Fairest, Ella Enchanted, Princess Academy, The Seventh Blessing. What do all of these books have in common? They are all middle grade novels for girls that take place in royal settings, complete with medieval gowns, crowns, and castles. Why is this genre so popular with authors and young readers?
I have often wondered why the Middle Ages has been such a popular setting for children’s literature. Why not dozens of books about the American Westward Expansion movement? Why not an island paradise? Why not space? Sure, there are books set in these places, but the overwhelming number of children’s titles that take place in castles really got me wondering. Here’s what I think:
1) These stories are often reworked fairy tales, most of which took place in medieval settings.
2) Even though Renaissance and medieval history is real, it feels so fictional. It is the antithesis of our digital age—a time when horses were used for transportation, books were the means of education(!), and jousts were entertainment.
3) Readers are able to escape their own realities for something that is not part of their daily lives.
4) The biggest reason: We are able to indulge in fantasy because the Middle Ages is associated with sorcerers, magicians, curses, and spells, even though these may not have been part of the historical background. The ability to use magic allows authors the license to create their own worlds--along with new lands and new languages--while still using a framework with which we are familiar.
I am currently reading The Seventh Blessing by new author Melissa Buell, a story in which blessings for a new princess go horribly wrong. It captures the romantic element of Renaissance times—the gardens, the horses, the royalty, the gowns. But it also has the elements of magic that make fairy tales so appealing: fairies whose faces are glittered, magical spells. This book is reminding me of all of the previous princess novels I have read (my favorite being Fairest). It's a coming-of-age story, perfect for 4th-6th graders or beyond. (I'm hoping to open Once Upon a Storybook in time to have Melissa Buell do a book launch for her third book in this series!!)
The books I listed above are traditionally thought of as books for girls, mainly because they have princesses as the protagonists. There are numerous novels for boys in this genre that are popular. My favorite is the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which has been around for almost 20 years. Its distinction is that anthropomorphized animals are the characters. (I did this as a read aloud when my boys were in early elementary school, and they were mesmerized!) Current favorites of medieval series for boys (and girls who like adventure!) would include The Dark Is Rising, The Ranger’s Apprentice, the Warriors, the Arthurian Saga, and of course, Harry Potter.
It appears history is in the present, when it comes to middle-grade fiction!
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