What This Book Is About
In 1242 France, three children are on the run. Jeanne is a peasant girl who has visions of things before they happen. William is an oblate, a boy given to a monastery as a child, and he is huge and extraordinarily strong. Jacob is a Jewish boy who can heal wounds. Travelling with them is Gwenforte, Jeanne's greyhound, who was killed and came back. The king's men are pursuing them, and the three set out to stop King Louis IX from burning the Talmud.
Their story is told in turns by travellers swapping accounts at an inn, in the manner of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales; the book's full published title is The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog. It is illustrated throughout by Hatem Aly, and it won a Newbery Honor in 2017.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why UWC Chose This Book
The book is set in a year when religious persecution was state policy. The three children are trying to stop the burning of the Talmud ordered by King Louis IX, and a Christian peasant girl, a Christian oblate and a Jewish boy end up on the same side of it. The argument about where friendship can sit is made through the story rather than stated.
For UWC students in Singapore, where dozens of nationalities and faiths sit in the same classroom, that is lived reality rather than distant history. And because the story is handed from one narrator to the next, students have to keep track of who is telling which part and why, which is where reading a source critically begins.
Reading Level Guide
Too challenging at A2. Build up to this book through B1-level novels like Holes or Hatchet.
The sweet spot. A rewarding challenge for strong B1 readers; comfortable for B2.
A quick read at C1 but the layered narrative and historical depth remain rewarding.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free 30-minute English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.