The Badger Knight

September 8, 2014
In this picaresque-style historical novel, 13-year-old Adrianâsmall, asthmatic, and an albinoâdreams of becoming a soldier and fighting the "pagan Scots" that threaten 1346 England. Perceived as weak and touched by the devil, the self-dubbed "Badger" is a skilled archer and has the rare ability to read and write. When his amiable friend Hugh joins the English army, Adrian runs away to follow him. Adrian's meandering journey has its dry moments: his adventures at a priory, friendship with a knight, and encounter with a Roman latrine can read like a checklist meant to supplement a middle-school history class. But National Book Awardâwinner Erskine (The Absolute Value of Mike) gives her unlikely warrior a lively voice, and the narrative cleverly upends Adrian's assumptions and prejudices, especially when it comes to foreigners and his long suffering cousin Bessie, whose kindness and determination he belittles as badly as others do him. The medieval-era mud and dung, as well as a scene of graphic battle violence, should captivate readers seeking total immersion in a distant, yet vibrantly imagined era. Ages 8â12. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt.

August 1, 2014
Erskine uses the strife of medieval England as a backdrop to explore differences, puberty and the divided loyalties of war. Narrator Adrian, almost 13, dreams of being an archer and an apprentice to his father, a master bowyer. However, his sickliness and pallor (he suffers from albinism) are too great for his kind but overprotective father to see beyond. While his friend Hugh is preparing to battle the "pagan Scots," Adrian is scribing recipes, fighting Bessie the ox (oddly, a female) and dodging the barbs of his inaptly named Good Aunt. He brandishes his own slightly bitter wit with droll chapter headings such as "In Which I Write Recipes While Hugh Handles Bessie (and Bess)." Adrian-called Badger for the dirt he smears under his eyes to improve his weak eyesight-sets out to find Hugh and prove himself in battle. His journey into Scotland yields such historical tidbits as the existence of spectacles and the Romans' invention of flushing latrines, which keep the past relevant. Adrian, too, is a typical boy who plays pranks and swears, though exclamations like "Ockham's razor!" lose their novelty after a few too many repetitions. War is also a constant, and Adrian matures quickly upon witnessing its horrors and unexpected kindnesses. The moral is common, but the unusual setting highlights the message that people aren't so different from one another; fans of Karen Cushman will enjoy this. (glossary, author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Erskine hits the bull's-eye in her retelling of the hero's journey through the eyes of a young, medieval archer determined to prove his worth through battle. Twelve-year-old Adrian fights his reputation of being an addlepated child that is largely due to the fact that he is an albino, a condition misunderstood during the Middle Ages. Adrian, who prefers the moniker Badger, steals away to follow his friend Hugh into battle believing this will allow him to return the hero. Badger runs from pagan Scots, dens of thieves, and corrupt priests amid ancient Roman ruins and scenery such as Hadrian's Wall. Yet he also encounters kindness where he least expects it, in a pagan Scot. Badger learns that his wisdom, character, and scrivener's skills are more important than his superlative archery skills. His journey exposes him to the horrors of war: battle is not heroic but rather ugly and final. Badger sees the truth behind Brother Nigel's words regarding the written word: "Seeking the truth and sharing it is mightier than being a soldier." This lesson is hard won and anything but didactic. Erskine excels at combining action, historical tidbits (Badger hides in an ancient Roman latrine and muses on the soldiers who came before him), and thoroughly likable characters with modern sensibilities. Much like Karen Cushman's notable books, Erskine's latest deserves a place in most middle school libraries.-Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.