I liked this story because it so adventurous. In the beginning, Benedict and Elvira’s people the Jews in Lymford’s homes burn up. Benedict and Elvira run away to find their unknown uncle. On the way, Benedict and Elvira meet Robin Hood. Benedict and Elvira even tell him that they are Jewish. They go on a mission with Sir Edward. Benedict even goes to jail. My favorite part was the mission with Sir Edward. - Naomi, grade 2 ( )

I liked this story because it so adventurous. In the beginning, Benedict and Elvira’s people the Jews in Lymford’s homes burn up. Benedict and Elvira run away to find their unknown uncle. On the way, Benedict and Elvira meet Robin Hood. Benedict and Elvira even tell him that they are Jewish. They go on a mission with Sir Edward. Benedict even goes to jail. My favorite part was the mission with Sir Edward. - Naomi, grade 2 ( )

The Star and the Sword, British Edition.

No, you're not seeing double, and this isn't a duplicate review. My initial response to Pamela Melnikoff's novel for young readers, The Star and the Sword, was based upon the American edition, published by Crown, and can be seen in my other review of this title.

Although my basic sentiments remain the same, I am posting this review of the original, British edition, in order to discuss some of the ways in which our publishers tinker with British children's books before presenting them to the American public. Whether it involves changing titles (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone becoming Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), or omitting content (all those missing quotes from Blake and Milton in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy), these editorial decisions usually serve to decontextualize and dumb down the literature being presented, and seem to rest upon the insulting notion that the American child is incapable of appreciating the historical and literary background being erased.

I've often thought that a close analysis of the differences between British and American editions of the same children's books would make an excellent research project, and would probably yield some fascinating (and disturbing) cultural insights. That said, I discovered to my surprise the other day that I now own both the American and British editions of The Star and the Sword (itself a testament to my out-of-control bibliomania), and decided to read them back-to-back. I was not surprised, or especially dismayed, to find minor differences in format between the two. The British edition contains more chapters, but a close reading reveals that they each contain roughly the same amount of text.

My main concern is that the prologue, in which the Menorah of Maxenburg is originally looted, is left out altogether in the American edition, and is only included as part of Sir Edward's retelling later in the book. I have to wonder why this was done... Did the American editor feel that the prologue gave too much away? Perhaps she/he wished the character to enter the narrative as a complete unknown? It's difficult to say, but I am tempted to think that it was done in order to "soften" this unpleasant aspect of the story. After all, a direct depiction has far more immediacy than a story told in the third person later on. Such changes, however minor they may be, are particularly annoying as they are frequently unnecessary... ( )

The Star and the Sword, American Edition.

Based upon her earlier play, The Ransomed Menorah, which won the Golden Pen Award of the Jewish Education Committee of New York in 1962, Pamela Melnikoff’s The Star and the Sword is set in twelfth-century England, and follows the story of two young children - Elvira and Benedict - as they struggle to reach relatives in Oxford after the Jewish community at Lymford is massacred.

Their adventures along the way, with Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and with the Crusader knight, Sir Edward de Bourg, should keep young readers enthralled. Melnikoff's exciting narrative conveys an excellent sense of the complexities of twelfth-century English society, with its Saxon-Norman divisions, as well as the hardships faced by the Jewish people in medieval Europe.

Published in 1965, the author's message that communication between different religious communities is the only true method of defeating bigotry, is as topical as ever. The conclusion of the book, though perhaps not unexpected, is deeply satisfying. As a long-time devotee of the Robin Hood legend, moreover, I was fascinated to catch a glimpse of this beloved folk-hero from a true outsider's perspective.

My only criticism of the book is that Melnikoff devotes far more time to Benedict's perspective, marginalizing Elvira, who is sometimes in danger of becoming a caricature of the "cute little girl." The modern reader can adjust, with some careful thought, to the notion that eleven-year-old Elvira will soon be married - after all, this was a very different time. If anything, I admire Melnikoff for not trying to "modernize" her story. But I would still have liked to see more of Elvira's perspective. Despite these qualms however, I still think The Star and the Sword is well worth the reader's consideration, and wish that it were more widely available. ( )

Blue Star Book Club. Story of Jewish life in England, 1193