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The White Stag
Newbery Medal Winner (1938)
For generations the tribes of Huns and Magyars had moved relentlessly westward, obeying the voices of their pagan gods, which compelled them to follow the elusive white stag to their promised homeland. They swept Europe, all the while pursuing their vision of the stag. Their leader was called Attila, and the land Hungary. Here is the epic story of their tribal migration and their fierce leader—known to us even today.
For generations the tribes of Huns and Magyars had moved relentlessly westward, obeying the voices of their pagan gods, which compelled them to follow the elusive white stag to their promised homeland. They swept Europe, all the while pursuing their vision of the stag. Their leader was called Attila, and the land Hungary. Here is the epic story of their tribal migration and their fierce leader—known to us even today.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
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3,426 people want to read
About the author
Kate Seredy
70 books88 followersSeredy (Serédy Kató) was a gifted writer and illustrator, born in Hungary, who moved to the United States in 1922.
Seredy received a diploma to teach art from the Academy of Arts in Budapest. During World War I Seredy travelled to Paris and worked as a combat nurse. After the war she illustrated several books in Hungary.
She is best known for The Good Master, written in 1935, and for the Newbery Award winner, The White Stag.
Seredy received a diploma to teach art from the Academy of Arts in Budapest. During World War I Seredy travelled to Paris and worked as a combat nurse. After the war she illustrated several books in Hungary.
She is best known for The Good Master, written in 1935, and for the Newbery Award winner, The White Stag.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
July 17, 2013
"Ya know what's wrong with history books? Too much accuracy!" With words to this effect, Kate Seredy launches into the most TOTALLY METAL Newbery winner of all time. Anyone who dislikes this book never owned an Iron Maiden album.
This book delivers on its promise to avoid accuracy by serving up a bizarre, ethnocentric goulash of myth, Biblical reference, and Attila the Hun that makes it easily the most bat-crazy book on the Newbery list. For those of you who don't know, the plot goes like this: Mighty Nimrod (from the Bible) worships a pagan deity I've never heard of. His descendents interbreed with moon nymphs (as in, they actually come from the moon) and the tribe of King Ashkenaz. Ultimately, the line of Nimrod gives birth to Attila, who teams up with magical animals on a quest for the promised land.
You would think that a children's book would gloss over the massive slaughter that Attila perpetrated on Europe, but, you'd be wrong! Glorifying Attila's bloodthirst with a layer of ethnic pride is clearly the reason that Kate Seredy wrote this book in the first place.
In closing, if you hate this book, you're probably missing the point. Finally, I would like to add that I would have proudly worn any of the illustrations on a t-shirt back in my Ozzfest days.
This book delivers on its promise to avoid accuracy by serving up a bizarre, ethnocentric goulash of myth, Biblical reference, and Attila the Hun that makes it easily the most bat-crazy book on the Newbery list. For those of you who don't know, the plot goes like this: Mighty Nimrod (from the Bible) worships a pagan deity I've never heard of. His descendents interbreed with moon nymphs (as in, they actually come from the moon) and the tribe of King Ashkenaz. Ultimately, the line of Nimrod gives birth to Attila, who teams up with magical animals on a quest for the promised land.
You would think that a children's book would gloss over the massive slaughter that Attila perpetrated on Europe, but, you'd be wrong! Glorifying Attila's bloodthirst with a layer of ethnic pride is clearly the reason that Kate Seredy wrote this book in the first place.
In closing, if you hate this book, you're probably missing the point. Finally, I would like to add that I would have proudly worn any of the illustrations on a t-shirt back in my Ozzfest days.
June 19, 2012
I am slowly losing any confidence I had in the reviews for books on goodreads. A masterpiece like this or Grendel by John Gardner receive mediocre ratings, while much lesser works get a lot of hype. If anyone likes epics, folklore, mythology, and the sacred past, please pick up this book. It is a quick read, but great for young and old.
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March 25, 2019A strange children's story with an evocative opening, the narrator leads us away from history away from certain paths through an overgrown and gloomy looking park - this is the world of myth and ancient song and Seredy sings of the journeys of the ancestors of the Hungarians following a mystical White Stag which leads them over the course of four generations westwards through Asia and eventually down on to the Hungarian plain .
The strangeness is that the journey westwards is one marked by fire and blood, fighting and slaughtering and enslaving everyone in their way. The increasing cruelty and bloodlust of each generation of leaders is pointed out (and not necessarily as a negative) from Nimrod (he who was a mighty Hunter before the Lord) down to Attila the scourge of God .
The illustrations are striking, suggesting Walt Disney in full fascist mode, full of muscular men with somewhat improbable looking sabres, people fleeing in terror from the approaching Huns, and innocent maidens who one suspects won't remain either for very long.
The strangeness is that the journey westwards is one marked by fire and blood, fighting and slaughtering and enslaving everyone in their way. The increasing cruelty and bloodlust of each generation of leaders is pointed out (and not necessarily as a negative) from Nimrod (he who was a mighty Hunter before the Lord) down to Attila the scourge of God .
