The Inquisitor's Tale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

First edition cover art
Author	Adam Gidwitz
Illustrator	Hatem Aly
Cover artist	Hatem Aly
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Medieval history, friendship, tolerance
Genre	Historical fantasy, Children's literature
Set in	13th century France
Publisher	Dutton Children's Books
Publication date	September 27, 2016
Media type	Print, Audiobook, E-book
Pages	384
Awards	2017 Newbery Honor
ISBN	9780142427378

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog is an exciting historical fantasy novel written by American author Adam Gidwitz. Illustrated by artist Hatem Aly, the book was published by Dutton Children's Books in September 2016.

The story takes place in 13th-century France during the Middle Ages. It follows three extraordinary young heroes from completely different backgrounds who meet, become close friends, and travel across the country with a loyal greyhound dog named Gwenforte. Along the way, they discover they each have special abilities, face great dangers, and must stand up against unfair laws.

The book is famous for its unique storytelling style, which is modeled after classic medieval literature like Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. It received major praise from educators, critics, and young readers worldwide, winning a prestigious Newbery Honor in 2017.

Understanding the Story and Plot

The novel uses a clever storytelling technique known as a frame story. This means there is a main outer story where different people take turns sharing smaller tales that piece together the larger adventure.

Gathering at the Holy Cross-Roads Inn

The tale begins in early March in the year 1242 at an inn called the Holy Cross-Roads Inn, located near Paris, France.

A group of weary travelers have gathered around the fireplace to rest. A mysterious man named Étienne, who works as an inquisitor for the Church, is sitting among them. Étienne is searching for information about three mysterious runaway children who are being chased by King Louis IX of France.

To pass the time, various travelers at the inn begin sharing the extraordinary encounters they had with these children:

• Marie, a brewer from the town of Saint-Geneviève, tells the story of Jeanne and her beloved dog.
• A monk who works as a librarian at the Saint-Martin Monastery describes his meeting with a strong boy named William.
• Aron, a butcher from Nogent-sur-Oise, shares his memories of a young boy named Jacob.

Meet the Three Magical Children

Each child in the story represents a different walk of life in medieval Europe and possesses a unique gift:

Jeanne and Gwenforte

Jeanne is a peasant girl who lives in a rural village. She experiences visions of the future, though she does not always understand them immediately. She is accompanied by her faithful greyhound, Gwenforte, an exceptionally smart dog who comes back to life after being mistakenly killed.

William the Young Monk

William is the son of a French nobleman and a North African Muslim woman. He grew up living in a Christian monastery. William possesses superhuman physical strength and loves reading and learning, but he faces prejudice because of his mixed heritage.

Jacob the Healer

Jacob is a young Jewish boy whose home village was attacked. He carries the magical ability to heal any wound or sickness almost instantly by using special herbs, touch, and care.

The Great Adventure and Quest

As the travelers at the inn tell their stories, the reader learns how these three children crossed paths. Despite having different religious and cultural backgrounds, they quickly build a strong bond of friendship, loyalty, and mutual respect.

The children become outlaws when they attempt to save hundreds of precious sacred books, specifically copies of the Talmud, which King Louis IX ordered to be burned in Paris. The three heroes realize that destroying knowledge and hurting people because of their faith is wrong. They set out on a dangerous journey toward Mont-Saint-Michel to protect these sacred texts.

Later in the book, the narrative shifts from the inn to real-time action. Étienne catches up with the children and accompanies them, forcing him to decide whether to follow strict orders or protect the young heroes.

Key Historical Background and Themes

Adam Gidwitz carefully researched the Middle Ages to make the world of the novel feel real, educational, and historically rich.

Life in Medieval France

During the 13th century, medieval Europe was deeply shaped by religion, feudal rule, and folklore. Knights, monks, peasants, and royalty lived under strict social rules. Books were not printed on machines because printing presses had not been invented yet; every single book had to be handwritten and hand-painted by scribes on animal parchment, making them extremely valuable.

Real Historical Events in the Novel

Several major events and ideas in the novel are drawn directly from true history:

• The Disputation of Paris (1240): A famous public debate in medieval Paris that led to the burning of thousands of Jewish manuscripts in 1242.
• Saint Guinefort: The legend of Gwenforte the dog is based on an actual medieval folk legend about a brave greyhound revered by local peasants.
• King Louis IX: King Louis IX was a real king of France who ruled during the 13th century and was later recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Major Educational Themes

The novel explores several important themes that remain meaningful today:

• Tolerance and Friendship: The children show that people of different faiths and backgrounds can work together and form deep friendships.
• The Value of Knowledge: The story highlights the importance of protecting books, learning, and history from destruction.
• Empathy and Justice: The characters learn to question unfair rules and stand up for what is morally right.

Creation and Development

Adam Gidwitz was inspired to write The Inquisitor's Tale through his travels and personal life.

Author Inspiration and Research

Gidwitz is married to Lauren Mancia, a university professor of medieval history at Brooklyn College. While traveling through Europe for her historical research, Gidwitz visited ancient castles, cathedrals, and museums.

He was inspired by many medieval artifacts, including:

• The famous Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth nearly 70 meters long depicting historical events.
• A historical plaque at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme in Paris describing the events of 1242.
• Medieval folklore tales, such as stories about Saint Martha taming mythical beasts.

Unique Medieval Illustrations

The book is illuminated with hundreds of detailed drawings by artist Hatem Aly. In medieval times, illuminated manuscripts featured tiny decorative drawings, known as marginalia, drawn in the margins of the pages.

Aly created modern digital artwork that mimics this medieval style, adding humor, action, and historical details alongside the text on almost every page.

Critical Reception and Accolades

Upon its release in 2016, The Inquisitor's Tale became a bestseller on The New York Times Best Seller list. Literary critics praised the novel for its engaging humor, rich history, and inspiring message.

Major Awards List

The book received numerous prominent literary awards:

Major publications including Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and The Washington Post selected the novel as one of the best children's books of the year. In 2019, Booklist named it one of the "50 Best Middle-Grade Novels of the 21st Century."

Related Pages

• Adam Gidwitz
• The Canterbury Tales
• Middle Ages
• Illuminated manuscript
• Newbery Medal

Images for kids

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  Cover of The Inquisitor's Tale