Review of Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen & Robert J. Harris

In the late 1200’s and early 1300’s, England and Scotland were ruled by King Edward I, or Longshanks, as he was known. He ruled Scotland with an iron fist, and when Robert de Brus declared himself king of Scotland in 1306, Longshanks declared war against Scotland. Robert de Brus managed to escape capture, but some of his relatives were not so lucky. One of those relatives was his 11-year-old daughter, Marjorie. In order to try and force her father to surrender, Longshanks had Marjorie placed in an outdoor cage right in the middle of an English village. It was October, and she had only her clothing to keep her warm. The only furnishing in the cage was a curtain around a bucket for her to relieve herself in. Nobody was allowed to speak to her, and the only voices she heard were the peasants who taunted her and threw garbage at her. The chapters alternate between her captivity and the months leading up to her captivity - learning that she’s going to be a princess, and then fleeing through the Scottish Highlands trying to evade capture. This is an exciting book that takes place during a fascinating time and place in history.  Review by Katie Corrigan