Joan of Arc: Heavenly Warrior (Sterling Biographies Series)

by Tabatha Yeatts

Overview

Joan of Arc was born a French peasant who knew nothing of warfare. Yet she heard heavenly voices telling her that she alone could save her country in its war with England and restore Charles VII as the king of France. Deeply religious and remarkably courageous, Joan was devoted to her saints, her God, her king, and her people. And so she journeyed across the embattled countryside to fight for the future of France, risking capture and even death. She achieved great military success, both as a leader and as a warrior. Joan was ultimately captured, sold to the enemy, found guilty of heresy, and put to death in 1431. But twenty-five years later, the church overturned the verdict and finally in 1920 pronounced her Saint Joan of Arc. Today she is considered a national hero by French citizens and an inspiration to people of all nationalities and faiths.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402756627
Publisher:	Sterling
Publication date:	02/03/2009
Series:	Sterling Biographies Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction: Defender of France 1

Chapter 1 Childhood in a Land at War 2

Chapter 2 Sacred Voices 11

Chapter 3 A Peasant Girl Leads the Way 18

Chapter 4 Lifting the Siege 30

Chapter 5 More Battles for the Maid 39

Chapter 6 Crowning the King 48

Chapter 7 On to Paris 56

Chapter 8 Changing Times 66

Chapter 9 In Her Enemies' Hands 73

Chapter 10 The Condemnation 84

Chapter 11 The Maid's Final Days 95

Chapter 12 Saint Joan of Arc 105

Glossary 116

Bibliography 117

Source Notes 118

Image Credits 122

About the Author 122

Index 123

Editorial Reviews

Gr 7–9—This utilitarian biography of the French heroine has noteworthy, plentiful visuals. Unfortunately, the writing is awkward, repetitious, and dull. Yeatts has all the facts but doesn't seem to know what to do with them; consequently, the book is a plodding recitation of events and lacks depth. The glossary omits key terms (such as "dauphin"), while others are inconsistently defined in the text instead. The map is useful but doesn't appear until page 82. The source notes are highly confusing as Yeatts uses limited title abbreviations (JAIFH and JAOW, for instance) rather than authors' surnames. Polly Schoyer Brooks's Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc (Houghton, 1999) has no footnotes but is exceptionally well written and full of interesting details, and will both challenge and enthrall readers.—Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

Yeatts, not a particularly skeptical biographer, portrays The Maid of Orleans as a Saint, as capable of bringing a dead baby back to life or prophesying accurately as she was of expertly conducting a siege and inspiring an army. A smooth blend of history and legend, it makes a compelling tale-especially when illustrated, as it is, with a mix of small but effective period images and documents, 19th-century paintings and modern photos of medieval locales, much in color. The author covers La Pucelle's brief and glorious career from start to finish, highlighting Charles VII's outrageous passivity and Joan's heroic performance at her trial, then closes with a quick survey of her canonization and her place in literature and film. Brief one-page featurettes provide additional information on such topics as inquisition torture practices, the Maid's physical appearance and coats of arms. Handsomely packaged and thoroughly researched, but no substitute for Polly Schoyer Brooks' more acute and balanced Beyond the Myth (1990). (Biography. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews