The Beatryce Prophecy

Brother Edik, a member of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing, finds a young girl, covered in dirt and blood, in the stable, feverish. He nurses her back to health. Answelica, a goat, stands guard over her. All she knows is her name is Beatryce and she can read and write, something girls aren’t permitted to do. The monks realize she is the subject of a prophecy, and the king will be sending his men for her. In a village nearby, a soldier arrives and asks Jack Dory, an orphan boy, to bring a monk to write down his confession. Jack comes back with Beatryce wearing monk’s robes. The goat accompanies them. After the soldier dies, Jack, Answelica, and Beatryce begin a journey to see the king, which is difficult and has great danger.

This reads like a fairy tale with fantasy and magic woven in. The characters are all engaging and interesting, the places in which the story is set are fully realized, and the story is simply enchanting. The writing by Kate DiCamillo is gorgeous, and there is great tension. Lovely illustrations by Sophie Blackall will help young readers stay in the moment of the story.