Crossing To Paradise - Hardcover

Kevin Crossley-Holland was born in 1941 in Mursley, North Buckinghamshire, and grew up in Whiteleaf, a village in the Chiltern Hills of western England. He attended Oxford University, where, after failing his first exams, he developed his passion for Anglo-Saxon literature. After graduating, he was the Gregory Fellow in Poetry at the University of Leeds, and from 1972-1977, he lectured in Anglo-Saxon for the Tufts University of London program. He worked as a children’s book editor while beginning to write his own poems and reinterpretations of medieval legends. He has also taught for extended periods in America. He now lives in Norfolk, England.

Kevin Crossley-Holland has published six volumes of adult poetry and several libretti for opera. In the world of children’s books, he is best known for his numerous retellings and anthologies, and in particular his version of Beowolf. Storm, his novella, won the Carnegie Medal in 1985.

The Seeing Stone, published by Scholastic, is his only other work of original fiction. T.H White is the inevitable comparison for Kevin Crossley-Holland’s new novel, American readers will also be reminded of Karen Cushman, for the earthy, rich portrayal of life in a medieval manor. Its sequel, At the Crossing-Places, was published in the United States in fall 2002. The third title in this trilogy is King of the Middle March, which will be published in 2003.

"Gatty, the irrepressible peasant girl first introduced in Crossley-Holland's "Arthur" trilogy (Scholastic), comes into her own in this sweeping, vibrant story set in the early years of the 13th century . Written in a style that is both lyrical and earthy, this book serves as a companion novel to the "Arthur" books but stands solidly on its own as a completely satisfying coming-of-age story. Similar in tone to Karen Cushman's Catherine, Called Birdy (Clarion, 1994) and rich in detail like Frances Temple's epic journey tale, The Ramsay Scallop (Scholastic, 1994), Crossing to Paradise gives today's readers a glimpse into the turbulent years of the Crusades-events that sowed so many seeds for the current Middle East conflicts-through the eyes of a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Crossley-Holland's story has many levels; it is demanding and, for those who give it time, quite rewarding. . . . As pilgrims say (and they say it to this day): it isn't the destination, it's the journey itself. Crossley-Holland and his band of pilgrims, with effervescent Gatty, tell us much about life's journey.” KLIATT, starred review

"Vividly told from the humble opening setting to the luminous final scene in which Gatty and Arthur are reunited, this historical novel becomes the capstone of Crossley-Holland's memorable medieval saga." -- Booklist

"With poetic but straightforward language, Crossley-Holland once again masterfully evokes the essence and texture of the medieval world, in that regard subtly recalling The Canterbury Tales. Readers may miss the interplay between the dual narratives of the Arthur trilogy; they are also likely to miss Arthur as much as Gatty does, and the duo's satisfying reunion is nothing short of magical . Gatty is a remarkable heroine (every bit as impetuous and exuberant as her literary antecedents Dido Twite and Lyra Belacqua), and her memorable pilgrimage is exceeded only by her transformation from a simple, unlearned peasant girl into a lady of property and substance, now every bit the equal of her cherished Arthur." -- Horn Book

"This classic odyssey, love story and coming-of-age tale is impeccably written, with rich sensory details, memorable characters and a well-orchestrated plot. Certainly, what Gatty learns about the wonders of the world and the possibilities of friendship and even marriage between Christians and Saracens speaks to today's world as well." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This is an engaging tale packed with all the sights and encounters readers would expect from a medieval road trip, from perilous missteps along a narrow mountain pass, to a robber that specializes in body parts, to gracious Jerusalem hosts who astonish Gatty with their mixed faith (Christian and Muslim) marriage. The plot stands so sturdily on its own that readers unfamiliar with the preceding trilogy may not even suspect they've missed a reference until Merlin appears incongruously, perhaps, for historical fiction fans in the closing pages. Adventure, topped off with a romantic happily-ever-after, is a reader's ticket to paradise." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books