This young adult novel was set in a time of Russia’s history where education was only allowed to the rich, and peasants were allowed very little at all. The author was born in Russia and the story is rich with culture and heritage. Our main character is Peter, a boy who dreams of more.
One morning, he had the rare treat of a whole day off to do whatever he wanted. His mother asked him to go pick some berries, and he didn’t want to do it, but he sighed and headed off anyway. On his way back from the berry patch, he encountered a woman on a horse who was being menaced by a bear. Peter managed to distract the bear with the berries, and the woman expressed her extreme gratitude. She told him that if he ever needed anything, he should come to her and remind her who he was. She broke off a twig from a nearby crimson oak and presented it to him, telling him that would be a token between the two of them. When he came to her and showed her the twig, anything he wanted would be his.
Peter didn’t know it at the time, but this lady was Princess Elizabeth, who was in exile.
Peter had the chance to meet a man who was a scribe, and he decided to send a letter to the Kremlin, asking permission of the Empress to learn how to read. It was against the law for a peasant to learn how to read, but Peter thought if he asked politely, he might be able to. For his pains, he was thrown into prison, a cold, dreary place, and nearly died. But he was saved by the overthrow of the Government and by Elizabeth taking up her throne again. When time comes for him to be presented to her and to give her the twig, his goal is the same – what he wants as his reward is to learn how to read.
This is a simple, touching tale of a boy who just wants to expand his horizons and the things he suffers for that desire. I greatly enjoyed the story and highly recommend it.
(This book was published in 1981 by Methuen Books.)
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