The illustrations are striking, suggesting Walt Disney in full fascist mode, full of muscular men with somewhat improbable looking sabres, people fleeing in terror from the approaching Huns, and innocent maidens who one suspects won't remain either for very long.
June 9, 2018
What can I say, folks? Kate Seredy is magical; and never more magical than when she sits down to retell ancient myths and legends of her homeland--Hungary.
I want to follow the White Stag westward now, too . . . ever westward, never stopping until we find the promised land cradled between the rivers and the mountains . . . and I ain't even Hungarian. (Eastern European, definitely. Hungarian, no.) Her storytelling is just that powerful.
Oh, and the illustrations (as always with Seredy) are GOLD.
I want to follow the White Stag westward now, too . . . ever westward, never stopping until we find the promised land cradled between the rivers and the mountains . . . and I ain't even Hungarian. (Eastern European, definitely. Hungarian, no.) Her storytelling is just that powerful.
Oh, and the illustrations (as always with Seredy) are GOLD.
January 18, 2011
Winner of the 1938 Newbery, this slim book is a fairy-tale adaptation of Hungarian legend, from the Biblical hunter Nimrod to the historical Attila the Hun, Scourge of God, in four generations. The miraculous beast of the title inspires the Hun and Magyar tribes (led by the warriors Hunor and Magyar respectively) to head west, looking for a plentiful paradise ringed by mountains promised by Hadur, the war god whose sword Attila is destined to find.
This is a bizarre book for children, and a bizarre choice for a children’s award. It has no historical value, being only legend, though Seredy grafts Attila onto her mythological genealogy. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but it’s frankly unworkable as a fairy tale either. There’s no reason to admire or sympathize with the bloodthirsty warriors who murder their way through Europe, and it’s such a brief tale there’s no time for the reader to feel anything for them in any case. There’s no denying that it’s beautifully written, but I just couldn’t get past the baffling subject matter, nor the abrupt and wholly unsatisfying ending.
This is a bizarre book for children, and a bizarre choice for a children’s award. It has no historical value, being only legend, though Seredy grafts Attila onto her mythological genealogy. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but it’s frankly unworkable as a fairy tale either. There’s no reason to admire or sympathize with the bloodthirsty warriors who murder their way through Europe, and it’s such a brief tale there’s no time for the reader to feel anything for them in any case. There’s no denying that it’s beautifully written, but I just couldn’t get past the baffling subject matter, nor the abrupt and wholly unsatisfying ending.
October 9, 2014
This book is terrible. I am frankly shocked by how high a rating it has here. My children, who are very forgiving and love almost everything they read, were completely turned off by the tone of the book. I read it to them as a bedtime story and we couldn't wait for it to be over.
It is very much the product of its time, with these larger than life mythological/historic figures making dramatic pronouncements and performing dramatic deeds. There are lots of dramatic, flowery language that serves no purpose other than to be dramatic and flowery. The story itself was shallow and if your kids know anything about the real Attila and his methods, comes off as an attempt to make it noble to, you know, swoop in and kill a bunch of people. It was honestly literary torture. It was like watching an opera that is so terribly over-acted that you can't help but start to laugh.
I wanted to completely stop reading it after each nightly reading, but one of my kids has a thing about not finish books, so we pushed on through.
We bought our copy of this book at a second hand store and it had yellowing pages and was starting to come apart. I had no qualms about throwing it in the trash when we were done.
It is very much the product of its time, with these larger than life mythological/historic figures making dramatic pronouncements and performing dramatic deeds. There are lots of dramatic, flowery language that serves no purpose other than to be dramatic and flowery. The story itself was shallow and if your kids know anything about the real Attila and his methods, comes off as an attempt to make it noble to, you know, swoop in and kill a bunch of people. It was honestly literary torture. It was like watching an opera that is so terribly over-acted that you can't help but start to laugh.
I wanted to completely stop reading it after each nightly reading, but one of my kids has a thing about not finish books, so we pushed on through.
We bought our copy of this book at a second hand store and it had yellowing pages and was starting to come apart. I had no qualms about throwing it in the trash when we were done.
July 23, 2018
I've read and enjoyed Kate Seredy's work in the past, so when I saw a hardcover edition of a title I didn't have online for $3, I hopped on it. Turns out the library reject is also a first edition, and further investigation shows it to be a Newbery award winner. I wasn't quite expecting something like a picture book when I pulled it out of the box, but it's rather like that, though the prose is firmly for older kids.
I also didn't read reviews ahead of time. I expected it to be a culturally rich tale about Hungary's history; instead it is a confusing legend about the Huns and Magyars having pagan origins and marrying wood fairies and so on. Just not my thing.
Oh well. The illustrations are pretty, and the book was short. On to the next!
