A parent might reach for Master Cornhill when their child is facing a significant life change or loss, offering a historical lens to explore resilience and starting over. The story follows Michael, an 11-year-old apprentice in 1660s London who is orphaned first by the Great Plague and then displaced by the Great Fire. Forced to survive on his own, he must find courage he never knew he had to rebuild his life and find a new sense of family. This book is an excellent choice for a child ready for a story with emotional depth, as it tackles loneliness and fear head-on while ultimately providing a hopeful model of perseverance. Its rich vocabulary and detailed historical setting make it a rewarding read for middle-grade readers.
The Great Fire of London sequence is intense, with descriptions of danger, chaos, and fear.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly and realistically with death, grief, and mass tragedy. The loss of Michael's two families is central to the plot. The approach is secular and historical, focusing on human suffering and resilience in the face of disaster rather than any religious explanation. The resolution is hopeful and earned. Michael finds belonging and security, but the story does not minimize the trauma and loss he has endured to get there.
Ideal Reader
This book is for a thoughtful reader aged 10-13 who enjoys immersive historical fiction and survival stories. It's perfect for a child who is grappling with big changes, loss, or feelings of being untethered. The ideal reader is one who can handle mature themes of grief and disaster in exchange for a powerful story about perseverance, courage, and the meaning of family.
Parent Prep
Parents should be prepared to discuss the historical context of the Great Plague and the Great Fire, as the scale of the tragedies is significant. A quick search for maps and illustrations of 1660s London would greatly enhance the reading experience. While not graphically violent, parents should preview the chapters describing the chaos of the fire to be ready for questions about the fear and danger depicted. The parent has observed their child struggling with a major life disruption, such as a move, family illness, or the death of a loved one. The child may have expressed feelings of hopelessness or anxiety, saying things like, "Everything is falling apart." The parent is looking for a story that validates these difficult feelings while providing a strong, relatable model of resilience.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-10, as a read-aloud) will likely focus on the adventure and survival elements: escaping the fire, finding food, and the mystery of where the Gilpins went. An older reader (11-14) will connect more deeply with Michael's internal journey of processing grief, forging a new identity outside of his apprenticeship, and building self-reliance. They will also have a greater appreciation for the historical detail and complex language.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many survival stories that pit a character against wilderness, this one immerses the reader in two distinct, consecutive urban catastrophes. Its unique strength lies in the meticulous, sensory recreation of 17th-century London life, from its trades and slang to the palpable atmosphere of fear and hope. The story focuses as much on the rebuilding of a community as it does on the survival of an individual.
Read plot summary
Michael Cornhill, an 11-year-old apprentice map-colorer in 17th-century London, is orphaned when his guardian dies in the Great Plague of 1665. He is taken in by a kind family, the Gilpins. A year later, his newfound stability is shattered when the Great Fire of London destroys his new home and separates him from them. The rest of the novel follows Michael's harrowing journey to survive on the streets, use his wits and skills, and search the devastated city for the people who have become his new family.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Michael loses his first home to the plague and his second to the fire. How does he react to loss differently the second time? What does this show about how he has grown?
2
Tom the balladeer tells Michael, 'A man who can't laugh at himself is a nowt-head.' Why was this important advice for Michael at that moment? How does humor help different characters survive in the story?
3
At the start of the book, Michael's identity is tied to being an apprentice map-colorer. By the end, who has he become? What new skills and personal strengths does he discover during his ordeal?
4
The Gilpin family takes Michael in and treats him like a son. What do you think makes a group of people a 'family' in this story? Is it based on blood relations, or something else?
