“There was a boy, in the thirteenth century, whose courage and patriotism live on today in a certain trumpet-call, a tune ‘unfinished’ because, as he once blew it, the arrow of an invading Tartar pierced his breast. There was a boy of the fifteenth century who had reason to blow that tune, in the same tower, on the same trumpet, and to finish it, as a signal of another sort of enemy. A man of the twentieth century, hearing the old broken tune played every hour, invented the second boy, when he wrote this book, a story partly true, and so exciting that it has won a place among the best-loved adventure stories of our time.” – Louis Seaman Bechtel – Mt. Kisco, April 1966.

Eric P. Kelly’s The Trumpeter of Krakow won the Newbery Medal in 1929 and is often found on “all of the lists.” And yet, I rarely hear about anyone who is reading it. Despite loving this genre and style of book, I had missed out on this one until my friend, Tanya Arnold of Biblioguides, mentioned that she was reading it and encouraged me to do so as well. I am glad she recommended it, as I really enjoyed it and think that it deserves the medal it won.

Written in a style that reminds me of Lloyd Alexander and Tonke Dragt, this novel for young readers is a lovely example of historical fiction. As the quote from Louis Bechtel indicates, it blends true events and real people beautifully with legend and an interesting fictional story. Fifteenth-century Joseph Charnetski is the son of Pan’ Andrew Charnetski, a Polish noble from Kresy (modern-day Ukraine). The Charnetski family is fleeing their home because madman Peter Button-Face has burned their village to the ground under the orders of  Ivan III of Russia (Ivan the Terrible). The family hopes to find refuge with their cousin, Andrew Tenczynski in Krakow.

Young Joseph doesn’t know that his father is the secret protector of a Polish treasure, but it seems as if Peter Button-Face does. As the Charnetski family arrives in Krakow, they are followed and ultimately attacked. Joseph is bewildered when his father is protective of a pumpkin mixed in with their other belongings. At the city gate, they are informed that cousin Andrew Tenczynski is dead and that his estate now belongs to the Queen of Poland. Destitute and homeless, the Charnetskis are blessed to be rescued by a serious and well-respected man, Jan Kanty (the real St. John Cantius). 

Jan Kanty helps Andrew Charnetski secure employment as the night trumpeter in St. Mary’s church. Since the thirteenth century, a trumpeter has played the Hejnal every hour on the hour in the tower of the church. One legend asserts that in the late 1390s, the city was under attack, and a young signal trumpeter was shot by an invading Tartar arrow in the middle of the signal call. Another legend is that a trumpeter died of a stroke or heart attack in the middle of playing. Regardless, the tradition was created to play the Hejnal every hour and stop in the middle of the music. You can hear the trumpet call here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxlmx1OfuQ 

Inside that pumpkin, Pan’ Andrew Charnetski is hiding the famous Tarnov Crystal. This infamous crystal is sought after by kings, alchemists, and criminals alike throughout Europe for its purported magical powers. Some think it can reveal the future, while others think it holds the mystery of how to turn lead into gold. One night, the crystal is stolen and things begin to go wrong. Ultimately, the Crystal is instrumental in the historically true Krakow fire which burned half of the city. 

Some have said that The Trumpeter of Krakow uses its characters in the service of the story instead of the story serving the development of the characters. I do think that critique is accurate. This story is not about Joseph and his family nearly as much as it is about the Hejnal and the Tarnov Crystal. While the story is very interesting and a joy to read, it can feel a little impersonal. As much as I appreciated the historical fiction and the legends that informed the plot, I did wish we had come to know and care about the characters more. Regardless, this is an entertaining adventure that ends well and leaves the reader wishing to know more about Poland and the St. Mary’s trumpeters. 

I read this book both on my Kindle and via Audible. Ron Keith expertly narrates the audio and his voice is perfect. We have loved his narrations of Lloyd Alexander books and other boyish adventure novels. A copy of this book is in my lending library.