Adam of the Road

by Elizabeth Gray Vining and Elizabeth Janet Gray

Book Overview

A Newbery Medal Winner

Awarded the John Newbery Medal as "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" in the year of its publication. "A road's a kind of holy thing," said Roger the Minstrel to his son, Adam. "That's why it's a good work to keep a road in repair, like giving alms to the poor or tending the sick. It's open to the sun and wind and rain. It brings all kinds of people and all parts of England...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 014032464X
• ISBN13: 9780140324648
• Release Date: November 1987
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Good Book - Took years to finale read it

I have had this book on my book shelve for a very long time. I can always remember seeing it when I was younger but I never read it. I guess I thought it was too long. Even when I went through my book shelves to give books away for some reason I kept this book. Finale last year I picked it up and started reading it. I found it to be a very enjoyable book Adam is a great character and I understand his love and bond for his dog Nick. When Adam dives off a ferry to get to Nick. I said "I would have done the same thing". Its also nice reading a book that is based on life during the 13 century. Seems it would have been quite an adventure to be a traveling minstrel. I think this is a book that both children and adults will enjoy.

"It should be a movie"

That was the exclamation of my 9 year old daughter when we were only halfway through the book. (I read it aloud a chapter at a time.) The story is riveting and completely held the attention of my little videophile. This is an excellent companion to a study of the Middle Ages.

An awesome book!

I can see how this book would look boring. A boy travels the road, looses his horse, dog and father, and looks for them. Except, this is not a boring book. I read it in fourth grade, couldn't finish it because I had to return the book to the library, and only now, 4 grades later read it through and through. I love it. It definitely deserved the Newberry Medal. It's so good, I'm even relating the story to my little brother. This book is worth reading, even if it doesn't sound like it.

A "Sleeper" from the past

In the wake of "Harry Potter" mania, I selected Adam of The Road to read to my second and third grade class. The book starts out slowly, there are lots of long descriptive passages of the natural world. The basic story though, is enchanting. Following young Adam Quartemayne through his adventures in the late 1200's is extremely interesting and entertaining. The children were hooked! They begged for more at the end of each chapter and retold the story at home to their parents. They started drawing their own additional illustrations and now want to adapt the book for a class play. Let me also mention these were children without any real background in English or medeival history. It was a crowd pleaser.

Great Book

If you like action, drama and romance (well not much romance) then you will like "Adam of the Road." The story begins at St.Albans abbey in the June of 1294. When Adam Quartermayne, the son of Roger, the minstrel of Lord De Lisle, gets picks him up at the abbey by his father the adventure begins. Adam's father loses their horse, Bayard, to another minstrel Jankin. Jankin rides Bayard so hard that Bayard becomes lame and Jankin does not want Bayard anymore. In the middle of the night, Jankin steals Nick, Adam's cocker spaniel, and heads out before Adam awakes. Then the case begins taking Adam all over England. I won't tell you anymore about the book other than it is a great book and you should read it!!!!