I have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled with this book in the beginning because the phonetic dialogue was difficult to understand, but I stuck it out aI have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled with this book in the beginning because the phonetic dialogue was difficult to understand, but I stuck it out and things got easier, eventually working its way up to 5 stars. The characters and their stories, while at times tragic, were spot-on authentic. Stowe has done a superb job, maybe better than anyone, of presenting the full picture of slavery.
The story opens with Uncle Tom's benevolent master making the difficult decision to sell both him and Eliza's young son in order to get himself out of a debt. Faced with the reality of losing her son, Eliza makes the difficult decision to flee. Though Tom has a wife and three kids, he goes without resistance, thus making his name forever synonymous with "selling out." He is sold to another benevolent master, pinning his hopes on either being rebought by his first master or being freed by his second master. But things take a terrible turn for Tom when his second master dies, and he's sold to a third master, Simon Legree. Simon represents the worst of all slave owners. He is harsh and cruel to his slaves. He intends to break Tom of his honor, optimism, and faith.
And now for the "Uncle Tom" soapbox. To those who use the term to describe a black person who has sold out his black heritage to his white oppressors, I say you either haven't read the book and are simply accepting what you've heard without proof, or you don't understand the book. One comment I read on this site actually said Uncle Tom was the slave every slaveowner would have wanted. That is simply not true. He was the exact opposite of the slave Simon Legree would have wanted.
The truth is that Tom gave his allegiance to no man, white or black. His only master was Jesus. Unfortunately, many people reject this. As a result, Stowe's beloved character, the one that got the ball rolling on ending slavery, the one that caused white people to pause and think about what they were doing, is the very character that has come under derision. Some people have deluded themselves into believing that Tom did not run like Eliza to make things easy on his master. But I say, even if Tom did like his master, could it be possible that he had a different reason for going easily? Could it have been obvious to him that the chance of five people, three children, one a crying infant, making it to Ohio was zero? Could it be that he wasn't acquiescing to make things easier for the master, as the Uncle Tom misnomer suggests, but that he actually, heroically, was making things easier for his family by not gambling their lives on an unknown, and instead choosing to keep them all together in a place where they were safe and well treated?
As for Tom's actions under Simon Legree, the worst depiction of a white man, let's break it down. A slave could only behave one of two ways under Simon Legree. He could break, becoming as utterly despicable as the white slaveowner, which to me sounds like selling out, or he could suffer unimaginable pain in order to not become like the white slave owner, which to me sounds like NOT selling out. Tom chose the latter. Sambo and Quimbo are the ones who sold out the black man. Why aren't people calling out "Sambo" rather than "Uncle Tom."
I have suspicions, but I'll leave that for others to ponder. It's a shame. And even though, Tom, a black man, is presented as the most admirable character in the whole book, maybe in all of literature, and even though in both instances, under two different types of masters, Tom did the thing that first saved his black family from potential suffering and then saved his fellow black slaves from beatings, some people still want to call out "Uncle Tom" with a negative connotation. Anyone who walks away thinking Tom did anything out of subservience to a white master is seeing what they want to see. I wonder what Stowe would think about all this.
Probably turning over in her grave.
Note to teachers: many uses of the n-word, which is not surprising given the date it was written....more
You Choose books are poplular with my students, so I'm always looking to expand our library's options, especially if they can learn a little history aYou Choose books are poplular with my students, so I'm always looking to expand our library's options, especially if they can learn a little history as well. Unfortunately, I didn't find this book all that appealing. These are the three paths.
Bunker Hill: Massachusetts militia or British soldier Saratoga: Drummer boy for Connecticut militia or nanny for Hessian general King's Mountain: Overmountain Men or Loyalist militia
I just didn't find these to be all that exciting. The writing style is not very engaging. It's basic. Younger kids would have no problem with these. The three battles are minor in my opinion. I would have preferred the Concord battle where the shot was heard around the world, Washington's escape from New York, Valley Forge, Boston Massacre.
It's a shame because I'm always trying to get my students to read books about the Revolutionary War. It's a tough sell. I thought this would be the ticket. It's not. I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 is still the best for this age. ...more
I'm a fan. I love history. I tend to enjoy Avi's writing. However, this is rarely true of kids. With the excepAdult rating: 4 stars Kid rating: 2 stars
I'm a fan. I love history. I tend to enjoy Avi's writing. However, this is rarely true of kids. With the exception of The Cross of Lead, I have a hard time convincing kids to read Avi's books. It's not just him. Of all the wars, kids are more interested in World War 2 than either the Revolutionary War or Civil War. And while this book does have its moments of high intensity, there are also moments when it drags. This book will make the purchase list for my library because I need good Revolutionary War books for that rare kid who has an interest, but I honestly don't expect it to be checked out much.
