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This story is set in Whitby Abbey in the year before the Synod of Whitby. Cwen, the weaver, is accused of stealing a valuable necklace. That in itself would merit a severe penalty but there is worse. It could be a royal necklace and in that case stealing it would be treason and the punishment would be slow death. But Cwen’s daughter Wulfrun is determined to prove her mother innocent. And she finds some surprising allies in the Princess Elfled, the novice monk Adfrith and the cowherd/poet Cadmon. Their quest takes them to a small fishing village and then to a hermit in a forest. But there are those who do not want the truth uncovered and Wulfrun and her friends eventually find themselves on a wild desperate flight to Bamburgh.
Whitby Abbey and its community are brought vividly to life both by the author’s descriptions and also by the useful little plan at the beginning of the book. Right away this makes it quite clear that this is a Celtic Abbey and not one of the better known medieval Roman ones. For a start Hild’s community contains both monks and nuns. The everyday work of the little community can be easily imagined by the reader. There is Adfrith in the scriptorium, Fridgyth with her herb garden, Cadmon with his calves – and we share his pain when the blood month arrives and they are killed.
The book just abounds with strong, independent female characters. To name but a few: there is the Princess Elfled, wilful and imperious but also courageous and determined, Wulfrun, courageous and responsible beyond her fourteen years, and the abbess Hild herself who rules her little community wisely and who wields power among the greatest kings and princes in the land.
This story brings to life a period of English history which, sadly, is too often neglected –– Anglo-Saxon times. The book has been thoroughly researched and there is a note on the sources used –– including of course Bede’s History of the English Church and People. And yet although so many scholarly works have been used the writing is eminently readable.
In her note at the end the author has said that she decided to try some mystery/adventure stories using Hild’s abbey at Whitby for the setting.
But this is no ordinary mystery/adventure story. Mystery stories are often overloaded with incidents and twists and turns which become confusing to the reader. But here the author has avoided such mistakes. The pace is just perfect. Too often today character development and background are both sacrificed to the concept of pace resulting in characters no one really cares about and no firm sense of place. Sometimes too many exciting incidents can be boring. But here Theresa Tomlinson has got the pace just right.
Theresa Tomlinson says she wanted to find a way of writing about the Anglo-Saxon history of Whitby which would make it interesting to young adults. In Wolf Girl she has done just that. In fact she has done more.
Wolf Girl should be fascinating for young people and adults alike.
12+
This book is about 10,000 words long. It is for children of 7-11.
Mission from the Marsh tells the story of King Alfred's struggle against the Vikings told from the viewpoint of Eadwulf - a young nobleman. Eadwulf hides with Alfred in the marsh, helps to build the fortress of Althelney, waits with Alfred's horse while Alfred goes, disguised as a harper, into the camp of the Vikings, rides out with Alfred's jewel to rally the Earls of Wessex, is present when Alfred blows through King Edbert's stone - the Blowing Stone - and summons the men of Wiltshire, Somerset and Hampshire, and fights and is fatally wounded at the Battle of Edington where the Vikings are finally defeated.
Eadwulf is a fictional character but Mission from the Marsh is based on fact - and on Asser's Life of King Alfred in particular.
This book comes with a very useful note on King Alfred.
Mission from the Marsh should help all who read it to remember the key facts about the life of Alfred the Great.
This is one of the Historical Storybooks series where historical events and personalties are presented in story form and provide a resource for the National Curriculum at KS 2 and 3.
This book is about 2,000 words long.
Twelve-year-old Wulfric has his own secret place on an island in the Somerset marshes. Here he has made a tent of willow branches where he sits and carves wood into spears and cooks fish on a fire. Then, at the Feast of Twelfth Night, a messenger comes to his father with the news thaat Chippenham has been laid waste by the Vikings. Fortunately King Alfred managed to escape. The messenger then says he must speak privately with Wulfric's father. Wulfric hides and overhears their conversation. The Vikings are already on Alfred's trail and he needs a secret place to hide. Here Wulfric interrupts and tells of his secret place. It is found to be ideal and King Alfred hides there for the rest of the winter. And Wulfric is given the task of taking food and provisions to the King because "a boy wandering about the marshes won't arouse suspicion."
When spring comes all Alfred's thanes and earls have their militia ready and Alfred's Army sets out to march on the Danes. Wulfric goes too and is present at the Battle of Edington and later he sees the Viking King Guthrum make peace with Alfred.
Wulfric remains in the service of King Alfred. He is to sail a boat as one of Alfred's first sea soldiers.
A delightful little story which, simple though it may be, still manages to bring out most of the main points about King Alfred. As well as the facts about Alfred and the Vikings, details about Saxon living conditions are trickled naturally into the story. For example the Saxon hall with the tapestries and candles, minstrels at the the feast, the crackling fire and the dogs asleep under the table. There are illustrations on every page.
The reading level is suitable for capable seven-year-olds but the interest level should extend right through the primary school.
A charming story in its own right and a valuable resource for the national curriculum.
7-11
This book is about 10,000 words long. It is for children of 7-11.
This is a fictionalised biography of Hereward.
There are many legends about Hereward and it is often impossible to separate the legends from the facts. But one thing is for sure. Hereward had a servant called Martin Lightfoot. Linda Hague has made Martin tell the story - which contains both fact and legend.
Martin was a young servant in the service of Leofric, a landowner who lived in a small market town called Bourne, on the edge of the fenlands. Hereward was Leofric's son. Hereward was a wild young man and, after some trouble, he had to leave Bourne. Martin went with him.
They travel through Scotland, Cornwall, Ireland and there is much fighting. Finally they go to Flanders where Hereward gets married. Then Hereward hears that the Normans have conquered England. He decides to return at once. He finds that his own brother has been killed by the Normans and declares that he must have his revenge.
There follows details of the better known part of Hereward's life when he gathers his supporters around him and takes refuge in the fens. There are fascinating descriptions of the Island of Ely and life there; also of Norman attacks on the Island.
This book is packed with facts about the England of the 1080's. Not only children, but also adults will learn a lot about Hereward from it.
This story is about 10,000 words long. It is for children of 7-11.
Alda and her parents are churls living in the forest and struggling to survive. Last winter her brother Alfric had been sold to the thane chief for forty shillings, and with the money her father had bought some flour, a goat and a small herd of pigs.
It is Alda's job to look after the pigs. Then the chief thanes's son Wulfwin, and some of his friends drive off the pigs. Without these pigs Alda and her parents will starve.
But Lord Godric is known to be a fair man and so the little family go to Godric's stockade - despite the fact that they are not meant to be there at night. They have trouble from Wulfwin but eventually they are brought before Godric who listens to them.
A rather unusual agreement is made. They can have their pigs back if Alda can make up a riddle and none of Godric's household can guess what it is. She is given a night to make up her riddle. Can this simple girl from the forest do it?
This story brings out the contrast between the lives of the rich and the poor in Anglo-Saxon times but the riddle aspect should really catch the imagination of many children. They will really enjoy trying to make up their own riddles.