A review by readingthroughthelists
The Canterbury Tales by Geraldine McCaughrean
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Of course this much-abridged (and much-sanitized) adaptation cannot be considered the “real” Canterbury Tales, but McCaughrean nevertheless manages to create a work that is playful and engaging and still somewhat in keeping with the spirit of the original. The overtly sexual content of the Canterbury Tales has been replaced with mild innuendo which adult readers will catch and children will not.
My 4th and 5th graders enjoyed the book immensely, though I also supplemented our discussions with passages from the poem that we then compared to the adaptation.
A good first introduction, as long as you don’t expect the real thing.
My 4th and 5th graders enjoyed the book immensely, though I also supplemented our discussions with passages from the poem that we then compared to the adaptation.
A good first introduction, as long as you don’t expect the real thing.