Squire

Gr 7 Up–In a Middle Eastern fantasy setting, this is the story of a young Ornu girl growing up in the Bayt-Sajii Empire. Aiza and her family are forced to live in a community for the marginalized Ornu people, which provides them safety within the Empire but not much more. She dreams of leaving her small farming community to become a hero, and when an opportunity arises to join the army in hopes of becoming a squire (and eventually a knight, which would grant her citizenship), she is eager to serve the Empire. Yet almost immediately, she begins to question the history being taught to the new recruits: that the Empire is at war only because other nations refuse to return to the golden age, when all nations flourished as one. Over time, Aiza learns what it truly means to be a hero and the ways in which historical narratives are used to manipulate people. Alfageeh’s artwork is stunning, with inspiration taken from Middle Eastern countries, specifically Turkey and Jordan. The recruits train in a place reminiscent of Petra, with buildings carved into red-toned cliffs, and Aiza and the majority of characters are depicted in various tones of brown skin and hair. Extensive author and artist notes on the process of creating the book are included.