Brother Aelred has remarkably smelly feet. To spare the other monks' noses, he is given the job of tending to the pigs. However, when Viking raiders arrive to attack, loot and pillage the Brothers' monastery, it is Brother Aelred, the humblest, gentlest monk, who saves the day.

• Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts.
• Text type – A humorous story.
• An illustrated character web on pages 38 and 39 helps readers to describe Aelred’s character.
• Curriculum links – History: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? A Viking case study; PE: Invasion games; RE: What do signs and symbols mean in religion?
• This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Gillian Cross has been a successful author for many years. She has won the Carnegie medal, for ‘Wolf’; the Smarties Prize and the Whitbread Children’s Novel award, for ‘The Great Elephant Chase’ and her ‘Demon Headmaster’ books have been made into a successful television series. Gillian Cross is a great supporter of libraries and has served on several national committees and working parties in support ot these institutions. She lives in Warwickshire with her husband and family.