Newbery Medalist Karen Cushman (The Midwife's Apprentice) imbues 12-year-old Will Sparrow with an oversize sense of adventure for a small motherless boy living in Elizabethan England.
Will reaches his limit of abuse from the innkeeper to whom his father sold him for drink, and runs away. "I care for no one but myself and nothing but my belly" is his constant refrain. Yet, solo, even caring for his belly is a challenge. Will lands with a band of travelling freaks managed by the bellicose Master Tidball. He works the crowds with Fitz the dwarf, drumming up paying customers to see the strange beast Greymalkin, in reality a sad girl afflicted with thick hair on her face. Gradually Will opens his heart and discovers the rewards of extending his cares beyond his belly.
Cushman effortlessly conveys a male's perspective while retaining her skill for sneaking in period detail and dialect that enlighten without overwhelming readers. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer