The Literacy Bridge - Large Print - The Book Without Words: A Fable Of Medieval Magic [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Avi (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Literacy Bridge - Large Print

New York Times Bestselling Author
A Newbery Award-winning Author

The Book Without Words is a volume of blank parchment pages - or so it might seem. But for a green-eyed reader filled with great desire, it may reveal the dark magic of Northumbria, including the forgotten arts of making gold and achieving immortality. For generations its magic was protected from those who would exploit it . . . then it fell into the hands of a desperate boy.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–At the dawning of the Middle Ages, Thorston, an old alchemist, works feverishly to create gold and to dose himself with a concoction that will enable him to live forever. The key to his success lies in a mysterious book with blank pages that can only be read by desperate, green-eyed people. Master Bashcroft, enforcer of law and order for the city, desires Thorston's secrets for himself. Brother Wilfrid, a priest with green eyes, knows the dangers of the book and seeks to retrieve it. To this mix add Odo, a talking raven, and Sybil, a poor orphan girl whom Thorston has taken in as his servant, and you have an intriguing tale in which goodness ultimately triumphs. Avi's compelling language creates a dreary foreboding, a grim backdrop against which the characters work out their fate. The old city always seems enshrouded in nasty fog and disgusting odors. Thorston keeps consuming part of his life-giving formula and repeatedly appears to die before resuscitating as a younger person. This, plus the fact that after each "death" Sybil and the others bury him, only to have him tromp up the basement steps covered in grime, will surely keep readers turning pages. Odo's cleverness and cynicism make him a likable character, while Sybil's innate goodness will endear her to readers. Clearly this is a story with a message, a true fable. Thoughtful readers will devour its absorbing plot and humorous elements, and learn a "useful truth" along the way.–Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Avi's name on the cover of a new novel is enough to provoke shivers of anticipation in many readers, and in this "Fable of Medieval Magic" set in eleventh-century England, shivers are certainly warranted. Thirteen-year-old Sybil is the servant of Thorston, an alchemist who attempts to steal her "life's breath" but dies before the magic can take effect. Thorston's companion, a talking raven, convinces Sybil to help him seek the secret of alchemy, contained within an enchanted book--a task that's complicated by a flurry of visitors ("A sniff of gold makes everyone sneeze") and by Thorston's stubborn refusal to stay quietly in his grave. Avi reigns supreme in building gothic atmosphere, and children will be thrilled by the ghastly scenes of fog-shrouded cemeteries and villains reduced "to a foul lump of putrid muck." Less certain is how they'll respond to the unconventional structure; though unflappable, compassionate Sybil comes closest to a central protagonist, the narrative ricochets among numerous perspectives and is fractured into terse, dialogue-heavy episodes. Many fans of Avi's 2003 Newbery Award winner Crispin (2002) will miss the feeling of immersion in a narrative conferred by a single point of view even as they ponder the sweeping messages about the transience of life and the evils of avarice. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (November 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786279400
• ISBN-13: 978-0786279401
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,226,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Avi has published more than sixty books. Among them is Crispin: The Cross of Lead, winner of the 2003 Newbery Medal. Other novels with nineteenth-century settings, like The Traitors' Gate -- his grand nod to the work of Charles Dickens -- are listed before the title page, and include the Newbery Honor Book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi and his family live in Denver, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Educators Recommend, July 5, 2005

By 

www.educationoasis.com (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book Without Words: A Fable of Medieval Magic (Hardcover)

It was in the year 1046, on a cold winter's night, when a fog, thick as wool and dank as a dead man's hand, crept up from the River Scrogg into the ancient town of Fulworth.

So begins this fascinating fable. And a true fable it is, woven through with supernatural elements, talking animals, and illustrating a universal truth. The ever-present fog seems a metaphor for evil. It is everywhere in the tale: "It clung to the crumbling city walls . . . It muffled the sound of pealing church bells calling the weary faithful to apprehensive prayers."

Most of the action takes place at the bottom of Clutterbuck Lane in a dilapidated, two-story stone house. There lives Thorston, an old alchemist, who is trying to create "philosopher's stones" that would restore his youth and keep him forever young. The formula for the stones comes from the book without words-a book he had stolen some seventy-three years before when he was a young boy. The book contains other "dark magic," including a recipe for making gold. The pages in the book are blank and can only be read by a "green-eyed reader filled with great desire."

The recipe for the stones calls for, among other things, the breath of a young person and a black raven's feather. Odo, the talking raven, provides the feather. The breath is that of a young servant girl named Sybil whom Thorston recently took in.

