Product Description

Lucy Wickwright, maidservant to the Baron of Cant's daughter, does what she's told, never lies, and always takes the blame for her mistress's whims, which unwittingly leads her to become a spy in a mysterious rebellion that is pitted against her own mistress. When Lucy discovers that she is actually the true heir of Cant and at the heart of the revolution itself, she must choose between foiling the rebels, who support her right to the throne, or betraying her own flesh and blood.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1055145 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9–Bath deals with a familiar fairy-tale theme: the discovery of noble lineage in a maidservant. His treatment, however, is quirky, funny, and rife with social satire; his style, full of puns, similes, alliteration, and just the right tone of tongue-in-cheek pomposity, is delightful. The setting is the Barony of Cant, a land so small that it is lost in the creases of every map. While the Cantlings live as though it were long ago, the time is actually contemporary, and the heroine wears T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers procured from the American Mission. This juxtaposition of medieval and contemporary fuels much of the novel's humor. Eleven-year-old Lucy Wickwright, an orphan, tends the Baron's mischievous daughter. Although Pauline, who follows whims such as catapulting soggy underwear at the spectators of an execution, is difficult to manage, the girls are best friends. Lucy unwittingly gets caught up as a spy in the Cause: the fight against chewing gum, which the nobles import at great expense to the taxpayers. On his deathbed, the Baron confesses that Lucy is his illegitimate child and heir to the throne, throwing the land into chaos and Pauline into the dungeon. Lucy rescues her and the girls mend the bad feelings brought on by their father's admission. The sisters, both fugitives, escape to safety in an ending teasingly open-ended enough for a sequel.–Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 5-9. Travel in the eccentric, isolated Barony of Cant is exclusively by "foot or hoof or sail"; fashions from 150 years ago are "considered daringly modern"; and chewing gum, a luxury derisively termed "the cud" by enemies of the nobility, threatens to foment a civil war. Humble maidservant Lucy Wickwright agrees to spy for the anti-gum contingent, hoping to protect her mistress (the baronial heiress) from revolutionaries who wish her ill. Instead, Lucy exposes a secret that abruptly alters her relationship to Pauline von Cant, putting both in grave danger. Lucy's enduring devotion to Pauline isn't entirely convincing in light of the latter's alternately imperious and whiny behavior. However, the girls' refusal to play into the hands of corrupt grown-ups makes for a decidedly rousing story, with first-time novelist Bath's mock-erudite, footnote-studded narrative style striking a hilarious contrast with the mischief-making that frequently occurs alongside the heroism. An inconclusive ending suggests that the fate of this seductively quirky, pinprick of a kingdom may not be left entirely to readers' imaginations. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Kevin P. Bath received his MFA from the University of Alabama, and his fiction for adults has appeared in Puerto del Sol, The Green Mountains Review, Epoch, and Gulf Coast. His story "The Home Front" was a notable story of the year in Best American Short Stories of the Year 2001, and his story "Algae Eaters" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. This is his first novel for children.

David Christiana has illustrated a number of popular children's books including The Magical, Mystical, Marvelous Coat by Catherine Cullen (Little, Brown 2001), The Tale I Told Sasha by Nancy Willard (Little, Brown 1999), and Good Griselle by Jane Yolen (Harcourt 1994).

Customer Reviews

Engrossing New Fiction for Middle/Older Readers
Young Lucy Wickwright led a wonderfully happy life with her candle-making parents and younger brother, until one fateful day when they were murdered in cold blood in a carriage accident, leaving her an orphan. Since that day, Lucy has been the hardworking maidservant to Pauline, the daughter of the Baron of Cant. Yet she is a bit too hardworking, for she never lies, always does what she's told, and takes the blame for everything that her mistress does. However, her eagerness to please all puts her smack dab in the middle of a sneaky rebellion, one that threatens to destroy the foundations of the Barony, and change her life at Castle Cant forever as she knows it. But when Lucy finds the shocking secret that will easily bring power to the rebels, she must choose to either betray the mistress whom she loves so dearly, or join the rebellion.

In K.P. Bath's first novel, he has shown that he has innumerable talent in writing fantasy and historical fiction, for that is what THE SECRET OF CASTLE CANT holds within it's pages. Lucy Wickwright is a wonderful character who is smart, hardworking, determined, and kind. Her witty remarks to Pauline, and other characters in the book are wonderfully enjoyable to read, and her many adventures are filled with excitement, yet many close-calls at the same time. Her mistress Pauline, is equally adventurous, yet instead of bravery, she is filled more with whining. However, she is still an interesting character, whose quirky personality will please readers greatly. Overall this is a spectacular book that will be enjoyed by even the pickiest reader.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

clever, funny, goodhearted -- and surprisingly literary
This is a rare treat, a well-written book for kids that they won't even notice is "literary." I give it 5 stars because it succeeds so completely at what it does. Of course it's not really intended for adults, and most older readers will see the big plot twists coming a mile away, but it's still hugely enjoyable: exciting adventures, likeable characters (except for the villains, of course!), amusing repartee, and clever juxtaposition of a "medieval" culture with the modern world. It reminded me of Sesame Street, in the best way -- younger kids may enjoy it just for its face value, while older kids and adults appreciate the more subtle jokes, insightful character studies, and sneaky vocabulary lessons.

An adventure for all ages
What an exceptionally articulate work of literature! The author combines a well-paced action adventure story for younger readers with a tutorial in the finest expressions of the English language for adults. Children will race through the book following its delightful heroine Lucy Wickwright, and her mistress Pauline Cant, first in line for succession to the Barony, as they dodge and duck those in the adult world who try to manipulate them for their own gain. And as with all good adventures, almost no one, it seems, is quite who they start out to be. The fun never stops even as the intrigue continues to grow. Adults readers who cherish great literature will turn the pages slowly, enjoying K.P. Bath's delightful literary finesse, and will savor each homespun turn of phrase. Just like an old-fashioned hand-made candy must be rolled slowly around your mouth to be truly savored, this book must be reflected upon page after wonderful page. It has been quite a long time since I deliberated over such skillfully layered metaphor. Original and fresh; this book makes me hope a sequel will soon follow.