Crusade - Softcover

Laird, Elizabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0330456997 ISBN 13: 9780330456999

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, 2010

Synopsis

Two boys, two faiths, one unholy war—two boys from opposing worlds come face to face in a thought-provoking historical adventure

When Adam’s mother dies unconfessed, he pledges to save her soul with dust from the Holy Land. Employed as a dog-boy for the local knight, Adam grabs the chance to join the Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. He burns with determination to strike down the infidel enemy. Salim, a merchant’s son, is leading an uneventful life in the port of Acre—until news arrives that a Crusader attack is imminent. To keep Salim safe, his father buys him an apprenticeship with an esteemed traveling doctor. But Salim’s employment leads him to the heart of Sultan Saladin’s camp—and into battle against the barbaric and unholy invaders.

About this title

About the Author

Elizabeth Laird is the author of Jake's Tower, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal; Kiss the Dust, winner of the Children’s Book Award; and A Little Piece of Ground.

Reviews

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. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0330456997
• ISBN 13: 9780330456999
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400