The Inquisitor's Tale

Ages 10 And Up, Grades 5 And Up

Bestselling author Adam Gidwitz takes on medieval times in an exciting and hilarious middle grade adventure about class, history, religion…and farting dragons. Featuring manuscript illuminations throughout from Hatem Aly.

A 2017 Newbery Honor Book

Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award

An exciting and hilarious medieval adventure from the bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm. Beautifully illustrated throughout!


1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children. Their adventures take them on a chase through France: they are taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon. On the run to escape prejudice and persecution and save precious and holy texts from being burned, their quest drives them forward to a final showdown at Mont Saint-Michel, where all will come to question if these children can perform the miracles of saints.

Join William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne’s loyal greyhound, Gwenforte…recently brought back from the dead. Told in multiple voices, in a style reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, our narrator collects their stories and the saga of these three unlikely allies begins to come together.

Beloved bestselling author Adam Gidwitz makes his long awaited return with his first new world since his hilarious and critically acclaimed Grimm series. Featuring manuscript illuminations throughout by illustrator Hatem Aly and filled with Adam’s trademark style and humor, The Inquisitor’s Tale is bold storytelling that’s richly researched and adventure-packed.

Includes a detailed historical note and bibliography. 

The Inquisitor’s Tale is one of the most celebrated children’s books of the year! 

A New York Times Bestseller, a New York Times Editor’s Choice, a New York Times Notable Children’s Book, a People Magazine Kid Pick, a Washington Post Best Children’s Book, a Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book, an Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book, a Booklist Best Book, a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, a Publishers Weekly Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, and an ALA Notable Children’s Book

“A profound and ambitious tour de force. Gidwitz is a masterful storyteller.”—Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author

“What Gidwitz accomplishes here is staggering.”—New York Times Book Review

“It’s no surprise that Gidwitz’s latest book has been likened to The Canterbury Tales, considering its central story is told by multiple storytellers. As each narrator fills in what happens next in the story of the three children and their potentially holy dog, their tales get not only more fantastical but also more puzzling and addictive. However, the gradual intricacy of the story that is not Gidwitz’s big accomplishment. Rather it is the complex themes(xenophobia, zealotry, censorship etc.) he is able to bring up while still maintaining a light tone, thus giving readers a chance to come to conclusions themselves. (Also, there is a farting dragon.)”—Entertainment Weekly, “Best MG Books of 2016

”Puckish, learned, serendipitous…Sparkling medieval adventure.“—Wall Street Journal

”Gidwitz strikes literary gold with this mirthful and compulsively readable adventure story…. A masterpiece of storytelling that is addictive and engrossing.“—Kirkus, starred review

”A well-researched and rambunctiously entertaining story that has as much to say about the present as it does the past.“—Publishers Weekly, starred review

”Gidwitz proves himself a nimble storyteller as he weaves history, excitement, and multiple narrative threads into a taut, inspired adventure.“—Booklist, starred review

”Scatological humor, serious matter, colloquial present-day language, the ideal of diversity and mutual understanding—this has it all.“—The Horn Book, starred review

”I have never read a book like this. It’s weird, and unfamiliar, and religious, and irreligious, and more fun than it has any right to be…. Gidwitz is on fire here, making medieval history feel fresh and current."—School Library Journal, starred review