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Summary
Summary
Crafted by the celebrated mother-daughter team who created the Dumpy series, this thrilling novel is based on the legend of the Dog of Montargis in medieval France. Dragon is a magnificent wolfhound who brings a surprising conclusion to the puzzle of his master's untimely death.
Author Notes
Julie Andrews was born in Walton-on-Thames, England, on October 1, 1935. She is a film and stage actress. She came to the United States at the age of 19 to star in The Boyfriend on Broadway. Some of her other stage performances include My Fair Lady, Camelot and Victor/Victoria. She has starred is numerous movies including The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, 10, Victor/Victoria, The Princess Diaries, and Shrek. She won an Oscar for Mary Poppins, her very first motion picture appearance. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Academy of Film and Television and in 2000 the title of Dame was bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II for lifetime achievements in the arts and humanities.
She is the author or co-author of numerous children's books including Mandy, The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, Dumpy the Dump Truck, Dumpy Saves Christmas, Little Bo: The Story of Bonnie Boadicea, Little Bo in France and The Very Fairy Princess Series. She also published an autobiography, Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, in 2008.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Thierry is a ward of the Count of Montargis in medieval France. He wants to become a squire to a knight, and is fascinated when a tournament is held on his guardian's estate. But concern arises when Aubrey de Montdidier, the knight betrothed to the Count's daughter, fails to turn up for the festivities. Three days later his horse and faithful hound, Dragon, return to the castle, spooked and injured. Dragon then leads Thierry and Guy DeNarsac to Aubrey's murdered body. As the entire castle mourns his death, Thierry and DeNarsac realize that the clue to the murderer lies with Dragon, the only living witness. Edwards and Hamilton render a beautifully written retelling of "The Legend of the Dog of Montargis." The descriptions of castle life, the tournament, and Paris in the 14th century are well researched and presented in a manner that is both lyrical and thrilling, and the heroics of the knights and of Dragon are exciting. While the complex names and the insertion of French phrases might be confusing at first, a glossary and a family tree aid in understanding. A well-done historical novel with an exciting mystery that will hold the attention of middle-grade readers.-Anna M. Nelson, Seabrook Library, NH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The mother-daughter team behind the Dumpy picture-book series here adapt "The Legend of the Dog of Montargis" (a version of the tale was included in William Bennett's The Moral Compass), set in a French village during the 14th century. Overlaying their narrative with medieval terms and French phrases ("Isabelle! Chere Isabelle, you look ravissante!"), Edwards and Hamilton fill in the outlines of the story. After the eminently likable Montdidier, captain of the king's guard and nephew of the count of Montargis, is savagely murdered, his wolfhound, Dragon, leads 13-year-old Thierry (a character invented for this telling), who is the count's ward, and DeNarsac, captain of the count's men-at-arms and a close friend of his family, to the spot where the body is buried. As the action moves from Montargis to the bustling Paris court of Charles V, Thierry and DeNarsac are resolved to crack the mystery of Montdidier's death. Another puzzle clouds the air: why does the noble Dragon savagely attack the chevalier Macaire? When Thierry and DeNarsac suspect that Dragon is accusing Macaire of Montdidier's murder, the king decides to allow for "the judgment of God": he sets up a duel between the dog and Macaire, with the idea that God "will aid the cause of the innocent and bring down the cause of the guilty." Readers who like their costume dramas heavily embroidered with high sentiment (and many adverbs) will enjoy this fare; others may find it overdone. Ages 9-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
A medieval legend of France serves as the basis for a slow-to-start story about the murder of a knight, Aubrey de Montdidier, and the loyal wolfhound, Dragon, who helps reveal the killer of his master. The novel's bland protagonist, a young page named Thierry, and the book's wordy prose and generally remote quality are unlikely to engage many young readers. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-8. From the entertainer and her daughter comes this novel set in medieval France during the reign of Charles V. When Aubrey de Montdidier, a young knight, fails to arrive for a joust, it is his dog, the faithful and intelligent Dragon, that leads friends to his grave. Eventually, the wolfhound also helps solve the mystery of his murder. The language is lush though occasionally melodramatic and cliched; lavish details of food, feast, and festival give a good sense of the times. Deborah Ellis' A Company of Fools (2002) is\b a more engaging title set in the same period. --GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright 2004 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Montargis Family Tree | p. ix |
| Chapter 1 The Reunion | p. 1 |
| Chapter 2 The Tournament | p. 14 |
| Chapter 3 The Discovery | p. 35 |
| Chapter 4 The Farewell | p. 49 |
| Chapter 5 The Melee | p. 58 |
| Chapter 6 The Incident | p. 72 |
| Chapter 7 The Feast | p. 88 |
| Chapter 8 The Storm | p. 102 |
| Chapter 9 The Accusation | p. 117 |
| Chapter 10 The Trial | p. 130 |
| Chapter 11 The Combat | p. 147 |
| Chapter 12 The Conclusion | p. 160 |
| The Legend | p. 169 |
| French-English Glossary | p. 171 |
| Glossary of Medieval Terms | p. 175 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 181 |
