Page 45 Review by Stephen
Amélie Fléchais! It's Amélie Fléchais! (THE LITTLE RED WOLF / THE LOST PATH)
Welcome to SHEPHERDESS WARRIORS written by Jonathan Garnier and originally titled 'Bergères Guerièrres'!
Everything sounds better in French! Apart from my singing.
I love the ram's whirls of wool on the cover; the period-perfect textures are terrific throughout. Thrilling scenery abounds, and check out that ominous eye at the bottom of the very first page: it's like García & Rubins BEOWULF all over again!
Except that this is a family entertainment, I promise, in which some sassy new recruits are about to begin training, like Molly, Erin, Ellen, Abby, and that new girl riding The Magic Roundabout's Dougal. Nice nose-picking. Classy.
It's fresh! It's zingy! It's naughty too! These are actual girls (mostly), well seasoned in competitive name-calling, not the staid ciphers some adults think kids should read.
We interrupt this review for a Ceremony. Shhh, now.
"It's been ten years now since our sons, brothers and husbands were called away... They left us for a war at the border of the known land... None of men have come back from this war we know nothing about.... But we, the women of this village, are determined to not be victims... Our duty is to preserve and defend what we have for those who stayed behind as well as those who have left."
Gonna need a bigger goat!
They are, of course, brave words for it is far from easy to bear no news of your loved one - be they husband or dad - for ten years, and some coping strategies haven't been as effective for everyone involved as they seem.
On the other hand: chasing up cliffs, careening over chasms, VERY big beasties, even bigger battles, weird witches and even weirder weather; secret histories, private fears, fractious families, a whole heap of ambition, harsh words, the strength to say sorry and lots of LOTS of sweet-scented comedy with notes of John Allison...
But more than any of this: they all have really cool capes. This is important.
The publisher writes:
"An EPIC FANTASY ADVENTURE For ALL AGES! It's been 10 years since the men of the village left to fight in The Great War. Ten years since they left the women, children, and the older generation for a conflict far away from home and that they knew almost nothing about, except that it was about the security of their nation, their valley, their families. Ten years have passed since anyone has had any news of the war... But the women quickly took charge of village matters. This is how the Order of Shepherdess Warriors was formed, a group of female fighters chosen among the most courageous and acrimonious, to protect not only their flocks, but also the village! Molly is happy because as soon as she turns 10, she can finally start training, and if she's good enough, she can join the order and work out why there are more and more ferocious wolves in the valley. This quest will take her far beyond the boundaries of the land she knows, into the sorcerers' forest and on the trail of her missing parents. Shepherdess Warriors is the odyssey of a young heroine living great adventures in a medieval-fantasy universe inspired by Celtic legends. An endearing story, suitable for most all ages, which gives pride of place to family and community ties, carried by warm, charming graphics and a scenario rich in humor with twists and turns. Winner of the 2022 Angouleme Prize - Best Title for Ages 8-12 & Up!"
