Cushman, Karen. Will Sparrow’s Road.

Cushman, Karen.   Will Sparrow’s Road.    Houghton Mifflin/Clarion  2012  216p  ISBN 978-0-547-73962-5        elm/ms      Hardback    E-BN  Historical fiction

Will Sparrow’s father sold him to the innkeeper in exchange for access to free liquor.  The work and living conditions at the inn were not any better than those at home, so Will took off one night for parts unknown.  Along the way, he met many folks.  However, Will was not always able to distinguish trustworthy from unsavory characters.  He did, however, prove to be resourceful in finding food along the way.  When he joined the traveling sideshow, Will learned that people and situations are not always what one thinks they will be.

Readers will connect quickly to Will as his troubles mount.  Characters like the disfigured Cat Girl are very well developed and believable, and readers will have sympathy for them, as well as gaining an understanding of the deceitful nature of some adults.  It is a very well written book that will appeal to many young readers.  It is recommended for any middle-school library, and would make an excellent addition to a basic books list for school libraries.

Summary: Will Sparrow is a liar, thief, and runaway in Elizabethan England. Readers will gain insight into the living conditions of that time and place as Will tries to free himself from the abusive home from which he has run away.

England, Elizabethan-Fiction                                      --Linda McNeil