Essays & Articles

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

The varying voices are wonderfully distinct, both in tone and dialect, and their stories gain in hyperbolic excitement, especially as more ale is consumed. The children themselves are a mix of vulnerability and defiance—each of their lives has been dramatically changed for the worse by the actions of King Louis, but they refuse to be cowed by the man. They’re kids, though, so there’s also a fair amount of ribbing, poking fun, and good laughs…Gidwitz writes with simple, straightforward prose and offers several access points for preteen readers; combine that with a reanimated dog and a farting dragon, and suddenly a history or theology unit might garner fewer bored sighs.”

 

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

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