The Door In The Wall is a classic children's novel written by Marguerite de Angeli in 1949. The story takes place in England in the Middle Ages, during the time of the Black Plague.
The book tells the story of a 10-year-old boy named Robin who is the son of noble people. At a young age, Robin is already expected to take after his father and become a knight. Yet Robin is afflicted by a mysterious ailment that deforms his legs and leaves him unable to walk without crutches. Despite this, he proves himself to be a worthy warrior and excellent son of a knight. He begins the story as an underdog; by the last page, has become a true hero.
The Door In The Wall was meticulously researched by de Angeli and is an accurate representation of England in Medieval times. De Angeli used Old English vocabulary and vividly portrays the sounds and smells of London in the wake of the plague. The book was extremely well-received and was the recipient of both the Newberry Medal for Children's Literature and the Lewis Carroll Award. This recognition surprised de Angeli, who had written the story simply for her own pleasure and for her children. She went on to write over 25 novels for children and young adults.