Thorston must swallow one of the stones at a time, pausing for a time in between. During this "in between" time he appears to die and is buried. It is during this time that Sybil and Odo, with the help of a green-eyed child, try to unlock the secrets held in the book with no words. Unbeknownst to Sybil and the raven, when Thorston swallows the final stone they will die.

Thorston has spent the last seventy three years in preparation for this moment-and it has not been easy. To the raven he rants, "Have you any idea how difficult it has been to preserve myself for this moment? To avoid accidents, illness, and violence. Think how hard it is to keep oneself from death!" To which the raven replies, "Ah, Master . . . what good was that life, if, by avoiding death, you didn't live?"

Thorston is not the only person who desires the book without words. A monk named Brother Wilfrid has been trying for decades to find and obtain the book.

Making things even more difficult for Thorston is the town reeve Ambrose Bashcroft, "the man in charge of the city's law and order." Bashcroft's silent partner is Mistress Weebly, the town apothecary. It is through her that Bashcroft learns of Thorston's attempts to make gold, which, according to the law, is illegal.

At its heart The Book Without Words is a story of discovery: Who and what can be trusted? Is money the ultimate possession? What makes a life worth living?

The writing is superb; there is never a false moment. From the first page, the words of this richly atmospheric and suspenseful tale will pull readers into its medieval world.

Classroom Uses: We took a class set of the book into a sixth-grade classroom where we read it aloud. It was a tremendous hit and the students begged to make a "Reader's Theater" script out of it. When we asked one young boy (a reluctant reader) what he liked best about the book he replied, "Everything!" You can't get a better recommendation than that.

The Book Without Words has all the makings of a classic. Highly recommended. Suitable for district-wide purchase.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Green eyed child, February 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Literacy Bridge - Large Print - The Book Without Words: A Fable Of Medieval Magic (Hardcover)

When an old Thorston makes a potion to let him live longer he suddenly dies.When Sybil finds her master dead on the floor she has to find a green eyed child to read the book without words to find out how to make gold. Soon Master Bashcroft finds out about the secret he tries to storm the house to get the gold for himself. Now Sybil has to get rid of the book with the help of a talking bird named Odo.
Sybil is Thorston's apprentice she is a very strong and determined character. Thorston is an old man trying to find a way out of dying. Odo is an annoying talking bird who knows a little magic. Damian is the apothicary's apprentice who is really quite rude. Last but not least is Alfric, a young green eyed boy who helps Sybil along the way.
This was a very amazing book that all Avi fans should read. I loved the characters, the setting, and the whole plot was great. This book has many twists and turns that will not let you stop reading. No other book is like this.
My favorite part of the book is this:"God the mighty!" Damian screamed and leaped out of the bed. "it's him!" Sybil darted forward and clamped a hand over his mouth from behind. "Be still," she commanded. "Is that...your master?" Asked Damian. "Yes." "Is he...dead...or alive?"

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic comes with a price, December 6, 2005

By 

microjoe - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Book Without Words: A Fable of Medieval Magic (Hardcover)

There is a magic book, a book without words, and it can do great evil. It had been protected by Monks for hundreds of years at an isolated island monastary from falling into the wrong hands. 76 years ago it fell into the hands of a cruel boy named Thurston who is now an old and a powerful alchemist and wizard. He has spent his whole life learning how to unlock the books secrets, but they may unleash a power far worse. From his dusty tower-like residence he is attempting an evil spell that will allow him to regain his youth but keep all of his magic, in fact stronger magic than before. The very life of his talking raven Odo and his young servant Sybil is in danger, for he needs the essence of their lives to complete his spell. Will they find out in time to stop him. And what about the town law enforcer, the Reeve, who wishes to take the alchemists secret for making gold for himself? He plans to hang everyone in Thurstons house to get what he wants. The only one that can help is a mysterious monk, so old he appears to be almost skeletal. And why do the words in the book only appear to a person with green eyes that has an earthly desire? Each time magic is used, it seems to come undone later or come with a dark price, the result of greed.

The story takes place long ago in medievel times, in the year 1046. It uses a lot of actual tidbits from history to strengthen the story.A very atmospheric story, it feels old and features saints that appear as apparitions, a talking painting in an old church, old graveyards, treachery and betrayal, endless greed, alchemy and dark magics, even the weather and the ever present fog seem to be alive in a way. In the midst of this a young courageous girl befriends the one she has least reason to trust. The cover of the hardcover version of this book is beautiful, it has a picture on the dustcover that makes it look like a very old book with gold gilt and a picture of the alchemists workshop. The only down point is that it is a short book, a quicker read than most Avi books. Overall it is highly suspenseful and I could not put it down, and I highly reccommend!