Will Sparrow's Road

Another hit from narrator Katherine Kellgren. She brings this audiobook to life and greatly contributed to my enjoyment of the story. Of particular delight to me is Ms. Kellgren's singing throughout the book (even when she's portraying some of the more tone-deaf characters) because I think singing the songs helps bring the time period to life in a way that reading the lyrics does not. The audiobook is fully voiced, expertly as you'd expect from this seasoned reader. I'd recommend this tale to fans of Karen Cushman's previous historical novels or anyone interested in Renaissance England. ( )

A lively, colorful adventure with lots of wonderful characters set in Elizabethan England. ( )

I liked this tale of a boy who makes a life for himself in Elizabethan England. The language seems historically correct and may be hard for some readers to get used to. When we meet Will Sparrow he cares for no one but himself because no one cares for him. His mother left years ago and his father has given him to the inn keeper in exchange for all the ale he can drink. Will is resourceful, learns from his mistakes, and realizes that he is happier allowing himself to care about other people. There is brawling and drunk characters but I found nothing objectionable for ages 10 and up. ( )

Publishers Weekly
Impudent, headstrong, and “a liar and a thief,” 12-year-old Will Sparrow is also a hero to remember in this rousing story from Newbery Medalist Cushman (The Midwife’s Apprentice), set in Elizabethan England. Abandoned by his mother and sold by his alcoholic father to an abusive innkeeper in exchange for unlimited ale, Will soon winds up on the dangerous open road. Will tries to outsmart a stellar cast of thieves, tricksters, and con artists—underestimating all of them and getting taken advantage of repeatedly. He eventually finds a place on the circuit of fairs with Master Tidball and his caravan of “oddities and prodigies,” which includes “the world’s smartest pig” and a whiskered woman billed as half-cat (“It seemed to Will that Master Tidball made a good living for someone who did nothing but watch others work. Will himself could do that, he thought”). Offering action, humor, and heart in equal doses, Cushman’s story is, at its core, about creating and claiming a family of one’s own. Readers will be ready to follow Will anywhere from the very first page. Ages 10–14 ( )

In 1599 England, twelve-year-old lying, thieving Will Sparrow runs away, meets many colorful characters on the road, and then reluctantly joins a traveling "oddities" exhibit, where he learns to see beyond appearances. ( )