Erick Berry (1892–1974)

The Winged Girl of Knossos isn't actually a new book. It was written in 1933 by Erick Berry, pen name for Evangel Allena Champlin Best. It was a Newbery Honor Book but was sadly out of print for many years. Thankfully, Paul Dry Books has reprinted it because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished reading it a couple of weeks ago.

The "winged girl" is Inas, daughter of Daidalos. He is an inventor who longs to soar like the birds and she is an adventurer who does everything from sponge diving to bull jumping. Their home is ancient Crete, under the reign of King Minos. This story brings to life an era that time has turned into myth. Ariadne, the labyrinth and the minotaur, and Theseus are all real and they all have their places in Inas' tale.

Not only did Berry use an impressive vocabulary but she knew the right amount of tension to keep readers of all ages engaged and the historical setting is incredibly accessible. Best of all, the strong, active female character of Inas was truly ahead of her time. I suppose this is why the book received Honors. I keep thinking about the various adventures, the setting, the idea that myths come out of facts.

http://webereading.com/2017/09/new-ish-release-winged-girl-of-knossos.html… (meer)

I'd read this (many times) as a teenager - was reminded of it and found it. And, amazingly, it's as good as I remembered (a lot of my teen books just aren't). It's got a lot more to it than I remembered, too. I remembered him being a drummer boy, and the English officer (only I thought it was a group) writing Yankee Doodle as a joke on these raw Provincials. I'd forgotten he had run away to join the army - and I thought it was Revolutionary War, not before that when the American army was still more-or-less (or officially, at least) British. Si's machinations to get a meal and a place with the army are fun, and his and his friends' adventures with army life and army drill and signals are beautifully drawn (both in words and in pictures). This is one I'm really glad to have found again. Oh, and as a bonus - it gives some early verses (possibly the original...who knows?) for Yankee Doodle and talks about the tune (which is apparently ancient - it was old in Medieval times, according to the foreword). Lots of fun!… (meer)