The Windeby Puzzle
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 The Windeby Puzzle
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Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron Age world through the suspenseful dual narrative of a boy and girl both battling to survive. In an utterly one-of-a-kind blend of fiction and history, a master storyteller explores the mystery and life of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body.
Estrild is not like the other girls in her village; she wants to be a warrior. Varick, the orphan boy who helps her train in spite of his twisted back, also stands apart. In a world where differences are poorly tolerated, just how much danger are they in?
Inspired by the true discovery of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body in Northern Germany, Newbery Medalist and master storyteller Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron age world as she breathes life back into the Windeby child, left in the bog to drown with a woolen blindfold over its eyes.
This suspenseful exploration of lives that might have been by a gifted, intellectually curious author is utterly one of a kind. Includes several arresting photos of archeological finds, including of the Windeby child.
Emily's Review
I found this story utterly riveting. Growing up, I was fascinated with archaeology. My favorite book for years was Secrets of Vesuvius - a book about the eruption of Vesuvius and the archaeological exploration at the city of Herculaneum. It went back and forth between the archaeologist and scientists explaining their studies and a story set on the day of the eruption.
The Windeby Puzzle does something very similar. Lowry explains the history of the Windeby bog body and uses the speculation of archaeologists to weave a story attempting to explain what might have happened. Then she explains that they learned more information about the body, and creates a second story.
I loved both of the stories so much. I am fascinated with this time period and the way the author took us on a journey as she put together the pieces of this puzzle. And it really does feel like a puzzle! The way she sets up the history between the two stories really helps you to understand how she came up with her ideas, making this a great read for a budding writer as well as a budding historian!
Due to the nature of the book - both stories are rather sad, as we know a child dies and their body will be found in a bog thousands of years later - I recommend this one for ages 12+
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