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Some stories withstand the test of time because humans keep repeating the plot in real life. Such is the case with this charming story of young Mary and Sir Edward set in the Middle Ages. It is a children's book for the curious about soldiers, war, knights, and kings, and those at home waiting, working, and worrying. Mary's father is off fighting for the king while the children and their mother do their best to keep the farm animals alive, the fields fruiting, and the family warm and safe. They work arduously until a wounded knight rides up, adding new toil to their routine. By the time Sir Edward is well enough to travel again, he has shared stories of battle and besotted the family with his charm and bravery.
The author’s writing is as intriguing as the story itself. Monte is clearly a talented poet, and his story sings with rhyme and meter, whether read aloud or silently. Monte masterfully combines an old tale of eleventh-twelfth century life with modern poetry. Readers are rewarded with historical fiction in small bites, too. For example, what did people eat back then? "The most they could offer was grits and an egg, some greens from the meadow and coddled milk dregs." The illustrations are also intriguing and educational, showing the clothing, tools, setting, and religion of the times. Monte succeeds in making readers curious about the era and ready for more in-depth reading on the subject. Novels about the period are aplenty, but short and sweet ones, just enough to whet the appetite, are rare. This delightful book fills that niche.