The Edge of the Cloud

The Edge of the Cloud is a historical novel written for children or young adults by K. M. Peyton and published in 1969. 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.

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

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.

Plot summary

The Edge of the Cloud is set in London where, after Will and Christina elope, Christina briefly stays with their Aunt Grace. Will finds a job as a mechanic and later as an instructor at a flying school, and Christina finds employment at a nearby hotel to be close to Will. Uncle Russel and Mr Dermont both die during the course of the story. One death fills Will with pain; the other indifference. Will and Christina become close friends with Sandy, another flying instructor, and his girlfriend, Dorothy, the spoiled daughter of Christina's employer. Will gives exhibition flights to make extra money and designs and builds his own airplane. Mark joins the army. At the end, Will becomes famous as a stunt pilot and is thinking of joining the army, which—on the eve of their long-awaited wedding—worries Christina.

References
  1. "The Edge of the Cloud" (first edition). Library of Congress Catalog Record. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  2. "The Edge of the Cloud" (first U.S. edition). LCC record. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  3. Carnegie Winner 1969 Archived 2013-01-29 at the Wayback Machine. Living Archive: Celebrating the Carnegie and Greenaway Winners. CILIP. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  4. "Guardian children's fiction prize relaunched: Entry details and list of past winners". guardian.co.uk 12 March 2001. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  5. "Awards". K. M. Peyton: Author. K. M. Peyton. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
Citations

The Edge of the Cloud in libraries (WorldCat catalog) —immediately, first US edition

Awards
Preceded by
The Moon in the Cloud		 Carnegie Medal recipient
1969		 Succeeded by
The God Beneath the Sea
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