First published 1989
Robin de Bureford has grown up knowing his future. As the son of Sir John de Bureford, he will train for knighthood and follow in his father's footsteps. The expectations weigh on him daily. Then illness strikes. Robin loses the use of his legs, and his world crumbles. His servants flee, terrified of plague, leaving the boy completely alone. The physical paralysis becomes emotional isolation. Everything Robin believed about his worth and his future now seems impossible. He cannot swing a sword or ride a horse. He cannot fulfill the destiny that has defined him since birth. But Robin must discover that courage and nobility take many forms. His journey becomes not about recovering what he lost, but about finding strength he never knew he possessed. The story explores how a young person rebuilds identity when circumstances destroy every assumption about who they are meant to become.
Genres: classic-literature, adventure, coming-of-age
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-adversity
Period: Medieval
121 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday Books for Young Readers