Content: paganism, horse's death
I also didn't read reviews ahead of time. I expected it to be a culturally rich tale about Hungary's history; instead it is a confusing legend about the Huns and Magyars having pagan origins and marrying wood fairies and so on. Just not my thing.
Oh well. The illustrations are pretty, and the book was short. On to the next!
Content: paganism, horse's death
January 6, 2016
At least it was brief. American publishing must have had an off year in 1938 for this to win the Newbery. The White Stag is a decidedly odd retelling of history and mythology supplemented with epic drawings. OK, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on this book, considering the art. Bulging muscles on both men and beasts, lots of swords and lightning, talons, often all mixed together.
If you've been looking for a children's book that glorifies slaughter, that recommends children be raised with no love, carried naked and unarmed into battle, then this book is for you! If you were looking for character motivations beyond "God has willed it," you may want to look elsewhere.
If you've been looking for a children's book that glorifies slaughter, that recommends children be raised with no love, carried naked and unarmed into battle, then this book is for you! If you were looking for character motivations beyond "God has willed it," you may want to look elsewhere.
March 4, 2012
This book is incredibly deserving of its 1938 Newbery Medal. It's brilliant. Though it appears to be a children's book, the style is a mature blend of the epic style of Virgil, the wide story arc of the Old Testament, and the legends of the Huns. The prose reads like poetry, with descriptions that modern authors can only dream of. And the illustrations are simply amazing. This is a story to aspire to, but also a story to treasure. It yearns to be read aloud.
That's all I can say, and my words are woefully inadequate. The White Stag leaves me with a sense of awe.
That's all I can say, and my words are woefully inadequate. The White Stag leaves me with a sense of awe.
February 2, 2012
The taste in bombastic prose has changed since the 1930s ... one can only hope. I have no quibble with Seredy's artistic ability - the illustrations range from very good to almost amazing. Their content, however, and the text remind me of "Die Nibelungen" films by Fritz Lang crossed with Exodus from the Bible (just to disambiguate it from other Exoduses). Seredy warns us in her Foreword that this saga of the Hunnic "migration" to Hungary cannot stand up to "facts and dates."
I love a good pageant as much as the next teuton-descendant and I love folktales, but this story is unnecessarily messianic and flies in the face of what little I know about Etsel/Attila. I knew next-to-nothing about the Magyars and less about Seredy herself. I suppose that nationalism was in the air at the time and, as it was followed by the rise of fascism, it tends to make me a little ill. [The United States is a lovely country, nice folks - usually, possessed of a beautiful diversity of scenery - but it's only special to me because I'm from here. In general, people don't look at the country/state/neighborhood of their birth and say "This sucks, I'm outta here." But there's no call for anyone from anywhere to say we are the best of everything.]
Short book even shorter: The Huns and Magyars are looking for a homeland and their Moses is called Nimrod. He and his sons follow the magical white stag that will lead them to their promised land, but he, like Moses, will not make it. His sons continue the wandering and marry "moonmaidens." The son of one of these unions finds a Cimmerian slave woman acquired in the path who is convinced that Bendeguz is the White Eagle of her people's folklore and marries him. Aleeta is frightened by the flag with the red eagle on it, but bravely ties her belt to it to show her approval - then goes to give birth to Attila and die in the process.
Bendeguz has challenged Hadur, their god, to show ... up or something and after a pause for Hadur to get his breath probably, a storm breaks out, lightning strikes, Attila is born and Aleeta dies which hardens Bendeguz's heart and he swears to turn Attila into a fearless and remorseless slayer of men. A comet announces the coming of the Scourge of God (Attila) and the civilized world trembles. After the coming of age of Attila and at the end of his trail of blood, when they reach Hungary (thanks to the White Stag showing up after being gone for decades and showing them the secret pass through the mountains) Attila conveniently finds the Sword of Hadur just sticking out of the ground and he turns all nice!
Seredy mixes fairies, literal fairies, with the story of violent conquest. It's not for all tastes, even for those of us who read Die Nibelungenlied and a saddlebag full of Icelandic Sagas.
I love a good pageant as much as the next teuton-descendant and I love folktales, but this story is unnecessarily messianic and flies in the face of what little I know about Etsel/Attila. I knew next-to-nothing about the Magyars and less about Seredy herself. I suppose that nationalism was in the air at the time and, as it was followed by the rise of fascism, it tends to make me a little ill. [The United States is a lovely country, nice folks - usually, possessed of a beautiful diversity of scenery - but it's only special to me because I'm from here. In general, people don't look at the country/state/neighborhood of their birth and say "This sucks, I'm outta here." But there's no call for anyone from anywhere to say we are the best of everything.]
Short book even shorter: The Huns and Magyars are looking for a homeland and their Moses is called Nimrod. He and his sons follow the magical white stag that will lead them to their promised land, but he, like Moses, will not make it. His sons continue the wandering and marry "moonmaidens." The son of one of these unions finds a Cimmerian slave woman acquired in the path who is convinced that Bendeguz is the White Eagle of her people's folklore and marries him. Aleeta is frightened by the flag with the red eagle on it, but bravely ties her belt to it to show her approval - then goes to give birth to Attila and die in the process.
