Crusade

December 1, 2010

Gr 8 Up- Told from alternating perspectives, Crusade follows two boys as they come of age, Adam growing from landless peasant to squire, and Salim from a merchant's son who shirks his duties to a doctor's apprentice and hero. To Adam, Saladin is a terror, a devil, and Richard the Lionheart is the noble leader who will free the Holy Land from the savages who occupy it. To Salim, Richard is an illiterate barbarian, and Saladin the wise commander who will keep the invaders from taking his homeland. By chance, their paths intersect, opening their eyes to the possibilities that the members of the opposing army may not be as different as they'd always assumed. Both young men end up wishing they could have met at a time when friendship might have been possible between them. Steeped in historical detail, the adventure immerses readers in the daily life of the armies of the Crusades, showing the good and bad to be found on either side. Most of the supporting characters are well drawn; they show depth and believable motivation for their actions and their positions regarding the war they face. The different views on medicine, demonstrated by Salim's Jewish master, a Palestinian-born Christian, and a British doctor, are particularly fascinating. The moral of looking to understand another worldview, particularly between Christians and Muslims, is timely in spite of its historical context.-Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.