Wise Child and Juniper

If you are looking for a great young adult read, I highly recommend Monica Furlong's books Wise Child and Juniper (there is apparently a sequel called Colman that I have not read). I fell in love with these books 20 years ago at age 10, and am still a huge fan today, having just re-read them on a whim last month. These books follow Wise Child and her guardian Juniper and are set in Cornwall in the Dark Ages. In Wise Child, Juniper becomes guardian to Wise Child after her grandmother passes away (her father is off at sea and her mother has abandoned her). Juniper is the healer, midwife, and witch of a small village. Under Juniper's mentorship, Wise Child learns all about herbs, healing, astronomy, reading, and magic. The acceptance of witchcraft by the village is challenged, however, as Maeve (Wise Child's real mother... a dark sorcerer) returns. The book culminates in a trial of Juniper for witchcraft. The book is beautifully written and an intriguing description of historical healing techniques and ways of life. While it is not quite a coming of age story, it is definitely a tale of self realization and follows wonderful female heroines. Juniper, while written after Wise Child, is a prequel and follows Juniper at a younger age as she trains to be a Doran. While my personal favorite is the book Wise Child, Juniper too offers a compelling story, beautiful writing, and an inspiring heroine.