You Wouldn't Want to Be Joan of Arc!: A Mission You Might Want to Miss Book

The life of Joan of Arc is not one most parents would wish for their children, but that hasn't stopped the people behind the "You Wouldn't Want..." series from putting young readers in the French hero's shoes. This brief biography is written in second person, as the narrator tells the audience that "You're Joan...." What follows is a description of the tumultuous world of 14th-century France and the role Joan of Arc played in shaping her country's history. While the cartoon-style illustrations, and chunked, simple text tell a heroic story, they also do not shy away from Joan's terrible end. In fact, page 28 begins with the words "You are burned at the stake..." before going on to describe her legacy, including the "Handy Hint" (a feature of every double-page-spread) which says "Follow Joan's example! Speak out for what you believe in!"