Bendeguz has challenged Hadur, their god, to show ... up or something and after a pause for Hadur to get his breath probably, a storm breaks out, lightning strikes, Attila is born and Aleeta dies which hardens Bendeguz's heart and he swears to turn Attila into a fearless and remorseless slayer of men. A comet announces the coming of the Scourge of God (Attila) and the civilized world trembles. After the coming of age of Attila and at the end of his trail of blood, when they reach Hungary (thanks to the White Stag showing up after being gone for decades and showing them the secret pass through the mountains) Attila conveniently finds the Sword of Hadur just sticking out of the ground and he turns all nice!
Seredy mixes fairies, literal fairies, with the story of violent conquest. It's not for all tastes, even for those of us who read Die Nibelungenlied and a saddlebag full of Icelandic Sagas.
October 20, 2010
I really was thinking we'd turned a corner on Newbery books I like, but this one was ... well, it just didn't do it for me.
I wanted to like it, but as is often the case with me and historical fiction, I spend the whole time wondering if this is really what happened. And the whole "making Attila the Hun a sympathetic character" thing was annoying.
This is the tiniest of books, and I probably should have just read it in one sitting, but I read it during two pedicures. Which means that I read half of it and then totally forgot about it and then read the other half a month or so later.
So ... I have nothing else to say about this book, except now I can say I've read it. Oh, and I have a twenty cent fine for it at the library because I kept thinking I'd return it.
But wait! There's more! I was just about to put this book by the door to get it to the library when I took out the library receipt printouts and remembered that I had marked something in the author's introduction. Usually I do that because I like how something was written, or a quote that was used. In this case, I marked it because of its preposterousness. Check out the last line of this quote:
Those who want to hear the voice of pagan gods in wind and thunder, who want to see fairies dance in the moonlight, who can believe that faith can move mountains, can follow the thread on the pages of this book. It is a fragile thread; it cannot bear the weight of facts and dates. Oy. The fact that it's followed by this bold claim: "Here is the epic story of the migration of the Huns and Magyars from Asia to Europe, written in beautiful, rhythmic prose, with pictures that reflect the breathtaking pageantry of history." is rather ridiculous, IMO.
I wanted to like it, but as is often the case with me and historical fiction, I spend the whole time wondering if this is really what happened. And the whole "making Attila the Hun a sympathetic character" thing was annoying.
This is the tiniest of books, and I probably should have just read it in one sitting, but I read it during two pedicures. Which means that I read half of it and then totally forgot about it and then read the other half a month or so later.
So ... I have nothing else to say about this book, except now I can say I've read it. Oh, and I have a twenty cent fine for it at the library because I kept thinking I'd return it.
But wait! There's more! I was just about to put this book by the door to get it to the library when I took out the library receipt printouts and remembered that I had marked something in the author's introduction. Usually I do that because I like how something was written, or a quote that was used. In this case, I marked it because of its preposterousness. Check out the last line of this quote:
Those who want to hear the voice of pagan gods in wind and thunder, who want to see fairies dance in the moonlight, who can believe that faith can move mountains, can follow the thread on the pages of this book. It is a fragile thread; it cannot bear the weight of facts and dates. Oy. The fact that it's followed by this bold claim: "Here is the epic story of the migration of the Huns and Magyars from Asia to Europe, written in beautiful, rhythmic prose, with pictures that reflect the breathtaking pageantry of history." is rather ridiculous, IMO.
October 4, 2009
I remember looking at the book primarily for the lovely charcoal drawings but I never read the story. Well, about 23 years later, I finally get around to actually reading the story. Probably just as well. I might have liked the story, but I doubt I would have appreciated it all that much. This was an interesting tale. In a nutshell it's sort of a mythological take on a young Attila the Hun. Most books portray Attila and Huns in general as bloodthirsty, savage warloads. In "The White Stag," the are still sweeping conquerers, but Attila and his ancestors are cast in a kinder light. This story follows the line and journey of the sons, grandson and great-grandson of Nimrod to find the prophecied land where their people will claim and settle. The White Stag is a magical creature that appears every so often to lead their way. It reads very much like a classic myth, and I think older gradeschool and up would enjoy it, especially if they like fantasy and mythology.
March 8, 2017
The White Stag was... OK, I guess? I applaud Kate Seredy for writing so well in English (a friend mentioned that English isn't her first language) and for her beautiful drawings. Everything else in the book was just strange. I enjoy hearing about the mythology of other cultures (see the brilliant 1941 medalist Call It Courage and its re-telling of a Polynesian tale), but I just couldn't follow what I was reading here. It was just one random thing after another; Nimrod dies, his sons see this white stag and their horses start flying to chase after it, the sons marry these ethereal fairy women, and so on. It's...odd. But I do see that many on Goodreads liked it, and they're well entitled to do so. As I mentioned, the descriptions and illustrations are lovely. It's just that the plot left me cold.
