The Windeby Puzzle: History and Story

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.