won the 1970 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, selected by a panel of British children's writers, a once-in-a-lifetime award that ordinarily recognises one fiction book published during the preceding calendar year.[4] Exceptionally the 1970 award recognised the series completed in 1969.[5]

World Publishing Company of New York issued the first U.S. edition in 1969, retaining the Ambrus illustrations.[2]

The trilogy was adapted as a 13-part television series in 1979, Flambards starring Christine McKenna as Christina Parsons. Peyton then continued and partly reversed the story.

  1. ^ "The Edge of the Cloud" (first edition). Library of Congress Catalog Record. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  2. ^ a b "The Edge of the Cloud" (first U.S. edition). LCC record. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference medal1969 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference relaunch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference peyton was invoked but never defined (see the help page).