Who am I? What am I supposed to do with this life of mine? Where are the answers to the questions I don't even know to ask but have a feeling that they are there waiting to be asked. Meet Wart a likable, scruffy lad who lives in medieval England with his adopted father Sir Ector and his brother, Kay. Sir Ector is hopeful of educating his two boys with plans for Kay to become a knight so he brings in a tutor, a fellow by the name of Merlin, to fill their heads with wisdom.
This is a story of brotherhood with Kay a strong, yet slightly bumbling individual, and Wart a curious minded boy who admires his older sibling. Wart is being groomed to serve Kay as his page and eventually his squire as Kay himself rises in the ranks. Their days are filled with swordplay and hunting and various physical tasks which should fashion them into true men.
Merlin's arrival introduces a new direction in their lives. He will send Wart into the castle moat to swim as a fish and learn self-preservation. He will send Wart to spend the night as a merlin with the raptors kept by the castle for hunting where he will have to survive hours of sitting near Colonel Cully, an unpredictable bird who is struggling with his desire to kill Wart and where Wart will listen to songs of honor and chivalry. He will talk to T. Natrix, a snake, who will teach him of History and Legends, all things important to know for musing during times of hibernation.
The education of Wart continues in various settings with varying animals all of whom have deep wisdom to impart.
This story can be read for the humor and the delightful characters and the imaginative and clever wordplay. It's important to read between the lines here to get what the story the author is truly telling. Every teen goes on a journey to find out what is important, to find herself or himself, to explore what life is for. This is Wart's journey and his education is going to give him learning that will fit under his skin rather than to answer multiple choice questions.
A story of honor, of wisdom, of brilliant humor that will reach deeply into those who are open to its wonder. 256 pages Ages 12-105
