The Ramsay Scallop

by Frances Temple

Book Overview

The year is 1299. Fourteen year-old Elenor reluctanly awaits the return of her betrothed -- a man she hardly knows -- from the Crusade. Thomas, broken and disillusioned from years of fighting, finds... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064406016
• ISBN13: 9780064406017
• Release Date: September 1995
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 5.1" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Why I liked it and many didn't

Well, after reading all of the other reviews offered at the bottom of this page, I was suddenly motivated to write a review of my own. I loved this book and was a bit confused at first about why others hated it.I think that the readers who reviewed this book and thought it was bad were not prepared for all of the information or didn't expect it to be how it was. Obviously there has to be something about this book or else it wouldn't've won the ALA Best Book for Young Adults award. I thought it was very interesting to learn about this time period and all this religious stuff got kind of boring but then you sort of got intrigued. The best part of the book was the blooming romance between the main characters Thomas and Elenor. I loved how at first Thomas referred to Elenor as "the Brat" and then eventually switched to Nora. I'm only a teenager and know as much about pilgrimmage as I do about gnu herding in West Africa (if there is such a thing). I found myself engrossed, though, and all in all it was a really good book I think.

Whew!!! it was a wonderful read...

Who ever says THIS is a slow paced book hasn't read the great classics.THe best books i have read are ones in which you do not wish to leave the characters behind. Though the writer could have written more about the characters but basically its a tale of journey and self-discovery & that is what has been portrayed I love medieval times, it was as if they were magical times, with honor, modesty and the world just beginning to grow right before your eyes. It was an age of enlightment and this book does in a way tell you what would have gone on during the 14th century.

A blip in our historical past

My daughter has read this book many times between the age of 7 and 12 years old, and it was she who requested that I read it as well. This book brought to life a moment in history. The rich descriptions of the environment brought the sounds, smell, anxiety, hardships, and friendships of the time, to life. It was fascinating to again be aware that all these people were travelling through Europe, all speaking more-or-less the same language, and how in just a few centuries, that language diverged into Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.My daughter and I both recommend this book to teachers whose students are studying this time period, and are looking for supplemental reading material to help bring that time and place in history to life. Based on other reviews, I realize that some 12-year olds may not like this book, but many would... even if they DO also enjoy more fast-paced books.

Subtle, Romantic, and Historically Enlightening

I teach children's literature to teachers and found this novel to be one of the most moving, charming, and riveting I have encountered. The tale is subtle and beautifully told. Eleanor and Thomas, betrothed from childhood and strangers to each other, are sent on a pilgrimage from their English village by the wise and kind village priest. They and the reader learn about their world and the blooming of friendship and love as they travel across Europe. This book is among my very favorites. Ranks with Mary Stolz's BARTHOLEMEW FAIR.

great book

I don't know what these other reviewers are complaining about. This was a great book! Okay, so it's a girl book. But the people are real and the pilgrimage part was accurate, and the characters seemed like people I might know. Go read it!