A COMPANY OF FOOLS, A COMPANY OF FOOLS, A COMPANY , FOOLS

1. (Get free) A Company of Fools
A Company of Fools
Deborah Ellis
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#3184877 in Books Fitzhenry and Whiteside 2002-09-11 2002-09-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.28
x .77 x 5.74l, #File Name: 1550417193192 pages | File size: 26.Mb
Deborah Ellis : A Company of Fools before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my
time, and all praised A Company of Fools:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Worth ReadingBy S. WerkemaThis is the Black Plague from the
point of view of a child. In his innocence Henri accepts life as it comes, unaware how dramatically the plague will
alter his world. Though naturally calm and cooperative, Henri must face progressively more challenging situations as
the disease spreads. His relationship with wild Micah is a fascinating example of how opposites attract. The
superstitions of the city people seem silly to us, but were typical for that era. The story contains plenty of boyish

2. goofing around to help balance the unavoidable seriousness. Well-written and enlightening.0 of 0 people found the
following review helpful. One StarBy michelle varavHard to understand11 of 13 people found the following review
helpful. A Company of FoolsBy JoannaI really loved this book. It takes place in Paris, in an Abbey, where all the
monks and choirboys live. There's the teacher's pet, Henri, who is a goody-two shoes. He's 12, like me, and one day he
meets Micah, a criminal of the same age who has the voice of an angel. They become friends, and they do things that
Henri would never have dreamed of doing if he weren't with Micah: spying on the monks, mixing a horrible tasting
powder in the communion wine, etc. They become the Company of Fools, to make people laugh and have joy with the
Plague all around them. It's really a very good book. Recommended ages: 12 and up
Canadian Library Association Book of the Year, Honour Book Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction, Honour
Book Mr. Christie Silver Book Award Ruth Schwartz Award, finalist Manitoba Young Readers_ Choice Award,
nominee Rocky Mountain Book Award, nominee Before Micah came to St. Luc's, he knew how to beg, how to steal,
and how to run from a beating. He did not know how to comb his hair, walk in line when he felt like running, or obey
anyone's whim but his own. He was a stranger in a strange land. If it had been me, I would have found a way to
disappear inside myself until the strangeness wore off. Micah was not like me. Henri has been living within abbey
walls all his life, first in the care of nuns, then as a choirboy at St. Luc's, not far from Paris. He expects to spend the
rest of his life there, copying books in the Scriptorium with the other brothers, and singing Mass in the great cathedral.
Then Micah arrives, a streetwise ragamuffin with the voice of an angel, saved from certain hanging to sing for God
instead of coins. Micah comes like a fresh breeze into dead places, bringing exuberant joy at a time when Henri most
needs it. For the plague is coming, the grim reaper that will slash at the very roots of Henri's security. And neither
Henri nor Micah nor anyone else in their world will ever be the same.
From BooklistGr. 5-8. The voice of Henri, a choir student in the Abbey of St. Luc in 1348, is clear, thoughtful, and
sweet as he chronicles the events of the previous year, when the Black Death came to France and when Micah came to
the abbey. Brother Bartholomew is always bringing odd things back from his travels, like the muddy stick that became
a rose bush. He brings filthy, noisy Micah too; the boy can sing like an angel. Henri, quiet, bookish, and in love with
the order and rule of the abbey, is astonished by Micah, who does as he pleases. Then comes the plague, and Paris is
no longer a place of bright wonders. Micah and Henri hatch the idea of singing to cheer the populace, so they become
the Company of Fools, providing a respite from the constant funeral dirges. What happens to Micah's song, and to
Henri, makes a vivid chronicle of monks, good and bad, and intentions, good and bad, set in the horrific context of a
plague year. Quicksilver language and strong imagery propel a powerful historical tale. GraceAnne
DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved "...the sudden, devastating changes wrought
by the plague on orderly monastic life is ably captured, and middle-graders fascinated by matters medieval will want
to add this to their reading list." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "...like all good books, there are
many threads that can be followed and teased to weave into the fabric of the school curriculum." -- ResourceLinks
"Readers will be amazed and horrified by this intimate chronicle of true friendship, laughter and the smell of
Death...Ellis's characters are richly developed, and the desire to know what happens to Micah and Henri will pull
readers along. The plot spans three years, but Ellis manages to show all the key scenes with sharp dialogue and
detailed action. Readers will become familiar with religious life in the abbey, the gruesome horrors of the Plague, and
how superstition outmatched scientific knowledge during the 14th century. The abbey diagram, historical note, Plague
map, and glossary further clarify the historical setting." -- Books in Canada "The voice of Henri, a choir student in the
Abbey of St. Luc in 1348, is clear, thoughtful, and sweet as he chronicles the events of the previous year, when the
Black Death came to France and when Micah came to the abbey. Brother Bartholomew is always bringing odd things
back from his travels, like the muddy stick that became a rose bush, and he brings filthy, noisy Micah too: the boy can
sing like an angel. Henri, quiet, bookish, and in love with the order and rule of the abbey, is astonished by Micah, who
does as he pleases. Then comes the plague, and Paris is no longer a place of bright wonders. Micah and Henri hatch
the idea of singing to cheer the populace, so they become the Company of Fools, providing respite from the constant
funeral dirges. What happens to Micah_s song, and to Henri, makes a vivid chronicle of monks, good and bad, and
intentions, good and bad, set in the horrific context of a plague year. Quicksilver language and strong imagery propel a
powerful historical tale." -- BooklistAbout the AuthorDeborah Ellis was born in Northern Ontario but grew up in
Paris, Ontario. Like many writers, she was a creative loner as a child, at odds with formal education in her youth, and a
voracious reader at all times. As an adult, Deborah has been occupied with many issues of interest to women, such as
peace, education and equality in society at home and abroad. She works at a group home for women in Toronto,
reading and writing in her spare time. In 2006 Deborah was named to the Order of Ontario.