A kindly abbot takes him in and under his care, Robin grows in maturity and develops his abilities and interests. Their plans for Robin go awry when he falls ill and loses the use of his legs. Robin's father goes off to fight in Scotland and his mother is called to the Queen's court. This very short Newbery Award winner tells the tale of young Robin and his transformation from the whiny son of a Lord to selfless hero. THE DOOR IN THE WALL by Marguerite de Angeli Konigsburg does a wonderful job of evoking the medieval world and giving life to one of its most powerful female players. It's the late 20th century and Eleanor and her peers, Abbot Sugar, William Marshall, Empress Matilda are up in Heaven waiting to see if Eleanor's husband Henry II will finally be allowed to come 'Up.' While they wait, each in turn recounts parts of Eleanor's life. Frankweiler also wrote this clever story featuring Eleanor of Aquitaine. The author of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs.

MORE: Historical Fiction with Strong Female ProtagonistsĪ PROUD TASTE FOR SCARLET AND MINIVER by E.

Along her journey she must make choices based on her code of honor but she learns not all is as it seems and she has to decide what her values are. I quite enjoyed this 13th-century tale set in Scotland about a strong girl warrior learning about what sets her apart from her brothers and father, even as she embarks on a treacherous mission to rescue them. THE MAD WOLF'S DAUGHTER (series) by Diane Magras Find it: Bookshop | Amazon Medieval Stories After his father sells him to an innkeeper, Will runs away and finds his place among a group of outcasts. Raised to be pious, Matilda finds herself working for a medieval barber-surgeon, Red Peg the Bonesetter instead of pursuing her preferred studious endeavors. In medieval England, 'Brat' gains confidence and learns who she wants to be after she becomes a apprentice to a gruff midwife. The very un-meek Catherine refuses to give into her father's wishes that she marry a distasteful, older man. The following is just a small sampling of my favorites of her work, which you can also find curated at my list at Bookshop.ĬATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY.

Books by Karen CushmanĬushman has quite the oeuvre, including many books with medieval or Renaissance settings. Bookshop supports independent booksellers. Purchases made through these links may earn commission for this blog. Note: this post contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links.

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