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Catherine Gilbert Murdock
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The Book of Boy: A Newbery Honor Award Winner Hardcover – Illustrated, February 6, 2018

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 474 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books Ages 9-12
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A Newbery Honor Book * Booklist Editors’ Choice * BookPage Best Books * Chicago Public Library Best Fiction * Horn Book Fanfare * Kirkus Reviews Best Books * Publishers WeeklyBest Books * Wall Street Journal Best of the Year * An ALA Notable Book

A young outcast is swept up into a thrilling and perilous medieval treasure hunt in this award-winning literary page-turner by acclaimed bestselling author Catherine Gilbert Murdock. The Book of Boy was awarded a Newbery Honor. “A treat from start to finish.”—Wall Street Journal

Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked by others in his town—until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy’s climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an action-packed and suspenseful expedition across Europe to gather seven precious relics of Saint Peter.

Boy quickly realizes this journey is not an innocent one. They are stealing the relics and accumulating dangerous enemies in the process. But Boy is determined to see this pilgrimage through until the end—for what if St. Peter has the power to make him the same as the other boys?

This epic and engrossing quest story by Newbery Honor author Catherine Gilbert Murdock is for fans of Adam Gidwitz’s The Inquisitor’s Tale and Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon,and for readers of all ages.Features a map and black-and-white art by Ian Schoenherr throughout.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    288 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Lexile measure
    600L
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1.05 x 7.75 inches
  7. Publisher
    Greenwillow Books
  8. Publication date
    February 6, 2018
  9. ISBN-10
    0062686208
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0062686206
  11. See all details
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  1. Hello, Universe: A Newbery Award Winner
  2. The Family Under the Bridge: A Newbery Honor Award Winner
  3. The Sign of the Beaver: A Newbery Honor Award Winner
  4. When You Trap a Tiger: (Newbery Medal Winner)
  5. The Dangerous Book for Boys
  6. Inside Out and Back Again: A Newbery Honor Award Winner
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A tale of ingenuity, daring, dread, and tenderness, in which neither man nor Boy is quite what he seems, The Book of Boy is a treat from start to finish.” — Wall Street Journal

“The Book of Boy, with evocative wood-cut-style illustrations by Ian Schoenherr, is a beautiful volume. . . .an original feat of imaginative storytelling.” — Wall Street Journal

“Scuffles and sacrifices, ferocious animals, and dastardly thieves abound as Boy and Secundus are slowly revealed to readers—and each other. This is also a beautiful piece of bookmaking, from the woodblock-style design elements to the manuscript-like paper. A vivid, not-to-be-missed story.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Light and darkness have never clashed with such fierce majesty and eloquent damnation. Murdock weaves an engrossing tale. ...Blend epic adventure with gothic good and evil, and add a dash of sly wit for a tale that keeps readers turning the page.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Fresh, immediate, and earthy: the fakery, the faith, the embedded stories, the escapades. The story is beautifully served by its package...Most remarkable and unusual is the character of Boy, a complex and compelling being whose defining quality is goodness.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“This is a medieval tale that blends historical fiction with magical realism. Readers will enjoy the adventures of Boy and Secundus, rife with twists that give the story more depth than a straightforward historical novel. ... Boy is an admirable protagonist.” — School Library Journal

“Boy shines with unique, good-hearted brightness. This action-packed tale, with a luminous central character, unspools with a strong message about how appearances can deceive.” — Publishers Weekly

“Young readers intrigued by history, and those who love a good quest, should find much to keep them interested. Beautiful illustrations with the look of woodcuts grace each chapter.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Fun, enchanting. . .A perfect choice for a middle-grade reader who likes historical fiction, magical realism, mystery and a rich story centered on good vs. evil.” — Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About the Author

Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the acclaimed author of the Newbery Honor Book The Book of Boy, as well as six other novels. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Greenwillow Books; Illustrated edition (February 6, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062686208
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062686206
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 600L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.05 x 7.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 474 ratings

About the author

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Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Catherine Gilbert Murdock

