Adam of the Road (Children’s Book Review)
Adam of the Road听by Elizabeth Janet Gray
First published in 1942, Adam of the Road is a 1943 Newberry Medal winner that follows a preteen boy named Adam as he navigates life in 13th-century England. As Adam travels with his minstrel father and his dog, readers experience the ups and downs of a young boy living in a very different time and place.
While the setting is unfamiliar to children today, the themes of the novel–perseverance and hope, loyalty and friendship, and coming of age–will resonate with children in a compelling way. Likewise, the central character, a boy and his dog, can appeal to all readers, but especially to young boys.
Perseverance & Hope
Adam鈥檚 father is a traveling minstrel, and the book opens with Adam waiting for his father to return. This introduces an expectation of hope on the first page:
鈥淭oday he鈥檚 coming! I know it!鈥
That hope is immediately followed by disappointment:
鈥淸E]very night, disappointed but not daunted, he put himself to sleep making up stories about how his father would come next day.鈥
This theme repeats in a variety of ways throughout the novel, allowing the reader to experience what it means to hope in the midst of trying circumstances. As Adam reunites with, and separates from, loved ones throughout the novel, he learns what it means to have hope, to persevere, and to rely upon others.
Along the way, Adam is disappointed by others and faces circumstances that are beyond his control. Yet he demonstrates how to continue despite setbacks–remaining realistic about his circumstances without giving up hope.
Parents may consider asking:
- How did Adam respond when Nick (his dog) was stolen from him? What lessons can we learn from his response to loss or to wrongs committed against us?
- What were some challenges Adam faced? While he lived in a very different time and place, what might one of those challenges look like in today鈥檚 setting?
Loyalty & Friendship
A variety of relationships test loyalty and friendship throughout the novel: Adam and his dog, Nick; Adam and his friend Perkin; some of the people Adam encounters on the road; and even Adam鈥檚 relationship with his father, Robert. Through these relationships and the trials the characters face, readers experience some of the challenges of navigating friendships when circumstances become difficult.
Parents may consider asking:
- How did Adam respond when his father lost much of what Adam held dear?
- How does Adam respond when people react to his loyalty by developing a true friendship? How does he respond when other characters show a lack of loyalty? Have you ever experienced a situation like that? How did you respond?
Coming of Age
Adam finds himself apart from his father multiple times throughout the book, including situations that were unexpected and for which he was unprepared. Throughout these experiences, Adam must learn how to advocate for himself, without losing his sense of right and wrong.
While the novel opened with Adam reliant upon his father and waiting for him to return, it ends with words demonstrating Adam鈥檚 significant growth in independence, wisdom, and courage. His father summarizes that growth with words that all of our children should hear:
鈥淵ou have done well, son.鈥
Readers will not simply experience 13th-century England; they will walk alongside Adam as he grows from a boy into a young man.
Parents may consider asking:
- When Adam found himself alone and in a strange place, how did he respond? What do we learn from Adam about courage? About fear?
- What changes did you see in Adam from the beginning of the book to the end?
Conclusion
It would be remiss to focus solely on the various themes of the novel and not also enjoy exploring the world of 13th-century England. The unfamiliar setting provides plenty of opportunities for conversation and curiosity.
Parents may consider asking:
- Adam decides at the end to pursue a life of travel, like his father. If you were in his place, which would you select–to stay in one place or to travel like a minstrel? Why?
- Are there any jobs you think of today that are equivalent to a minstrel? Why or why not? What makes our society today different from the time in which the novel was set?
Adam of the Road is not a book for an early reader; there are simply too many unfamiliar aspects of the setting and culture for it to be an easy read for someone who is still mastering the art of reading. For upper elementary and early middle school readers, however, this book has many of the elements that make literature so powerful and is a worthy addition to a child鈥檚 reading list.
Series notes
The goal of this series is to equip parents with books that are easy to find and to offer conversation prompts that help engage children more deeply with what they read and hear. A word of caution 鈥 some books, particularly chapter books, may introduce the absence of Truth, Goodness, or Beauty, and will provide prompts to guide your student through repercussions to the characters.
If there is a book you would like us to review, let us know! If it is available through the Wake County Public Library system, we will check it out, read it, and share a review if we believe it will be helpful.
