A rollicking adventure set in medieval England about a heroine who refuses to live by other people's rules. Judith of Nesscliffe is 13 years old and her stepfather thinks it's time she married. Her future husband is at least 30 years older than she is and already has five daughters--some of them older than Judith. Now he wants a son and heir. Judith has other ideas. Wearing boys' clothing to disguise herself, Judith becomes Jude and runs away from home. With only a falcon for company, she sets out on a 150-mile journey to join the King's Minstrels. Along the way, she is attacked by thieves and forced to defend herself against the advances of a young woman who thinks that "Jude" would make an ideal husband. But she also finds her own true love as well as a way to live the life she chooses.

As a popular history (it) has considerable merits and offers a number of interesting suggestions. SPECULUM

Family entertainment. Suitable for all ages. Fourteenth Century France Amos Questerly, a wandering minstrel takes on a mysterious young apprentice. But his new protege, Richard, carries a deadly secret. A secret someone is willing to kill for. To reach safety they must earn their way to England by telling exciting stories of magical swords, princesses, and dragons, while danger follows on their heels. By the time Amos learns Richard's secret, it's clear even England may not be safe. The two, trapped in an adventure as thrilling as any of the minstrel's tales, must follow a perilous path that leads straight to the halls of the Royal Palace.

Reproduction of the original: Paul the Minstrel and Other Stories by Arthur Christopher Benson

A sword-swinging page-turner infused with a heady mix of Japanese etiquette, American ideals, and Machiavellian philosophy, written by a PEN/Faulkner Award winner.