Two Children's Classics: The Door In The Wall by Marguerite de Angeli and Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

This year I have signed up for the 2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader and Baker.  My goal is to read 15 Medieval historical novels this year and the Door In The Wall (1949) by Marguerite de Angeli is the first book I have completed.  It's a children's classic, winner of the 1950 Newbery Medal and the novel is set in 14th century England around the time of the black plague although the plague doesn't factor into the book that much.  

Instead The Door In The Wall tells the story of ten year old Robin who is the son of Sir John de Bureford.  Robin comes from a family of noblemen.  His father is a knight and is away fighting in a war that is going on between England and Wales.  His mother is leaving to take a position as one of the Queen's Ladies in Waiting.  Robin has good parents who love him and he will miss them but he is excited to begin his apprenticeship towards becoming a knight and making his father proud.

But then a few days before Robin is set to leave for his apprenticeship he is taken ill.  It's not the plague but whatever the illness is it leaves Robin unable to walk and his plans for being a knight are over.  Robin is depressed at this sudden change in his life and he is sent to a monastery where the monks will take care of him and it turns out to be the best thing that could have happened.  The monks are good men and they teach Robin to read, write, carpentry.  He learns about science and the stars and mostly Robin learns that despite his disability there is so much he can do.  As Brother Luke tells him: “Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.”

 

It's a book with an important message and A Door In The Wall is well written and you also learn some of the customs, foods, clothing etc from the Middle Ages.  But there are children's books that can be enjoyed at all ages and then there are children's books that are specifically geared to children and for me The Door In The Wall fits into the latter  category.  

And while I was reading The Door In The Wall I started thinking of another children's classic, Johnny Tremain (1943) by Esther Forbes, winner of the 1944 Newbery Medal that I read a few years ago

Johnny Tremain is set in Boston during the American Revolutionary era and centers around a 14 year old orphan boy named Johnny Tremain.  Johnny works for and lives with a silversmith and his family.  Johnny is training to be a silversmith and even at 14 his ability to craft beautiful objects from silver is admired and requested by everyone.  Like Robin, Johnny sees his future all mapped out until an injury to his hand ends his career as a silversmith.

Johnny is a fully developed well drawn character in a way that Robin in my opinion was not.  Robin is a good kid all the way through The Door In The Wall whereas Johnny Tremain is more three-dimensional, good qualities but also flawed.  Johnny before the accident was arrogant, too sure of himself and he makes enemies.  But after the hand injury he loses everything including a place to live.  We see Johnny go from age 14 to 17 in the novel and watch him slowly build his way back and he learns that there are people out there willing to help if you let them.  I found Johnny Tremain to be a powerful novel for adults as well as kids and it has stayed with me.