Campaign for the American Reader: What is Kathryn Erskine reading?

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

What is Kathryn Erskine reading?

Featured at Writers Read: Kathryn Erskine, author of The Badger Knight.

Her entry begins:

Since I was a kid I've read multiple books at a time. Here's what's on my bedside table or by my reading chair:

New News Out of Africa, Charlayne Hunter-Gault

I love this author and respect her successful career as a journalist. Since she has actually lived in Africa for almost 20 years, she's able to relate the changes there from the inside out. Being American, she can put it in terms that we can understand. Having lived in South Africa as a kid, I'm always curious about the social changes there, and a large part of the book focuses on South Africa. The book is...[read on]

About The Badger Knight, from the publisher:

National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine presents a unique novel about a sickly boy's epic journey through England and Scotland at the height of Medieval times.

Adrian is small for his age, even for an almost thirteen year old. It doesn't help that he has albinism, which makes those he meets wonder if he's an angel or a devil. His father is a bowyer, and all Adrian wants to do is become apprenticed and go off to war as an archer. But that's not what his father wants for him. Since Adrian can write, his father wants him to be a scribe. That's just about the last thing Adrian wants. When the Scots invade England and Adrian's best friend Hugh runs off to find his father and fight in battles, Adrian soon follows, intent on finding Hugh and joining him in glorious warfare against the pagans invading England from the north. When Adrian finds Hugh, who is caring for a wounded Scotsman, he's horrified that Hugh would aid an enemy. But soon, as Adrian gets to know Donald, he begins to question what he's been taught about the enemy and the nature of war. In this epic journey an afflicted boy finds an inner strength he never knew belonged to him.