Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Colorful characters bring Elizabethan fair to life.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Newbery medalist Karen Cushman's WILL SPARROW'S ROAD is a historical novel that takes place in Elizabethan England. Young Will's father exchanged his son for ale, and Will is on the run, having escaped the innkeeper who now owns him. Will has no family or friends, no boots, and no money. He vows to live as a liar and thief, telling himself he will trust no one and will care only for himself and his own belly. Fearful of being found and taken back to the innkeeper, or his father, Will tries to keep a low profile, eating whatever he can steal or find growing along his way. Eventually, he falls in with a troupe of hucksters led by Master Tidball, who hires Will to verbally advertise the "oddities and prodigies" (strange creatures in jars, a half-cat half-girl, a three-legged chicken) that fair-goers can view for a penny. Traveling from fair to fair, Will meets a host of colorful characters -- and learns to trust his true friends.
Is It Any Good?
Will Sparrow's Road isn't the fantastical, action-packed novel that many modern middle-grade readers are accustomed to. There's some tension and suspense when Will and his friends find themselves in sticky situations, but mainly this is a touching, fascinating story about some colorful characters, and about a historical time and place. Boys and rirls will identify with Will; they'll worry about him when he's hungry or in danger, and feel his sadness when he says good-bye to Duchess. This is a sweet book that will give kids a little history lesson as well as an enjoyable read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Will's assertion that he cares "for no one but myself and for nothing but my belly." Why does he try to be so hard and independent?
Will Sparrow's Road is Karen Cushman's first novel with a male main character. Do you think she writes realistically from a boy's point of view?
What developments surprise Will in the book? What surprised you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Publication date : November 6, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate