Brief Description: An English boy searches for his stolen dog through the English countryside in medieval times.
Geographical Setting: England, Europe, London, Oxford, United Kingdom, Winchester
Historical Era: Middle Ages
Date Range: 1294-1295
Keywords: Animals, court life, dogs, Horses, knights, middle ages, minstrelsy, St. Alban's Abbey, St. Giles' Fair
Original Publication: 1942
Suitable for Grades: 4-6th
Target Audience: Middle Grade
Librarian's Review
Eleven-year-old English lad Adam must keep his best friend Nick the spaniel hidden from his school masters at St. Alban’s Abbey. When his father Roger the Minstrel reluctantly invites Adam to join his travels, Adam jumps at the chance and they set off astride Bayard, his father’s dappled gray (retired) war horse. A series of mishaps separates Adam first from Bayard, and then from Nick and his father. Read this wonderful novel to find out how Adam sets off on a journey through the oftentimes dangerous roads of medieval England to find and reunite them all.
This classic Newbery Medal winning novel is part of many homeschool curricula and offers a great depiction of daily medieval life through the eyes of Adam. The illustrations by Robert Lawson add to the story. I read this book some time ago, before I fully developed my plans for this website. I therefore don’t have a comprehensive list of historical key words. My short review and lack of key word detail in no way reflects my impression of this novel. Some really fun and free educational ideas for this novel can be found here: Creative Teaching Ideas for Adam of the Road. Some history of Adam’s school at St. Alban’s Abbey (now a cathedral) can be found here.