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Catherine Gilbert Murdock lives in Philadelphia with her husband, two brilliant, unicycling children, several cats, and a one-acre yard that she is slowly transforming into a wee but flourishing ecosystem.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
474 global ratings
The animals knew...
5 Stars
The animals knew...
The hook had me & 7 hours later I finished it. Nothing short of a beautiful & thoroughly enjoyable tale of mystery, loss, love and humor. I will read this many times over.
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Top reviews from the United States

readz4fun
5.0 out of 5 stars Oh Boy, it's a wonderful tale!
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved this heartwarming tale of a boy on a quest which transforms him in ways he never imagined. I don't want to give anything away, part of its beauty is how the tale unfolds. Savor it and the feel good feeling it gives you. Although written for upper elementary / early middle school ages, it will be enjoyed by all ages. This would be a great read aloud.
3 people found this helpful
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Monique W Pierce
5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift!
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2024
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My son asked for this book as a birthday present. He was so excited to get it because he and his classmates talked about it so much in school. He said it’s a great book.
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Elizabeth
4.0 out of 5 stars and fun
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2018
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interesting, and fun read
7 people found this helpful
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Sharon Petersen
5.0 out of 5 stars It made me cry . . . but in a good way
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2021
Verified Purchase
I realize I run the risk of sounding maudlin, but this magical story with its extraordinary characters has settled deep into my heart, and it doesn't want to leave. Yes, it did make me cry, but in a cleansing, good-lord-I-needed-that kind of way. By happenstance, the book arrived in my life during the terrible week of January 6, and "The Book of Boy" enabled me to escape into a place of goodness and hope and soaring beauty. (Well, okay, muck and farts and brimstone, too.) Why on earth a tale so sophisticated in its simple, evocative rendering -- and as deeply philosophical as it is deeply touching -- should carry a "Harper Collins Children's" label is beyond me! Anyone who enjoyed Paul Coelho's "The Alchemist" should certainly love this book, too. It is truly one of the loveliest books I've read in many years.
35 people found this helpful
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Phoenix Mary Grace Hocking
5.0 out of 5 stars Does superstition meet faith, or is it the other way around?
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
On the surface of it, it sounds like and reads like a children's fantasy novel. But oh my, underneath, it's very deep indeed. I think it might be one that a person might read quite a few times and glean something different every time. Not as blatantly Christian as the Narnia books. In fact, in spite of all the talks of relics and angels and whatnot, I'm not so sure this is an allegory at all. I've not quite finished, but it is certainly holding my attention. So, yes, I'd recommend it to adult readers.

I've always enjoyed reading about this particular medieval time period, and this does not disappoint, but don't look for historical accuracy, because it's not that kind of book. On the other hand, if you're not looking for politics, then how people who were different were treated is very accurate indeed.

I have finished the book. It is rare that I am so impressed by a book that I immediately want to go out and purchase a copy for everyone I know. This is just such a book. To portray the co-existence of good and evil so beautifully takes the hand of a skilled author indeed. And I must backtrack my previous statement about historical accuracy. As I do my own research, I find the author's descriptions of that time period to be accurate. So, yes, READ THIS BOOK!!!
65 people found this helpful
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S. Werkema
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Memorable
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2020
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I read The Book of Boy eight months ago, near the start of a long illness. Because the illness included memory loss, I figured I couldn't write a book review. Yet now, though the illness is not fully gone, I can write this, for one reason: the impact of the story has stayed with me, despite my own circumstances. I remember loving the plot, the mystery, the cleverness, the originality, the symbolism, and the characters - including the animals. Other books I read or tried to read at that time vanished from my brain, but The Book of Boy stuck. I figure any book that remains penetrating and beautiful in a weary mind after so many months deserves five stars.
63 people found this helpful
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rustyhalo47
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting historical fiction, but definitely NOT for children
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
It is set in the areas surrounding Rome in the mid 1300. Bubonic plague, soldiers turned highway men killing beggars, devious religous politics and pilgrims begging for scraps on their long journey to the holy city now in ruins. I had enogh by halfway in, but knowing tne book was fairly short i pressed on. The only reason I kept reading was to hopefully to find the truth or the backstory of the boy. But that is never revealed. A rather unsatisfying ending.
4 people found this helpful
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Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars What a delightful boy
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2023
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Boy drew me in with his wish to be normal that carried him on to a quest with a man he initially feared. The growth of the characters, Boy and Secundus, was truly heartwarming.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

zuzz
5.0 out of 5 stars Intrigue and amazement throughout
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
Loved every moment! Reread as you go is crucial to check facts against fiction. Incredible story with many, many elements of fact.
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james b micheli
5.0 out of 5 stars Its rather funny
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2018
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Reading!!!!!
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