March 4, 2018
This is the most random of all Newberys that I have read. Although I have long-ago, vague, positive memories of The Good Master, an earlier Kate Seredy Newbery Honor book, it’s hard to imagine this Hungarian mixture of folklore and mythology receiving a children’s literature award. Attila the Hun’s history and formative years are not topics I’d recommend to my grandchildren, and, as an aside, Seredy’s book is rife with grammatical errors.
Her illustrations, however, are incredible; I can see how she deserved a Caldecott Medal for a later book after I saw those in The White Stag.
And…I am glad that the book was short; this 1935 winner again demonstrates how far children’s books have come!
Her illustrations, however, are incredible; I can see how she deserved a Caldecott Medal for a later book after I saw those in The White Stag.
And…I am glad that the book was short; this 1935 winner again demonstrates how far children’s books have come!
July 12, 2020
A short and nicely written retelling of the legends of Huns and Magyars, and their arrival to Europe.
December 5, 2019
“Hadur, Powerful God, Thou hast indeed turned the sword against me, Thy sword, Hadur, not mine! But Thou hast given me a scourge in its place and I swear to Thee, I, Bendeguz the White Eagle, that I shall use that scourge, that I shall make it into the most dreadful weapon ever known to men. Thou hast given me a son, Hadur, he will be that scourge! My son, Attila the Red Eagle, the Scourge of God!”
And so it was that in the year 408, Attila the Hun was born to Bendeguz the White Eagle and Alleeta, a girl captured during one of the many Hun raids. Alleeta who would die in childbirth but would give her tribe one of the greatest and most brutal leaders it would ever know. A leader who would take his people on a journey foretold by his great grandfather Nimrod, Mighty Hunter before the Lord, and started by his grandfather, Hunor of the Hun tribe, and his great uncle, Magyar of the Magyar tribe, and then continued by his father Bendeguz the White Eagle. Great warriors who would bear the flag of the Red Eagle and follow the mythical White Stag from the headlands of wild Altain-Ula in the west toward the east. A pilgrimage sweeping from Asia to Europe and leaving countless men, women, and children dead, dying, or enslaved. A journey that wouldn’t stop until the promised homeland was reached.
Through her poetic prose and beautiful illustrations, Kate Seredy delivers an epic story mixing fantasy, legend, myth, biblical references, and history. Although Seredy doesn’t fully plunge into the breadth of Attila’s savagery and conquests, she gives her young audience enough information to fully understand that the Huns were a rather nasty and savage lot. Readers know from the onset that what they are about to delve into is going to be more epic fantasy than straight-from-the-books history: “Those who want to hear the voice of pagan gods in wind and thunder, who want to see fairies dance in the moonlight, who can believe that faith can move mountains, can follow the thread on the pages of this book. It is a fragile thread; it cannot bear the weight of facts and dates.”
Through her rich illustrations that bring this magnificent tale to life, Seredy immerses her readers with a story of moonmaidens and miracles, life and death, and bravery and barbarism. But above all of these, she gives us a tale of courage and faith and how the two are tightly woven together. Because my own words often come up short, I sometimes choose to end my reviews with a quote (some known and others not so much) that manages to encapsulate the feelings and lessons I’m left with after the last page is turned and the book has been reshelved for another. I found the perfect one from self-help writer Edmond Mbiaka who said, “At every given moment in your life, you have the option to move backwards with fears and doubts or to keep pushing forward with faith and courage.” Although our own personal moments may never compare to those of the Huns or Magyars, we can find comfort in knowing that we too can reach our own “promised land” if we hold fast, stay true, and never waiver in our convictions and belief.
And so it was that in the year 408, Attila the Hun was born to Bendeguz the White Eagle and Alleeta, a girl captured during one of the many Hun raids. Alleeta who would die in childbirth but would give her tribe one of the greatest and most brutal leaders it would ever know. A leader who would take his people on a journey foretold by his great grandfather Nimrod, Mighty Hunter before the Lord, and started by his grandfather, Hunor of the Hun tribe, and his great uncle, Magyar of the Magyar tribe, and then continued by his father Bendeguz the White Eagle. Great warriors who would bear the flag of the Red Eagle and follow the mythical White Stag from the headlands of wild Altain-Ula in the west toward the east. A pilgrimage sweeping from Asia to Europe and leaving countless men, women, and children dead, dying, or enslaved. A journey that wouldn’t stop until the promised homeland was reached.
Through her poetic prose and beautiful illustrations, Kate Seredy delivers an epic story mixing fantasy, legend, myth, biblical references, and history. Although Seredy doesn’t fully plunge into the breadth of Attila’s savagery and conquests, she gives her young audience enough information to fully understand that the Huns were a rather nasty and savage lot. Readers know from the onset that what they are about to delve into is going to be more epic fantasy than straight-from-the-books history: “Those who want to hear the voice of pagan gods in wind and thunder, who want to see fairies dance in the moonlight, who can believe that faith can move mountains, can follow the thread on the pages of this book. It is a fragile thread; it cannot bear the weight of facts and dates.”
