Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

Schlitz, L. A. (2007).  Good masters, sweet ladies.  Boston, MA: Candlewick.

This is a compilation of monologues and a few dialogues of characters from a Medieval village in 1255.  The character's stories intertwine to help explain facts about Medieval times, including the social system.  There are facts included in sidebars, for each monologue/dialogue, in addition to pages dedicated to explaining facts (these pages are title A Little Background" and are not written in a monologue/dialogue style).  The monologues are not all written in the same style so this book lends itself to the interest of readers that enjoy narrative style writing as well as poetry.  This book is interesting because it presents facts in a way that is unique.  Schlitz explains in the forward that she created the monologues and dialogues so that each student could have a part, since most reader's theaters and/or plays don't lend themselves to having a part for 17 people.  The idea of having your own individual part is alluring, and students will learn interesting facts without even realizing it.  The facts could lead the reader to do more research on the time period and the challenges, struggles, and history.  This collection of monologues and dialogues can be used in a classroom, as was the original purpose, during a study of Medieval times.  The book could also be used to study different styles of writing- narrative verses poetry.