Kel deals with these trials as she handles the physical demands of knight-training, with dogged persistence and an unshakeable belief in both her ability and her right to become a knight. She faces a more personal challenge as well, for Kel has a debilitating fear of heights. Many of the pages are prejudiced against her, and a particularly nasty group tries to drive her away with intimidation, threats, hazing, and malicious tricks. Lord Wyldon, the pages’ training master, objects to Kel’s presence and places her on probation for the first year. Although Kingdom law now permits girls to try for their knighthood, Kel is the first to train openly as a girl, and she faces the resulting prejudice, bullying, and even sabotage with dignity, stoicism, and courage. She fulfills her dream not through extraordinary talent but through sheer grit and determination. Keladry of Mindelan is an ordinary girl with an unusual dream: she wants to become a knight. This is a departure for Pierce, whose young protagonists usually have some form of magical talent. Set in Tortall and the surrounding nations (the world of Pierce’s Song of the Lioness, Immortals, Trickster, and Provost’s Dog series), the Protector of the Small books stand out from Pierce’s other works because the heroine is completely non-magical. Our favorite series, hands-down, is the Protector of the Small quartet.

Pierce has written a number of series set in two different worlds, and all of them are well-written and enjoyable.

My teen and I love Tamora Pierce’s fantasy books for young adults. Published by Random House Books for Young Readers Genres: Fantasy, YA (Young Adult) NovemLark_Bookwyrm Book Reviews 0 Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce

The Protector of the Small quartet, by Tamora Pierce

Tamora pierce protector of the small