Reading Between the Lines
‘The Beatryce Prophecy’: A young person’s tale stimulates the imagination
by Joan Tucker:
With her brilliant knack for developing unusual characters, Kate DiCamillo’s “The Beatryce Prophecy” is an imaginative tale sure to capture a young reader’s interest. Image credit: Amazon.com
“The Beatryce Prophecy,” written by Kate DiCamillo and published in 2022, is an imaginative tale in children’s literature that is sure to capture a young reader’s interest.
The prelude sets the stage for this children’s epic:
“It is written in the Chronicles of Sorrowing that one day there will come a child who will unseat the king. The prophecy states that this child will be a girl. Because of this, the prophecy has long been ignored.”
The tale begins with Answelica, a tricky and canny goat who would just as soon kick the backside of someone he doesn’t like. That said, Answelica quickly befriends Beatryce—a ten-year-old runaway girl.
Brother Edik, from the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing, discovers Beatryce when he goes out to feed the goat. Beatryce is lying in the stall, curled up sleeping next to Answelica, holding its ear. Brother Edik is terrified that the goat may harm the girl, only to discover that the stubborn goat is fiercely protective of Beatryce and won’t leave her side. As the young girl wakes, Brother Edik learns she has a fever and is very ill. He carries Beatryce inside the monastery, which causes a great stir with the other brothers, especially because the stubborn goat insists on going along.
As Beatryce’s health improves, a few things unfold. Beatryce doesn’t know where she comes from or who her people are. She also discovers that she can read, a very dangerous skill for a girl at a time when only monks, tutors, counselors and kings are permitted to read. Others who read are put to death. As a result of this discovery, Brother Edik decides to remove Beatryce’s hair and dress her like a young monk. But the other brothers are fearful she might be discovered, which would subject all of them to punishment from the king.
Enter Jack Dory, a young boy who just lost his parents to a bad soldier in the dark woods. Fortunately, he found Granny Bespeak who cared for and provided shelter for Jack over the next few years. Jack seems happy and full of life, but he dreams of avenging his parents’ deaths. He was sent to the Brothers of Sorrowing with a message that someone is needed to write a soldier’s confession. The task is assigned to Beatryce by those at the monastery. Jack takes her to the inn where the soldier is dying, but he is instructed by the brothers not to bring her back. Soldiers in the village are looking for her.
The adventure continues. They enter the dark woods to meet up with other characters—some good, some bad. On the journey, Beatryce regains her memories and, with her new friends, sets a plan to talk to the king.
Throughout the novel, young readers discover how all the characters help Beatryce reach her goal, one where goodness prevails.
This delightful tale shouldn’t be missed.
Kate DiCamillo‘s describing words offer young readers a way to figure out their meanings, occasionally having to look them up. The author’s creative touch of providing a small bolded section at the end of most chapters adds intrigue, as she shares snippets of conversation taking place at the king’s castle. These provide the reader with clues as to why Beatryce left her home and insight into the thinking of the current kingdom.
Gifting books at Christmas has always been one of my favorite things to do. Sharing my passion for reading is a way to connect with my grandchildren and can often lead to great conversations about life. I bought “The Beatryce Prophecy” for my two nine-year-old grandchildren who live in different states. At times, when the reading became a bit challenging for the children, their mothers got involved by reading with them. After reading along with her daughter, my daughter Laura shared that the author, DiCamillo, is brilliant at making up unusual characters.
Fortunately, I also bought a copy of the book for myself. Familiarizing myself with the story led to some of the most delightful phone conversations with my grandchildren. We talked about the words that were new and, of course, the story of Beatryce, Answelica, and the evil kingdom.
Happy reading to young and old alike, and be sure to look for other books by Kate DiCamillo.
Joan Tucker is a lifelong learner who appreciates books she can share with family and friends. She enjoyed her career as a registered nurse of 40 years.
