THE GYPSY CROWN

A Gypsy family in Cromwell’s England shrugs off old Maggie Finch’s gloomy warnings and heads to the fair to make some money entertaining the crowds. When the contemptuous local pastor and Cromwell’s villainous agent Coldham confront this “tribe of infidels,” mayhem erupts, and most of the hapless Finches get tossed in jail. Thirteen-year-old Emilia and her cousin Luka escape to get help, and so begins their suspenseful, 20-day race with time against the day the magistrates will hang their loved ones. Emilia, who has “the eye” like her fortunetelling baba, is charged with reuniting five charms from five widely dispersed Gypsy families to form a magic chain powerful enough to save the day. Trudging through the spy-ridden countryside with Coldham on their heels, the two heroes (and their horse, dog, bear and monkey companions) bravely persevere. While the historical context seems occasionally overexplained and the actual plot occasionally underexplained, this fast-paced adventure, published in Australia as a six-book series called the Chain of Charms, is a multifaceted tale told with zeal and heart. (historical note) (Fiction. 12-14)