The Door in the Wall: (Newbery Medal Winner)

by Marguerite de Angeli

Book Overview

WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL - An uplifting story of resilience set in medieval times about a boy who learns to overcome obstacles and ultimately save the castle. This historical fiction novel is a classic for all ages

"An enthralling and inspiring tale of triumph." --The New York Times

Ever since he can remember, Robin, child of Sir John de Bureford, has been told what is expected of him as the son of a nobleman...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440402832
• ISBN13: 9780440402831
• Release Date: July 1990
• Publisher: Yearling Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.3" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

A little boy finds out that everyone is special...

I read this book as a grade school kid. It's surprisingly accessible, because even though the language is sometimes a little archaic, it is always appropriate for kids. (The story is set in medieval England.) It's the story that your kids will be drawn to: a little boy is stricken with a severe illness on his way to become a page at the house of a great lord. He gets better, but cannot walk on his own. How can he ever become a knight like his father? What is he good for? Will his parents be ashamed of him? Under the care of a kindly friar and his understanding guardian, he finds out that the very things that make him different also make him perfectly suited to perform a brave deed that will protect the people he loves. Wonderfully uplifting and never too preachy, this story will challenge you (and your kids) to think of personal obstacles as unique opportunities. This is still one of my favorite books. You'll love it, especially if you like stories of "olden times".

Beautiful. Charming. Real.

When I read the synopsis on the book jacket, I assumed that Robin, the protagonist, was a lot like Whitey of the movie "Boys Town", to be taught the right path by Brother Luke, who I deduced was the equivalent of Father Flanagan. I was wrong. Robin wasn't rebellious at all. This is one reason why the story does not bump along as much as it flows. (Its lack of conflict keeps it from bumping, but the author's lovely prose keeps it flowing.)The setting is romanticized. There is nothing about the disgusting sounds, smells, habits, and parasites of the Middle Ages. If I had not read Cushman's "Catherine Called Birdy" (another good book) first, I would have thought that Medieval England was clean, pretty, quaint--and only a little muddy when it rained. Though things are protrayed as more lovely than they really were, I have to say that the attention to detail--from the handwritten manuscripts to a small town's market day--was amazing. I felt as if someone had tossed me several hundred years back in time and that Robin, Brother Luke, and John-go-in-the-Wynd were my guides who explained everything to me. It was a fascinating journey, though it took place in an armchair. (The original illustrations help a lot.)The main characters are as real and as idealized as the setting is. What I mean is that they are three-dimensional and realistic, but also that they have halos and little wings. They are really, really good. To some, they may be boring; but if there were more people like them in the world, we would all be much happier. Brother Luke was a wonderful, patient and understanding mentor to young Robin. He always seemed to know exactly what to do to help Robin to maturity. I don't know how someone can finish the first few chapters and not like Brother Luke for the rest of their lives. Readers may also leave liking Robin, though they may find him too "goody-goody." All I can say is that he was a naturally quiet, modest boy who was eager to please his father and serve his king. This did not make his struggle to gain self-mastery and to find the "door in the wall" any easier than it is for all the young people who have to go through it.The premise is about how Robin found his door in the wall. Life walled him in, but he was taught to believe in himself and not give up. He learned woodcarving and even had some adventures. In the end, he learned that even a little lame boy can please his father and serve his king--if he really, really wants to. I think that if more young people who feel walled in by life read this book, then they will be better off, for the following reasons:1. it will show them a beautiful world, where they can drop their cynicism and be young again;2. it will give them, if only in their imaginations, a kind teacher in Brother Luke;3. it will teach them about the door in the wall, and how all they need to do to find it is to look.PS--If you're a teacher, please read "Keeping Kids Reading" by Mary Leonhardt before you assign this book. Too many

I loved this book as a child

I was looking for this book to give as a present to my niece. I was dismayed at the number of young people who hated this book. I have a disability and it was when I was trapped in my bed that I read this book. And I loved it. It captured the spirit of my struggle. I felt triumphant at the end. I can't help but think that we must be teaching our children not to think about important things in life and instead we feed them shootum up movies and action books. I think the message of this story is timeless.

This is the best book ,you have to buy it.

I am really not a big reader until now. This book is very inspiring. It is about a boy overcoming an illness while at a monistary. His father, Sir John De Beuford, is the head of an English army. He is afraid his father will be disappointed because he will not be able to become a knight. When the Welsh army invades a castle it is up to him to save the day. That's enough until you read this great book!

Inspirational!

I read this book in the sixth grade, and this is the book that made me start reading (I read a lot). It involves you an interesting story, set in the Middle Ages, about a lame boy who overcomes his handicap and becomes a hero. Anybody, including adults, who perseveres through the slow beginning will love this novel. It certainly deserved its Newberry Medal.