Through her rich illustrations that bring this magnificent tale to life, Seredy immerses her readers with a story of moonmaidens and miracles, life and death, and bravery and barbarism. But above all of these, she gives us a tale of courage and faith and how the two are tightly woven together. Because my own words often come up short, I sometimes choose to end my reviews with a quote (some known and others not so much) that manages to encapsulate the feelings and lessons I’m left with after the last page is turned and the book has been reshelved for another. I found the perfect one from self-help writer Edmond Mbiaka who said, “At every given moment in your life, you have the option to move backwards with fears and doubts or to keep pushing forward with faith and courage.” Although our own personal moments may never compare to those of the Huns or Magyars, we can find comfort in knowing that we too can reach our own “promised land” if we hold fast, stay true, and never waiver in our convictions and belief.
March 23, 2023
(read over a few nights this past winter, from a older, nicely illustrated hard cover) ... Memorable story, neatly told. Bits and pieces seemed vaguely familiar. Count it among the many pieces of folklore that deserve to be more widely known & reflected upon. Greek & Roman, Norse, & Celtic get almost all the attention at least in the English-speaking, Western popular culture.
It's showing up as read two times because I don't know how to edit the date read from read with no date to a guess of when I read it, but I've only read it once so far. Will reread though, I'm sure.
It's showing up as read two times because I don't know how to edit the date read from read with no date to a guess of when I read it, but I've only read it once so far. Will reread though, I'm sure.
May 27, 2017
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
The 1938 Newbery Medal winner, The White Stag, is a slim novel with many illustrations. In short, descriptive chapters, it relates the story of the Huns and Magyars making their way to their "promised land" where they will eventually settle the country of Hungary. Each chapter represents a new generation, beginning with Nimrod, and ending with the birth and rise to power of Attila the Hun. Magical elements appear throughout the story, in the form of a white stag said to be sent by the god Hadur, a young blind man who sees the future, and moonmaidens who become the wives of some of the characters. The story is based on the author's father's favorite folktale about the history of Hungary, and is not intended as a factual presentation of events.
When I was planning my historical fiction reading project, I opted not to include The White Stag, mostly because it spans such a long period of time that it would be hard to fit it into my timeline, but also because it involves magic, and I am focusing on realistic novels. However, after learning that the author, Kate Seredy, was living in Montgomery, NY (not far from my hometown) when she wrote this book, I decided I absolutely had to read it. I wound up reading the entire thing aloud to my husband and toddler in a single sitting, and despite not knowing anything about the Huns, I was completely drawn into the story and eager for each new turn of events.
Seredy's writing is a treat unto itself. She has a wonderful way of getting inside the minds and hearts of her characters to guess at what might have motivated their behaviors and attitudes. Though most of us know Attila the Hun as a fearsome conqueror, Seredy takes the time to explore why this might have been, and shows how the peaceful attitudes of his forebears devolved, over time, into violence. There are a ton of negative reviews on Goodreads complaining that this portrayal of Attila is somehow offensive, or "wrong" but those reviewers really seem to be missing the point. This is a mythical tale, not a textbook, and speculating about what could have happened is half the fun of reading and writing historical fiction. As with Konigsburg's The Second Mrs. Gioconda, this is a book to enjoy in conjunction with learning about the time period, as it is knowledge of the historical events that enriches the reading experience.
Though the subject matter might be unfamiliar to kids, the layout of this book is very appealing, with a full-page illustration every 2-3 pages. If it is presented to them as an exciting epic rather than a boring old award winner, I would think boys, especially, will happily allow themselves to be sucked into the story. Though the book is short, like a chapter book, I would put it in the same category as Call it Courage and recommend it to older elementary readers. It's also a wonderful read-aloud, and even reading just one chapter aloud to a group is likely to grab their interest. Don't let the negative reviews on the Internet fool you - this is a great book, and it holds up just fine nearly 80 years after it was first published.
The 1938 Newbery Medal winner, The White Stag, is a slim novel with many illustrations. In short, descriptive chapters, it relates the story of the Huns and Magyars making their way to their "promised land" where they will eventually settle the country of Hungary. Each chapter represents a new generation, beginning with Nimrod, and ending with the birth and rise to power of Attila the Hun. Magical elements appear throughout the story, in the form of a white stag said to be sent by the god Hadur, a young blind man who sees the future, and moonmaidens who become the wives of some of the characters. The story is based on the author's father's favorite folktale about the history of Hungary, and is not intended as a factual presentation of events.
When I was planning my historical fiction reading project, I opted not to include The White Stag, mostly because it spans such a long period of time that it would be hard to fit it into my timeline, but also because it involves magic, and I am focusing on realistic novels. However, after learning that the author, Kate Seredy, was living in Montgomery, NY (not far from my hometown) when she wrote this book, I decided I absolutely had to read it. I wound up reading the entire thing aloud to my husband and toddler in a single sitting, and despite not knowing anything about the Huns, I was completely drawn into the story and eager for each new turn of events.
