Protector of the Small - Book Review

When I was a kid my family went to Woodlawn library to get books on such a regular basis that the librarians new us. Their children’s section was in a corner with a couple of turning shelves. At one point while browsing, my mom pulled The Protector of the Small of one of the turning shelves and asked me if I was interested. I didn’t heed the common wisdom “never judge a book by it’s cover” and rejected it because the cover looked too juvenile for my taste. But Woodlawn was a fairly small branch and I eventually started running short on books to read. I picked up The Protector of the Small - and fell in love.

Common wisdom also states that it is important for kids to see themselves in books. I saw myself in Kel. It may not have been the only character I saw myself in, but she was the most prominent. Kel’s motivation to become a knight in the kingdom of Tortall centres around protecting those who can’t protect themselves, both animals and people. In her I saw not only myself but also who I wanted to be.

One of the things that I continue to like about the story is the fact that her journey to knighthood isn’t quick and easy. While she did have the advantage of some earlier training, she didn’t have an innate talent which magically helps usher her way up. Kel has to work for each and every victory with lots of sweat, bruises, and sore muscles along the way. If you’re looking for a book with a strong, smart, funny, and caring main character Protector of the Small (and the next three books in the series) are sure to inspire the inner warrior.