Eight on the Track of One

Written in the 1940s, Eight on the Track of One, one of Israel’s most popular children’s books, read by generations of Israeli children, still retains much of its verve and charm. This newly-abridged edition has been updated so that it will appeal to today’s young readers. This exciting book teems with adventure, bravery and comradeship. During the dangerous years of World War II in Eretz Israel, the child Haggai is sent to stay on a kibbutz, far way from any possible bombing of the city. At the kibbutz, Haggai meets up with a group of children. A mysterious stranger living near the kibbutz arouses their curiosity. They decide to follow him and discover that he is in fact a German spy. Acts of bravery and daring abound, and in the end the children foil the spy’s evil plot, although our hero is wounded and his faithful dog is shot in the line of duty.

The story is told by Haggai, and is supposedly illustrated by the boy’s drawings (the illustrator was in fact the famous artist, Nahum Gutman). A child reading the book will undoubtedly identify with the hero, his mates and their adventures. The book has been adapted for film and television.