Will Sparrow's Road

Title: Will Sparrow's Road

Author: Karen Cushman

Will Sparrow's Road takes place in Elizabethan England. It follows twelve year old Will through the trials and hardships that he faces and the decisions that he has to make all by himself to survive.

After being sold to an innkeeper by his father (who blamed him for the depart of his mother) to settle a drinking debt, he decides to run away instead of becoming a "climbing boy".

-A climbing boy is the term for a small person or child who was send up to work as a chimney sweep. This was a very dangerous position as there were no safety regulations.-

On his way he meets many disreputable people and learns that the only one he should truly trust is himself. He also learns to judge people not by what they look like or appear to be, but by their actions towards oneself and others.

I was surprised at this book, as Cushman generally writes with female main characters. This was a very welcome addition to her writings. I really enjoyed the bits and pieces added in about buskers and sideshows. 

Great work as always.

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Sparrows-Road-Karen-Cushman/dp/0544336321

ISBN: 978-0-547-73962-5

Gone to Amerikay

First off. I am pretty sure i'm going to acquire a copy of this book for myself at some point. This was unexpectedly great.


Title: GONE TO AMERIKAY
Author: Derek McCulloch
Artists: Colleen Doran and Jose Villarrubia

This book is drawn in a style that I very much adore. It tells not one story, but three separate tales in separate time periods that intertwine within the bounds of linear time. Set within the bounds of New York. 

One man  in 2010 is being led around by his wife on a wild goose chase looking for any remaining pieces of history.

One man in 1960 is looking for his big break, and on the way finds a ghost and a song and a story.

One woman in 1870 has made her way to America and is trying to start a new life in the land of opportunity while waiting for a husband that has promised to come soon.

All three show the nitty gritty of their respective time periods, and are quite realistic in what they share. These are not "pretty" stories where everything goes perfectly in the end with nothing bad at all in their pages. These are REAL feeling stories and do not shy away from very REAL topics such as poverty, homosexuality, prostitution, rape, and murder.

Not a book for children, but easily a book for young adults, though many parents probably not find it suitable. 

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Amerikay-Derek-McCulloch/dp/1401223516

ISBN: 978-1-4012-2351-9