Seredy's writing is a treat unto itself. She has a wonderful way of getting inside the minds and hearts of her characters to guess at what might have motivated their behaviors and attitudes. Though most of us know Attila the Hun as a fearsome conqueror, Seredy takes the time to explore why this might have been, and shows how the peaceful attitudes of his forebears devolved, over time, into violence. There are a ton of negative reviews on Goodreads complaining that this portrayal of Attila is somehow offensive, or "wrong" but those reviewers really seem to be missing the point. This is a mythical tale, not a textbook, and speculating about what could have happened is half the fun of reading and writing historical fiction. As with Konigsburg's The Second Mrs. Gioconda, this is a book to enjoy in conjunction with learning about the time period, as it is knowledge of the historical events that enriches the reading experience.
Though the subject matter might be unfamiliar to kids, the layout of this book is very appealing, with a full-page illustration every 2-3 pages. If it is presented to them as an exciting epic rather than a boring old award winner, I would think boys, especially, will happily allow themselves to be sucked into the story. Though the book is short, like a chapter book, I would put it in the same category as Call it Courage and recommend it to older elementary readers. It's also a wonderful read-aloud, and even reading just one chapter aloud to a group is likely to grab their interest. Don't let the negative reviews on the Internet fool you - this is a great book, and it holds up just fine nearly 80 years after it was first published.
June 23, 2021
I am happy to report I finished this book. It is over. Yay. Only 96 pages but it felt like ages.
This is mythic fiction written in grandiloquent style, and not an easy or fun reading experience. The book is divided into four parts starting with the story of Nimrod and his vision of a white stag. Part two covers the generation of Nimrod's two sons, Hunor and Magyar.
In part three the hero figure is Hunor's son, Bendeguz. The rift between the Huns and Magyars widens as they don't agree on where to go or what to do. Bendeguz leads them into battle and trains his son, Attila the Hun, to be a mean, cruel fighting machine. Attila is hero of part four of the book.
They keep talking about "God" but they're really talking about Hadur, their "God of Fire" . . .
I could have lived forever without ever having to read this, but no, I have a goal of reading all the Newbery list books, both winners and honor books. This unusual epic novel of conquest and bloodshed won the Newbery Medal in 1938. It makes you wonder what the Newbery committee was thinking that year. Why would they choose a book about a murderous tribe as the best USA children's literature for the year? I guarantee you, it wasn't because it was easily readable or pleasant to read.
The three Newbery Honor Books that year were Pecos Bill, Bright Island, and On the Banks of Plum Creek. By great good fortune I have all three of those here in this room with me. I want to read them... to see which one I'd have chosen for the Newbery Medal that year. I've already read On the Banks of Plum Creek (albeit 20 years ago at least) and I think I'd definitely choose that over a saga of bloody aggressive warriors.
This is mythic fiction written in grandiloquent style, and not an easy or fun reading experience. The book is divided into four parts starting with the story of Nimrod and his vision of a white stag. Part two covers the generation of Nimrod's two sons, Hunor and Magyar.
In part three the hero figure is Hunor's son, Bendeguz. The rift between the Huns and Magyars widens as they don't agree on where to go or what to do. Bendeguz leads them into battle and trains his son, Attila the Hun, to be a mean, cruel fighting machine. Attila is hero of part four of the book.
They keep talking about "God" but they're really talking about Hadur, their "God of Fire" . . .
I could have lived forever without ever having to read this, but no, I have a goal of reading all the Newbery list books, both winners and honor books. This unusual epic novel of conquest and bloodshed won the Newbery Medal in 1938. It makes you wonder what the Newbery committee was thinking that year. Why would they choose a book about a murderous tribe as the best USA children's literature for the year? I guarantee you, it wasn't because it was easily readable or pleasant to read.
The three Newbery Honor Books that year were Pecos Bill, Bright Island, and On the Banks of Plum Creek. By great good fortune I have all three of those here in this room with me. I want to read them... to see which one I'd have chosen for the Newbery Medal that year. I've already read On the Banks of Plum Creek (albeit 20 years ago at least) and I think I'd definitely choose that over a saga of bloody aggressive warriors.
September 16, 2018
A four-part generational legend of the journey of the Huns and Magyars into/across Europe, beginning with Nimrod and ending with Attila and the achieving of the Promised Land. A solid work of historical mythology, wrought in quietly assured prose sprinkled with vivid imagery. Looking forward to more of Kate Seredy's work.
Not quite four stars, more like a strong 3.5. I didn't find much to invest in, but a keeper for my middle grade shelves nonetheless.
Not quite four stars, more like a strong 3.5. I didn't find much to invest in, but a keeper for my middle grade shelves nonetheless.
