A. Bibliographic Data:
Joan of Arc, by Diane Stanley, published by Morrow Junior Books in 1998; ISBN: 0688143296
B. Plot Summary:
This volume tells the story of Joan of Arc, a French hero in the 1400s. It begins with the story of the Hundred Years’ War, setting the stage for the situation into which young Joan was born. After a pronunciation guide and map of France in 1429, Stanley continues with a brief synopsis of her childhood and explains how she began to hear voices from religious icons and set out on her mission to get Charles VII crowned and accepted as the rightful King of France. It follows her through the military excursions leading up to the French victory, and then it tells of her capture and trial by the English. Illustrations accompany the story of Joan’s life, and two pages of text only explain how King Charles got her name cleared posthumously and she was sainted by the Catholic Church in 1920. Stanley concludes with a Bibliography and suggestions for further reading.
C. Critical Analysis:
Stanley tells the story of this monumental figure in French history simply and clearly, accompanied by beautiful, detailed paintings. Stanley has created a book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, while teaching them the story of an early heroine. By providing a pronunciation guide and map at the beginning of the book, Stanley allows readers to feel more comfortable navigating the story. Each page of text is accompanied by an illustration showing some event described on the accompanying page, helping even younger readers follow the story line and sequence of events. Her conclusion validates the information she provides by explaining her sources as original manuscripts from the events described. The bibliography and recommended reading list that follow the story also allow readers the opportunity to learn more about Joan of Arc and the era in which she lived and died. Readers who are looking for similar quality books on other historical figures can look for more titles by Stanley, who has written a number of them, including an Orbis Pictus Award winner (Leonardo da Vinci, 1997). She has also won the Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the 2008 Mazza Medallion Award for her work.
D. Review Excerpts:
~ “Appealing to the audience's intelligence and imagination, this book stimulates an interest in both its particular subject, Joan of Arc, and history in general.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review
~ “This magnificent picture book exemplifies the author's talent for historical research, skill in writing clear and interesting prose, and ability to adopt different art styles and techniques appropriate to her subject. . . . This narrative description of the greatest of French saints is a work of art, a good story, and a model of historical writing.” – Shirley Wilton, School Library Journal
E. Connections:
~ Use with a unit on the Middle Ages and the Hundred Years’ War.
~ Use with a unit on strong women in history.
~ Compare/contrast with other biographies of Joan of Arc (some of which are mentioned in the author’s notes).
~ Discuss with students what they might have done in Joan’s place.~ Talk about how her claims might be received in today’s socie
Joan of Arc, by Diane Stanley, published by Morrow Junior Books in 1998; ISBN: 0688143296
B. Plot Summary:
This volume tells the story of Joan of Arc, a French hero in the 1400s. It begins with the story of the Hundred Years’ War, setting the stage for the situation into which young Joan was born. After a pronunciation guide and map of France in 1429, Stanley continues with a brief synopsis of her childhood and explains how she began to hear voices from religious icons and set out on her mission to get Charles VII crowned and accepted as the rightful King of France. It follows her through the military excursions leading up to the French victory, and then it tells of her capture and trial by the English. Illustrations accompany the story of Joan’s life, and two pages of text only explain how King Charles got her name cleared posthumously and she was sainted by the Catholic Church in 1920. Stanley concludes with a Bibliography and suggestions for further reading.
C. Critical Analysis:
Stanley tells the story of this monumental figure in French history simply and clearly, accompanied by beautiful, detailed paintings. Stanley has created a book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, while teaching them the story of an early heroine. By providing a pronunciation guide and map at the beginning of the book, Stanley allows readers to feel more comfortable navigating the story. Each page of text is accompanied by an illustration showing some event described on the accompanying page, helping even younger readers follow the story line and sequence of events. Her conclusion validates the information she provides by explaining her sources as original manuscripts from the events described. The bibliography and recommended reading list that follow the story also allow readers the opportunity to learn more about Joan of Arc and the era in which she lived and died. Readers who are looking for similar quality books on other historical figures can look for more titles by Stanley, who has written a number of them, including an Orbis Pictus Award winner (Leonardo da Vinci, 1997). She has also won the Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the 2008 Mazza Medallion Award for her work.
D. Review Excerpts:
~ “Appealing to the audience's intelligence and imagination, this book stimulates an interest in both its particular subject, Joan of Arc, and history in general.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review
~ “This magnificent picture book exemplifies the author's talent for historical research, skill in writing clear and interesting prose, and ability to adopt different art styles and techniques appropriate to her subject. . . . This narrative description of the greatest of French saints is a work of art, a good story, and a model of historical writing.” – Shirley Wilton, School Library Journal
E. Connections:
~ Use with a unit on the Middle Ages and the Hundred Years’ War.
~ Use with a unit on strong women in history.
~ Compare/contrast with other biographies of Joan of Arc (some of which are mentioned in the author’s notes).
~ Discuss with students what they might have done in Joan’s place.~ Talk about how her claims might be received in today’s socie
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