Sparrow: The Story of Joan of Arc by Michael Morpurgo
| Sparrow: The Story of Joan of Arc by Michael Morpurgo | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Robert James
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| Summary: Simple, powerful prose and a really well-portrayed heroine make Morpurgo's Joan of Arc retelling well worth checking out. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 256 | Date: March 2012 |
| Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0007465958 | |
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Joan of Arc knows she's special. She knows that she has been chosen to save France - the voices tell her so. But she also knows that she has a lot to do to convince the Dauphin and the noblemen who protect him that it's time to make a stand for their country. Can she become a heroine?
This is, as ever with Morpurgo, a good story told simply and with a style which carries the reader along. His Joan is wonderful - a true heroine with masses of self-belief - and the framing story of a young girl desperate to play her in a parade is a sweet one. It's not quite up there with his best, however - the rest of the cast list, notably the Dauphin and the French noblemen who fight alongside Joan are rather bland, and the device of a sparrow who's Joan's constant companion and only true friend doesn't really seem to add much. (To be fair, it does link it more strongly to the framing story where Eloise also has a sparrow, but part of me can't help wondering if it wasn't shoved in there just because people expect animals in Morpurgo stories.)
Despite that (perhaps rather uncharitable!) quibble, there's no question that it's well worth reading, particularly for those youngsters who don't know the story of Joan of Arc. The set pieces are strong - particularly the ending, which will be enough to bring a lump to the throat of many readers, and if you're reading it to a youngster it may well be worth preparing them as I think those who aren't aware of what happened to Joan could find themselves crying. The inevitable climax, though, is handled with all of Morpurgo's restraint and it's perhaps the very simplicity which makes it so effective.
So, perhaps not Morpurgo's best, but still well worth reading and an easy recommendation to make.
I think if this has got you in the mood for a good retelling Morpurgo's own Robin Hood story, Outlaw: The Story of Robin Hood shouldn't be missed.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Sparrow: The Story of Joan of Arc by Michael Morpurgo at Amazon.com.
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