▁the ▁Black ▁Knight ▁( 1 9 9 0 ). ▁ ▁The ▁book ▁was ▁re iss ued ▁by ▁Har per Coll ins ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁with ▁a ▁Fore word ▁by ▁Row an ▁Williams , ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Can ter bury . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁story ▁begins ▁on ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁End ▁of ▁London ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 3 0 s . ▁While ▁ro aming ▁the ▁do cks ▁at ▁night , ▁the ▁author ▁comes ▁across ▁a ▁small ▁girl ▁sitting ▁on ▁the ▁gr ating ▁below ▁a ▁shop ▁window . ▁He ▁s its ▁down ▁next ▁to ▁her , ▁and ▁eng ages ▁her ▁in ▁conversation . ▁Unable ▁to ▁find ▁out ▁where ▁she ▁came ▁from , ▁F yn n ▁takes ▁the ▁child ▁home , ▁only ▁to ▁discover ▁she ▁is ▁an ▁ab used ▁run away . ▁She ▁sp ends ▁her ▁next ▁three ▁years ▁as ▁F yn n ' s ▁in separ able ▁companion . ▁ ▁The ▁book ▁gives ▁an ▁account ▁of ▁their ▁friendship . ▁Anna ▁by ▁nature ▁is ▁the ▁in quis itor , ▁the ▁forever ▁prob ing ▁creature ▁who ▁lik es ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁reason ▁for ▁everything . ▁F yn n , ▁a ▁student , ▁tries ▁to ▁follow ▁her ▁hard - to - under stand , ▁yet ▁simple ▁logic . ▁Philosoph ical ▁questions ▁are ▁investig ated ▁through ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁a ▁child , ▁who ▁propos es ▁simple , ▁common - s ense ▁solutions . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁convers ations ▁involve ▁religion , ▁with ▁Anna ▁person alis ing ▁God , ▁calling ▁him ▁" M