The Minstrel in the Tower

Author: Gloria Skurzynski
Publisher: Random House Inc.
Copyright: 1988
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 63
Reading Level: Ages 7 to 11 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: This story is about Roger, an eleven year old boy, and his sister, Alice who is eight years old. Their mother is very sick and she tells them to go find their long-lost Uncle who they don't even know, to take care of them. He is a Baron in a town three days from their house. She gives them her lute (a kind of instrument) that has his symbol engraved on it as proof of who they are. While they are on their journey to find him, they come across an old, abandoned tower. Two men find them and kidnap them and lock them in the tower. The children discover that one of the men used to work for their uncle and that the men are going to hold them for randsome because their uncle has been looking for his sister and the kids can lead them to her. The children devise a plan. While the men are sleeping, Alice, who is a very good climber, climbs through a hole in the roof and down the wall to go find their uncle. The men hid the lute though so she has to convince her uncle of who she is without it. Meanwhile, Roger, who is good at imitating sounds and voices imitates his sister's voice from inside the tower so that the men think they are both still there. Alice, convinces her uncle to take the chance to come find the lute and save her brother on the chance that they really are who she says. Her uncle brings a small group of men with them and they capture the bad guys, save her brother and find the lute. Their uncle returns home with them and they go to live at their uncle's chateau so that their mother can get better and one day Roger will take his uncle's position as Baron.
Who would you recommend this book to? I highly recommend this book. It's a fun read for any young kids. It's adventurous and it has fun characters!
Potential problems or conflicts: The only thing that might be tough for some kids is that the children's father died in the Crusades and it talks about that but I can't imagine that being a problem for most kids.
My reaction: I loved this book! It was a lot of fun to read because it was clever and the children are such fun characters! I liked the plot and it was very well written. Great book!