Red Falcons of Tremoine

by Hendry Peart, Maurice Brevannes (Illustrator)

Fifteen-year-old Leo is an orphan being raised in an abbey in the days of King Richard the Lionhearted. He knows nothing of his parentage and has little hope for a future outside the familiar but sometimes restrictive monastery walls. Under the firm and loving hand of Abbot Michael, Leo has been well trained in piety, obedience and courtesy, and has begun to master a strong will and quick anger. Nevertheless, he is restless, longing to go out into the world for a time before renouncing it forever. Abbot Michael alone knows Leo’s story and family line and unexpectedly, when the heir to the house of Wardlock is killed in the Crusades, he sets in motion events in which Leo will need every scrap of wisdom and endurance gained in the years at the abbey. For he is not only heir to Wardlock, but also to its rival—the house of Trémoine! Vividly set in the deeply pious and violently turbulent twelfth-century England, this authentic and stirring tale of suffering and courage shows a boy who—to claim his heritage—must first see it transformed by the power of love and forgiveness.

England, 1100s
RL5.8
Of read-aloud interest ages 9-up

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Adventure, Medieval, Young Adult, School

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Born in London, Ms. Peart was fascinated by English history and remained so after moving first to Canada and then to the United States. She became an American citizen in 1934, and lived near Monteray, California where she worked in publishing and as a children's librarian.

Reviews

[Sara]

The book description provided by good reads is totally and completely inaccurate. That is an entirely different book.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

This tells a good story in very engaging style. It is set in the early 1190s in England during the reign (absence) of Richard the Lionheart. The specific history is not the focus, but the setting is well-developed, and a bibliography of sources consulted - two dozen - is included.

It begins in a monastery, and I feared yet another tale of an orphan adopted by the church, with the expected struggling to fit in, etc. But this is only the first five chapters. Then we move into castle territory, with an emphasis on family relations. Then a quick shift happens three chapters later, and this is where the bulk of the book takes place. The conflicts are captivating, and we meet characters who are complex, not caricatures. (The illustrations, on the other hand, are too cartoonish, unfortunately. I wish a more accomplished artist had been selected.) The cast of characters is interesting and they are well-developed. We get to see them in different situations, showing varying aspects of their personalities depending on the interaction. For a while, the outcome of our hero Leo is up in the air, but by the end, there is a (perhaps expected) resolution that is satisfying.

The book is written in a fairly simple style (though there are plenty of authentic period terms and expressions) and sits on the lower side of the middle grade spectrum. Readers who can handle Detectives in Togas and The Door In The Wall will do well with this.

[Meg W]

Book description
15-year-old Leo is an orphan being raised in an abbey in the days of King Richard the Lionhearted. He knows nothing of his parentage and has little hope for a future outside the familiar but sometimes restrictive monastery walls. Under the firm and loving hand of Abbot Michael, Leo has been well trained in piety, obedience and courtesy, and has begun to master a strong will and quick anger. Nevertheless, he is restless, longing to go out into the world for a time before renouncing it forever. Abbot Michael alone knows Leo’s story and family line and unexpectedly, when the heir to the house of Wardlock is killed in the Crusades, he sets in motion events in which Leo will need every scrap of wisdom and endurance gained in the years at the abbey. For he is not only heir to Wardlock, but also to its rival—the house of Trémoine! Vividly set in the deeply pious and violently turbulent twelfth-century England, this authentic and stirring tale of suffering and courage shows a boy who—to claim his heritage—must first see it transformed by the power of love and forgiveness

[Marc Berube]

I had to read this book for school but I really enjoyed it, it is a great book.

[Rose]

Truly excellent historical fiction. It is a shame that the author only wrote two books!!

[Spencer]

Great book. It did bring medieval England to life and provided an interesting story of a young boy caught in between two feuding families as the heir to both. The "bad" uncle does not seem quite so bad with time either, as he seems to soften a bit. His nephew, Leo, reminds him if his dear and former sister.

[Barnabas]

A very dramatic book with a lot of action in it. It has a lot of changes that for in with everything else. You will be on the edge of your seat by the time you have finished this excellent book from hendry Peary

[Julie Kleinman bollinger]

This was very good. Quite an interesting look into life during that time period. Good discussions pertaining to being reactive vs being proactive and much more. Would definitely recommend.

[Becky]

Excellent book with great messages. I enjoyed it almost as much as my kids.

[Bekka]

This was such a fun, light-hearted read.

[Carole Turner]

Ava (10): I liked this book very much. I thought it was very exciting, especially at the end. Leo (the main character) was my favorite character because he was really brave and he loves his grandparents and wants to be reunited with them after a long separation. The book is good for 2nd graders to 6th graders--a big wide range.

[Rachel L.]

Leo, raised by the men of a 12th-century English abbey, finds out that he is the heir to the lands of two families who have fought for years. Interesting tale of life under such circumstances. ;) I enjoyed this overall. The writing wasn't outstandingly great, though it wasn't bad either.

[Kristi]

We read this book as a family read aloud. The kids enjoyed it.