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library_mamaI've been a fan of Donna Jo Napoli's since her enchanting retelling of Rapunzel, Zel, which I read in my children's lit class. Here's her latest:
Hush by Donna Jo Napoli Melkorka has been raised princess of a small kingdom in Ireland. While the priest tries to convince her father to outlaw slavery, she has always looked down on slaves and believed slavery necessary and permanent. Then she and her little sister, Bridget, are kidnapped. They are taken on board a Russian slave ship and soon far beyond anything Melkorka has ever seen. Her mother had told her often that she needed to learn to hush; and, when they were riding off secretly to hopeful safety, not to tell anyone who she is. So Mel hushes, using silence as both sword and shield. This isn’t exactly a beach read, nor, with its stark depiction of slavery and rape, is it for young children. For teens and up, though, it’s a moving story. Mel’s difficult personal journey is balanced with the excitement of exploring the known world of A.D. 900. An author’s note at the end explains that this is her back story for a princess Melkorka who is mentioned briefly in an ancient saga of Iceland.
Hush by Donna Jo Napoli Melkorka has been raised princess of a small kingdom in Ireland. While the priest tries to convince her father to outlaw slavery, she has always looked down on slaves and believed slavery necessary and permanent. Then she and her little sister, Bridget, are kidnapped. They are taken on board a Russian slave ship and soon far beyond anything Melkorka has ever seen. Her mother had told her often that she needed to learn to hush; and, when they were riding off secretly to hopeful safety, not to tell anyone who she is. So Mel hushes, using silence as both sword and shield. This isn’t exactly a beach read, nor, with its stark depiction of slavery and rape, is it for young children. For teens and up, though, it’s a moving story. Mel’s difficult personal journey is balanced with the excitement of exploring the known world of A.D. 900. An author’s note at the end explains that this is her back story for a princess Melkorka who is mentioned briefly in an ancient saga of Iceland.
