Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron Age world through the suspenseful dual narrative of a boy and girl both battling to survive. In an utterly one-of-a-kind blend of fiction and history, a master storyteller explores the mystery and life of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body.

Estrild is not like the other girls in her village; she wants to be a warrior. Varick, the orphan boy who helps her train in spite of his twisted back, also stands apart. In a world where differences are poorly tolerated, just how much danger are they in?

Inspired by the true discovery of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body in Northern Germany, Newbery Medalist and master storyteller Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron age world as she breathes life back into the Windeby child, left in the bog to drown with a woolen blindfold over its eyes.

This suspenseful exploration of lives that might have been by a gifted, intellectually curious author is utterly one of a kind. Includes several arresting photos of archeological finds, including of the Windeby child.

How does a master storyteller solve a 2,000-year-old puzzle when the facts suddenly change?

Based on a True Story: Explore the real-life discovery of the Windeby bog body, a 2,000-year-old child found preserved in a German peat bog.
A Unique Dual Narrative: Read the gripping story of Estrild, a girl who wants to be a warrior, then see how the story transforms when new science reveals the body was actually a boy, Varick.
Immersive Iron Age World: Journey to a meticulously researched world of Germanic tribes, ancient rituals, and the harsh realities of life in the first century AD.
Fiction Meets History: Go behind the scenes with the author as she blends historical fact with powerful imagination, complete with photos of real archaeological finds.

The Windeby Puzzle

The Windeby Puzzle