The Outcast of Redwall by Brian Jacques

The Outcast of Redwall by Brian Jacques is about the son of an evil ferret named Swart Sixclaw. The unnamed baby was abandoned at birth during a battle between otters and squirrels on one side and Swart Sixclaw on the other. The kind mouse Byrony took the baby ferret in and the abbess of the abbey Redwall named him Veil. As Veil grew up he began to steal from Redwallers. His father’s bad blood was showing through. His behavior got worse as he grew older. One day he was banished for a horrible crime. Byrony soon began looking for Veil. Veil soon meets his father. Will Veil side with the only creature that ever loved him, or should he turn his back on his father? The horrible crime that caused this situation is one of my favorite parts.

My favorite part was when Veil climbs the wall of Redwall. He did this because he had tried to poison the cook. Veil held a grudge against the cook because he would always get caught when he tried to steal from the kitchens. The nurse found out what kind of poison Veil used. She tricked him into thinking his hands were stained red from the poison. When the nurse made the announcement about the poisoning, everyone began looking for red hands. The nurse had dyed her hands red to show everyone what the criminal’s hands would look like, She also said she had a wash in her study to clean the red away. Knowing it was the only way to get out of punishment, Veil climbed to the nurse’s study to wash his hands. Guards were watching from outside the room. They came in while Veil was washing his hands, and the guards arrested him. Then he was banished for his horrible crime.
The story continues with the adventures of Veil, his father, and Byrony. To find out how it ends, you’ll have to read the book.
Gabe