December 27, 2018
This book is heavy. The best example I can think of a gnarled, bloodthirsty, sword-wielding, multi-generational epic in about 45 short pages of text and raw b&w drawings. Brutal and ugly and so elegant. Newberry-approved violence for children!
I read this to my kids and they were confused, and we were all swept away to a really dark past.
I read this to my kids and they were confused, and we were all swept away to a really dark past.
March 3, 2015
I am not sure what to think of this novel. It is about the Hun and Magyars tribes, and their journey west in hopes of finding a new home. Its a mythological story. I was bored out of my mind reading it and do not feel that children at the elementary level would be interested.
December 29, 2010
Utterly boring, and thankfully a very quick read.
February 15, 2024
This read like prophetic fiction should read. I can see why in the middle of a worldwide depression, with the horrors of Nazis and fascism beginning to descend, a book like this won the Newbery. It is grim but still had some ultimate hope. While well written, and a fast read, I can also see why it isn’t popular these days. This encourages sacrifice for the country’s destiny. This isn’t a popular notion these days! With its unquestioning obedience to prophecy and leaders, I’m not sure I care for some of its message. I don’t see it as likely to ever be really popular again. I think legends and folklore were popular in the early Newbery days. This is the 1938 Newbery.
April 7, 2020
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Now this is one of the only short fantasy books I have ever read that was actually enjoyable.
Well written, great story.
Bookstagram
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Now this is one of the only short fantasy books I have ever read that was actually enjoyable.
Well written, great story.
December 19, 2021
This is an older Newbery winner and not one of my favorites. The edition that I read had her original drawings as well. And that was really cool. It's a version of the ancient Hungary legends that tell about how they found their homeland. And it was fine. You don't really connect to any of the characters. She tells a very short story - it's only 90 pages PLUS pictures. So...again, just an okay book.
March 31, 2016
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you are reading through the Newbery winners and comment on the trend of "slice of life stories with wholesome, spunky kids who have episodic adventures," your next book will be a mythic story that glorifies conquest and war.
The White Stag is an odd little book. On one hand, we have myths from a country actually being told by someone from that country and Seredy does an admirable job at recreating that grandiose feeling of epic and myth in her writing.
On the other hand, this is a book about Attila the Hun that celebrates war and conquering new lands (and raising children without love--that was the secret to Attila, btw).
The book is also full of striking charcoal drawings that were vaguely reminiscent of several Ayn Rand covers.
The White Stag is an odd little book. On one hand, we have myths from a country actually being told by someone from that country and Seredy does an admirable job at recreating that grandiose feeling of epic and myth in her writing.
On the other hand, this is a book about Attila the Hun that celebrates war and conquering new lands (and raising children without love--that was the secret to Attila, btw).
The book is also full of striking charcoal drawings that were vaguely reminiscent of several Ayn Rand covers.
September 15, 2020
Meh! Just did not hold my interest.
I did find the information about the origin of these fairy tales interesting. Supposedly, the Huns traveled eastward into Hungary by some accounts of history, and others refute it. I find this interesting because my husband's family claims ties to the Czeh Republic, although say they are Bohemian. If you trace the history, all of these countries are in approximately the same region. My daughter did a genetic test to see what "nationality" she was. Nothing was to startling except that she came back as 1% Asian which surprised us. We knew German, Bohemian, British, Scottish, and Irish but had no clue where the Asian came in. So........when I saw the Huns mentioned invading Hungary, I immediately thought that might explain my daughter's genetic results!
I did find the information about the origin of these fairy tales interesting. Supposedly, the Huns traveled eastward into Hungary by some accounts of history, and others refute it. I find this interesting because my husband's family claims ties to the Czeh Republic, although say they are Bohemian. If you trace the history, all of these countries are in approximately the same region. My daughter did a genetic test to see what "nationality" she was. Nothing was to startling except that she came back as 1% Asian which surprised us. We knew German, Bohemian, British, Scottish, and Irish but had no clue where the Asian came in. So........when I saw the Huns mentioned invading Hungary, I immediately thought that might explain my daughter's genetic results!
August 19, 2014
This was the shortest Newbery winner so far. Not only is it under 100 pages, almost every other page had a huge illustration taking up the entire page. I can see how a kid in the 30's might have really enjoyed this book. That was before WWII and the huge amount of propaganda posters/movies/tv shows/etc that came with the war. That's really what this book is, it's a short propaganda story. The premise is that it was ok for Atilla to slaughter all of those people. He had a destiny to fulfill. It was all part of a bigger story. It didn't really impress me all that much. The illustrations were lovely, though.
November 7, 2016
A large part of me wanted to rate this two stars because it didn't do a lot for me. I didn't find the story all that interesting and i'm not sure how well it would connect to kids in this day and age either. However, it is beautifully written and towards the end of the book things picked up a bit. I had always heard of Attila the Hun but never knew anything about him. This book seems to be mostly myth and glorifying legends, but it did make me interested in learning about the historical figure of Attila.
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