Joan of Arc: The Story of Jehanne Darc

by Lili Wilkinson

We stamp our feet and clap our hands and yell and laugh and jump up and down. The witch will die. She climbs the scaffold, and turns to face us.

I stop yelling. I stop clapping and stamping.

I am turned to stone.

She looks just like me.



Joan of Arc left home when she was 15. At 16, she led the French army to victory. At 19 she was burned at the stake. Angel or witch? Saint or heretic? Who was Joan of Arc?

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Religion

163 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.

Reviews

[Ali]

Loved this book, such an interesting account of Joan of arc by this Australian writer. Wilkinson did a great job of sorting and organizing all info available to create this very readable and lively story. Joan is presented with all her faults and grace and is a very endearing character, a woman (or girl really) before her time. Would recommend to anyone.

[Lynda]

Seeing part of Luc Besson's amazing movie ‘The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc’ inspired me to read Lili Wilkinson’s ‘Joan of Arc: The Story of Jehanne Darc’. This is an easily digestible, informative account of a very complex story. Lili brings Joan’s story to life by researching the facts as closely as possible, including the internet-available transcript of Joan’s trial as a heretic. The main people in Joan’s lifetime are clearly listed, as are the main events (timeline), and there is a glossary as well. In the text, Lili clearly explains vocabulary, concepts and even medieval concepts like the disgust and shame associated with a woman wearing men’s clothing – the only thing which could be proven against Joan as an ‘abomination’, and for which she was burnt as a heretic on 31 May 1431. Joan of Arc was not an easy person to understand, and her life only lasted to the end of her teen years, but her legacy to France was a huge one. The Catholic Church eventually reinstated her reputation, and canonized her as a saint.

[Gerri Eden]

I am currently reading and sharing this with my year 8 students. A great way to integrate with the Humanities component but also a way to show how different people can have different views on something. worthwhile novel-I have made some resources for the study if interested contact me-gerri eden on ge@smotanathali.catholic.edu.au

[Louise]

I got a great pack from my library with a book and audiobook version of this rather fascinating imagining of Joan's life.

http://astrongbeliefinwicker.blogspot...

[Fiona Saunders]

Interesting smd could not put down. But it is brief. Would have liked more detail. This maybe feels like it's aimed at a younger audience (those who like the Horrible Histories) bit language feels more older. With TV shows such as Kingdom of Thrones and Vikings more information on battles and other points of view would grab more audience. I feel the trail had more detail but the author used the transcripts mainly from there so that is unstable. Would like more on the journey and the seige of Orleeans.

Reason I read this was to extend my knowledge of Joan of Arc and to read something of Lili Wilkinson as she is our Book Week author.

[Tahlia]

The story of Jehanne D'Arc told via snippets of facts mixed with anecdotal recounts (written with creative licence of course), that give more emotion to Joan's life and adventures. Also really enjoyed the history background to give the reader a more complete overview.
Only gripe is I wish it was more thorough/longer. However, I did learn quite a few things that I didn't already know.

[Marie]

Really well written, quite informative, just a shame it was such a short book as I could have read a bit more

[Watermelon Daisy]

Joan of Arc is the reason why I know so much about this extraordinary woman.

I’ve never been fond of factual books; they bore me. There’s no emotion, no feeling, no insight: just cold hard facts. But this book stood out: it was different from all the rest, because it was told as a story.

Not a fictional story, however. Just a non-fiction story told in a narrative-like prose, and I got so involved, I had to keep reminding myself this really happened.

Which brings me to an obvious conclusion: Lili Wilkison is insanely talented. I’ve been a fan of hers after reading A Pocketful of Eyes and Love-Shy. The fact she’s able to put so much emotion, so much depth into an otherwise boring story is remarkable.

Joan of Arc herself is amazing. This book reminded me how little beauty (she wasn’t particularly beautiful), intelligence (she was smart, but only because she had God on her side), and “perfection” doesn’t matter. Here is a girl –a simple village girl– who believed. That’s all she needed to change the world.

Why do we care about such little things? All we really need is faith; something Joan of Arc had an exceptional amount of. 

[Brona's Books]

3 and a half stars really.

Fabulous bio for young people about Joan of Arc that sticks to the facts as much as possible.

I'm still trying to work out how & why Joan was able to inspire the way she did & would have liked a little more educated speculation about this.

How did a poor, uneducated young girl from the country command her king's attention and then lead her country's army into battle against the English?

Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/20...

[RCRC]

Have to read it for History...It was actually pretty good. She was so young. I can't imagine doing those things, espically leading the French army to victory at the age of 16! And she was burned at the stake at the age of 19!!!

[Charlie]

Read for school, but engaging enough that it didn't feel too much like a chore.

[Tiana]

Omg! I'm only 76 pages in and I'm hocked! Lili only came in yesterday and I'm so inspired! Love this book