Monacello: The Little Monk — Geraldine McCaughrean

Intrigue, superstition, and adventure feature in this dramatic retelling of a classic Italian folk story, set in the dark world of medieval Naples

 

Strange little creature. Strange pale eyes, so full of fear. Strange little monk, his habit dark as nightmares. Strange little boy shaped like a question mark, who are you?

An orphaned child is dressed as a monk and ostracized by everyone except the roaming wild cats of Naples for his scary looks and his seeming ability to bring both good and bad luck. Monacello searches above and below ground for his parents and finds help from a little girl with mysteries of her own. Short chapters combined with spectacularly haunting illustrations make for a book that will stay with readers and invite conversation.