My Guardian Angel by Sylvie Weil
Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
Originally published in French by L’ecole des loisirs.

Category/Age Level:  Historical Fiction and Multicultural/ Grades six through eight.

Characters:  The main character is Elvina, who is modeled after the “real-life” granddaughter, Elvina, of Rashi, an “eminent commentator on the Bible and the Talmud.”  Elvina and her grandfather are kindred spirits.  She writes letters to her guardian angel about things she doesn’t want to confide in with anyone else.  Elvina lives with both of her parents, two brothers, and her grandparents.  She also interacts with two aunts and a Christian family in her village and soldiers who are involved in the Crusades.  Elvina is also influenced by Obidiah, the schoolmaster at the school her brothers attend.

Plot:  The story takes place in Medieval France.  Girls were not allowed to be educated formally in schools, so Elvina listens in near the door of Obidiah’s classroom.  As the narrator of the story, Elvina tells of how she likes to write and wishes she had more opportunity to write and learn Hebrew as her brothers are able to.  When Elvina chooses to go against popular notions that could put herself and her family in danger, her grandfather stands up for her when others reprove her.  She is confronted with difficult decisions when the Crusaders enter her village and her Christian friends don’t understand her fear of being harmed by the Crusaders.

Touchy Areas:  Religion is throughout the book.  Weil confronts religious issues diplomatically. 

Related Titles: 

Films/Plays:  The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lark, Julia (with Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, and Jason Robards Jr.)

Books:  Maus:  A Survivor’s Tale Volume 1:  My Father Bleeds History and Maus:  A Survivor’s Tale 2 Volume Box Set by Art Spiegleman

Evaluation:  The book is intelligent and suspenseful.  Weil’s descriptions are poetic and enable the reader to sense the atmosphere of Elvina’s environment.  It’s refreshing to read about a girl who is brave and has a mind of her own.    Sylvie Weil deals with religious issues tactfully.  This book teaches religious acceptance without giving more importance to a religion or degrading another.
    More respect could have been shown to Elvina’s grandmother when she was trying to help Elvina be safe, not only from Elvina, but from the other characters as well.

Overall Rating: 9

Reviewed by:  Lori Kelemen