A Brief History of Montmaray

Bibliography: Cooper, M. (2009). A brief history of Montmaray. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

eISBN: 978-0-375-89359-9

ASIN: B002RLBKNQ

Genre: historical fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+/14+

Plot Summary: The year is 1938 and 16 year-old Sophia lives on a desolate island hundreds of miles off the coast of Spain. Her family rules over this tiny Kingdom of Montmaray, but there are more people in her family than there are subjects in the kingdom. Sophia chronicles both history and daily life in her beloved diary, sharing how her family came to be alone, poverty-stricken, without capable adults and in desperate need of help. When Nazi historians arrive on the island searching for information, Sophia’s family bars them from the castle. They ignore the warning, breaking in during the dark of night to search for any clues the library may hold. The terrifying events of that night trigger a visit from even more soldiers and when insane King John infuriates their leader, the family knows they are in mortal danger. Leaving the island is impossible and without a way to communicate with the outside world, help is not likely to come. Veronica, Sophie’s slightly older cousin, has always been more than able to lead their motley little kingdom, but when she reaches a breaking point, Sophia knows that her family can only be saved if she can find the courage she’s never thought she had.

Critical Evaluation: A Brief History of Montmaray uses a diary format and thus, a first person perspective. While diary formats can often be trite, author Michelle Cooper allows her protagonist, Sophia, to share conversations as well as events and imaginings. She’s given Sophia a voice that is reminiscent of Anne Shirley and Jo March--humorous, romantic, hopeful, honest and ever aspiring. The facets of this story-- secrets caves, intrigue, murder, treasure--all flirt with the fairy tale trope, creating what can most definitely be called an adventure. Yet at the same time, Sophia has a romantic heart and spends time dreaming of kisses, dresses and balls. Her desire to leave the island to pursue these girlish dreams comes up over and over again in her diary, as does the crush she has on Simon and her intense jealousy when he pays attention to others. Romance (or the desire for it) weaves it way through the story just as intently as adventure does, so the book as a whole cannot be classified as one genre or the other. Author Cooper places a huge importance on literature throughout the story. Both Sophie and Veronica write; both read voraciously. In a world without other entertainment, books became the hallmark of their past and their present. Sophie, either in her own narratives or notations of conversations with others, frequently mentions or alludes to literature, including Treasure Island, Northanger Abbey, David Copperfield and The Importance of Being Earnest. She also quotes Shakespeare, Kipling and Tennyson, bringing a realism to the story and underscoring the cultural significance of those authors and works.

Reader’s Annotation: Princess Sophia is sure that the adventure and mystery surrounding her family is all in the past. But when strangers arrive on the rocky shores of her family’s island kingdom, she’ll discover that her part in her family’s history is just as exciting.

Author Information: Michelle was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended a succession of schools in Fiji and country New South Wales, then went to university in Sydney. She worked as a speech and language pathologist for fifteen years, helping students with learning problems. Michelle liked this job a lot. She got to watch students improve their literacy skills and become happier, more confident learners - also, she got to work in an office covered in Harry Potter posters and give herself smiley stamps when she did a good job.

The Rage of Sheep was her first novel. An early draft of the novel won a mentorship with the Children's Book Council of Australia. This meant she was lucky enough to work on the manuscript with Young Adult author Alyssa Brugman. The Rage of Sheep was published in paperback by Random House Australia in 2007, with an e-book edition released in 2012.

Michelle's second novel, A Brief History of Montmaray, was published by Random House Australia in 2008, with an audiobook version, narrated by Melissa Chambers, released the same year by Louis Braille Audio. The novel was awarded the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards and was shortlisted for the Gold Inky, Australia's teenage choice book award. A Brief History of Montmaray was published in North America by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2009, and was named in the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults list. An audiobook version of the North American edition was published in 2010 by Listening Library, and a Vintage Classics paperback edition was released in Australia in 2012.

The FitzOsbornes in Exile, the second book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia in 2010, as a paperback and audiobook. It was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards) and the Western Australian Premier's Young Adult Book Award, longlisted for the Gold Inky Teenage Choice Award and named a Notable Book for Older Readers by the Children's Book Council of Australia. The book was published in North America in 2011 as a hardcover, e-book and audiobook, and was listed in the Best Teen Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews and in the American Library Association's 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults.

The FitzOsbornes at War, the final book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia and New Zealand in April, 2012 and in North America in October, 2012. The film and television rights to The Montmaray Journals have been optioned by a US production company.¹

Curriculum ties: European history; Religion; Legends and Mythology; Geography

Booktalks: secret languages; would you prefer to be sensible or emotional?

Challenge issues: parental abandonment

Challenge resources (for usage in a challenge situation):

• Library Selection Policy

• Rationale explaining why the item was chosen for the collection
• Active listening skills
• Awards
• Reconsideration form (as a last resort)
• Illinois Library Association (Banned Books Listings)
• National Council of Teachers of English “Right to Read”
• Positive and negative reviews: expert, parent, student
• ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials
• ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

• Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
• Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Reasoning: A Brief History of Montmaray follows much in the format of classic novels like Jane Eyre. It will entertain and educate readers who are delighted by vivid descriptions, enchanting characters and damsels who find themselves the heroes of their own stories.

References:

¹Cooper, M. (n.d.). Michelle Cooper. Retrieved November 24, 2015, from http://www.michellecooper-writer.com/bio.html

Cooper, M. (n.d.). A Brief History of Montmaray Teaching Support Kit. Retrieved November 24, 2015, from http://michellecooper-writer.com/montmarayteachingkit.html