Bestselling author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death in a fiery, evocative novel.
Told through medieval poetic forms and in the voices of the people and objects in Joan of Arc's life, (including her family and even the trees, clothes, cows, and candles of her childhood), Voices offers an unforgettable perspective on an extraordinary young woman. Along the way it explores timely issues such as gender, misogyny, and the peril of speaking truth to power. Before Joan of Arc became a saint, she was a girl inspired. It is that girl we come to know in Voices.
About the Author
David Elliott is a NY Times bestselling children's author. His many titles include: And Here's to You!, The Transmogrification of Roscoe Wizzle, The Evangeline Mudd books, Finn Throws a Fit!, Jeremy Cabbage and the Living Museum, and In the Wild. His most recent titles include On the Wing, This Orq. books, and Nobody's Perfect.
Born in Ohio, David has worked as a singer, a cucumber washer, and a popsicle stick maker.
Industry Reviews
A Finalist for the American Library in Paris Book Award "Stunning . . . . elegant . . . . arresting . . . . supple and harrowing." -The Wall Street Journal ? "Elliot delivers another hit. . . . [Voices] showcases a gorgeous storytelling style that flows in an effortless fashion. . . . A glorious tribute to a woman who dared, defied, and defended her truth. A must-have."-School Library Journal, STARRED review ? "Ethereal, wondering, and poignant. . . . An innovative, entrancing account of a popular figure that will appeal to fans of verse, history, and biography."-Kirkus, STARRED review ? "With stunning lyricism, these poems fashion an enlivened, gripping narrative that addresses themes of gender identity, class and vocation, and innocence and culpability, bringing fresh nuance to an oft-told story."-Publishers Weekly, STARRED review ? "Joan's thoughts are almost conversational, in simple left-justified verse with rhyme skillfully embedded within lines. . . . [A] creative historical account of a young woman who answered a norm-shattering higher call." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED review "An elegant, spirited introduction to classical poetry and to a woman fighting not just for a cause but for a place in a world that undervalued her voice."-Booklist Early praise for Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc: "A stunning and innovative reimagining of the life and death of one of history's most badass ladies. Captivating from start to finish and unlike anything I've ever read." -Mackenzi Lee, New York Times best-selling author of The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue "By giving Joan of Arc voice, Elliott manages to give her agency and makes her passion, faith, and determination live and breathe on the page. Compelling, engaging, and triumphant, Joan the maiden warrior shines far brighter than her fiery fate." -Robin LaFevers, New York Times best-selling author of Courting Darkness and the His Fair Assassin trilogy "Elliott enchants. Voices will draw a new generation to the mystery of the peasant girl whose conviction and audacity shattered all conceptions of class and gender." -Kirsten Cappy, Children's Book Consultant, Curious City "Elliott's exquisite detail and imagery lift this tale of female valor into an almost mystical dimension." -Pat Lowery Collins, author of The Fattening Hut and Hidden Voices, The Orphan Musicians of Venice "The implicit call-to-action in Elliott's tender but searing novel-in-verse is perhaps the clearest voice of all: the fire within each of us can be an unstoppable force for change in a world that continually seeks to burn what it cannot control." -Amy Cherrix, Malaprop's Bookstore "This book is a marvel. Each poem is so pure, so intense, so full of story-moving energy that I couldn't put it down and read the whole book in a gulp. I loved it." -N. Griffin, author of The Whole Stupid Way We Are "A clever and searing page-turner story told by a master." -Patricia Hruby Powell, author of Loving Vs. Virginia and Josephine
