Newbery medalist and New York Times bestselling author Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron Age world through the suspenseful dual narrative of a boy and girl both battling to survive. In an utterly one-of-a-kind blend of fiction and history, a master storyteller explores the mystery and life of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body.
Estrild is not like the other girls in her village; she wants to be a warrior. Varick, the orphan boy who helps her train in spite of his twisted back, also stands apart. In a world where differences are poorly tolerated, just how much danger are they in?
Inspired by the true discovery of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body in northern Germany, Newbery medalist and master storyteller Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron Age world as she breathes life back into the Windeby Child, left in the bog to drown with a woolen blindfold over its eyes. This suspenseful exploration of lives that might have been by a gifted, intellectually curious author is utterly one of a kind. Includes several arresting photos of archaeological finds, including the Windeby Child.
Author’s note. Bibliography. Descriptions and photographs of archaeological finds and the European eagle-owl. Discussion questions. Selected quotes for further thought. Black-and-white illustrations.
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Gr 5 Up-Nicely preserved, the 2,000-year-old body of a small teen girl was found in a bog in 1952 on Windeby Estate in northern Germany. Master storyteller Lowry wondered why. Estrild becomes the main character in this fusion of history and fiction. Unlike other girls, Estrild desires to become a warrior during a time when women are expected to stay at home, cooking, cleaning, and raising the children. Her dear friend Varick, an orphan boy unwanted by society, is happy to help her train in the warrior ways. The friendship that ensues is carried out to a heartrending ending that provides one interpretation for how a young girl ended up dying and buried in a bog. VERDICT Expertly written and beautifully engaging, readers will be transfixed with actual photographs and more than one explanation of this grim mystery. A first purchase for libraries.-Tracy Cronce?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.