My tween years saw the height of my young adult fantasy reading obsession. Although there were many notable characters in this period, my favorite book by far was and continues to the The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley. This book drew my attention as a tender 11-year-old, and since then I have returned to it periodically for the timeless wisdom within. Corin, the main character and narrator, offers a perspective on sexism, British monarchy, power, and trauma that can’t be found in any other book for such young readers. When I remember this book, I think of Paulo Freire saying that a true teacher learns from the students, or of Pablo Picasso saying that every child is an artist.
When I took a class on literary adaptations in 2014, it wasn’t apparent at first that I would be called to write about The Folk Keeper for the entire class. But that’s exactly what I did. Now, in the spirit of continuing the conversation with this magnificent piece of artwork, I’d like to make those adaptations available to you all, my readers. In the next series of blog posts, I’ll share three short pieces that I adapted from Franny Billingsley’s work. But if you haven’t read this book already, please grab yourself a copy and settle in. And Ms. Billingsley, if you’re reading this post, thank you.
Asyia Gover Poetry & Prose 
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