What I love most about this book is that it gives us the loyalist perspective. In fact, I believe it's the first Revolutionary War book I've read that does so. The book opens with Noah's father, a pastor and loyalist, being stripped of his clothes by a group of rebels, then tar and feathered. He dies soon after. Then Noah himself is kidnapped and beaten until he denies loyalty to the British king. Fearing for her family's safety in the rebellious suburbs, his mother decides to move the 20 or so miles to Boston to live with her uncle.
All Noah wants to do is join the British Army to honor his father. Unfortunately, at age 13, he's too young and too small. Instead, he's recommended for a spy position working at a local tavern where the Sons of Liberty hold meetings. At first he loves the job. He's making good money, finds a friend in Jolla, a free black man, and gets a thrill informing on the American rebels. But as he observes the actions of both sides, he begins to question his father's staunch loyalist position. In many ways, the British behave no better than the Americans. And for sure, neither side seems interested in freeing black slaves, even though they both say they stand for freedom. Noah's internal wrestling with this conflict is well done.
Avi gives great historical details, such as a clandestine movement of British ammunition out of a warehouse which leads to a false rumor that the British fired on civilians. He also contrives a reasonable plot point which puts Noah in Lexington and Concord when the "shot heard around the world" is fired at the North Bridge. Beyond that, Avi works hard to give a detailed picture of life in Boston. The streets and wharves, a tavern, a typical house, the terrain, the movement of people, first into, then out of Boston, the closing of the ports and the impact that had on the food supply. There is a lot packed into this book. Revolutionary War fans will love it. Unfortunately, it does not have what it takes to create new fans, thus 3 stars only.
PS: A map of old Boston would have done wonders for this book. ...more
It's hard for me to fairly rate this book because I listened to the audiobook. The reader was fantastic. My guess is that I probably would not have enIt's hard for me to fairly rate this book because I listened to the audiobook. The reader was fantastic. My guess is that I probably would not have enjoyed it as much if I'd read it myself. I can't help but assume that the only reason this book is popular is because of the musical Hamilton. On its own merit, a romance from the 1700s really isn't all that exciting. In fact, if you aren't already obsessed with the musical, then you must really love historical fiction to enjoy this book. I was one of the few who did not like the musical, but I do love historical fiction, and I did like the audio reading.
It starts off with the backstory of Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. Alex grows up on a Caribbean Island as a merchant's apprentice after his mother dies at a young age. Eliza grows up in New York, the daughter of wealthy parents. Alex moves to New York, gets an education, becomes a respected lawyer and works for George Washington. Eliza and Alex first meet at a party hosted by her parents. There's enough of a connection that when they meet two years later, an unacknowledged relationship begins. Neither will admit they like each other, but clearly they do.
Unfortunately, Eliza's parents run into financial difficulty, prompting them to arrange a marriage between Eliza and the son of the governor of New Jersey. Little do they know, he is no gentleman. He doesn't love Eliza in the least. She is heartbroken, as is Alexander, but he has nothing to offer. Although he has status as one of Washington's men, he has no family history or wealth. Eliza has no choice but to go along with the awful marriage to Henry Livingston.
Don't expect a lot of Revolutionary War history. It's in there, but this is almost exclusively a romance. Eliza is in almost every chapter, either with Alex or with her sisters, talking about Alex. You'll get a strong sense of what it was like to be a woman during that era, especially when it comes to arranged marriages. Livingston was a brute. The part I liked the least was when Eliza was a nurse volunteer, helping her aunt administer smallpox inoculations to the soldiers. Interesting, but it went on too long.
Final analysis. Loving the musical doesn't guarantee you will love the book. Proceed with caution. If boredom sets in, switch to the audio version. I promise you'll get through and enjoy it....more
I was interested in this book because it addresses a topic that hasn't been given much coverage in children's liteKid rating: 1 star My rating: 2 stars
I was interested in this book because it addresses a topic that hasn't been given much coverage in children's literature. Reconstruction after the Civil War. Rhodes did an ok job with it, but it was slow moving. It's a book that focuses on ideas rather than plot.
It's the early 1870s. Slavery legally ended in 1865. Sugar has lived on the Wills' sugar plantation in New Orleans her whole life, first as a forced slave, now as a paid slave. Like many former slaves, Sugar is bound to the plantation out of necessity. With nowhere to go, she isn't free. Although she and the plantation owner's son, Billy, have become good friends, they realize things haven't changed much since the war and they are breaking all kinds of social norms by hanging out together. Mister Wills, her former master, can't find enough black people to harvest the sugarcane, so he brings over a group of Chinese workers. Sugar is fascinated with them and their animal stories which are similar to the Brer Rabbit stories she grew up with.
I had no idea that Chinese workers came to the south to fill up the vacuum created by the northern migration of former slaves. Unfortunately, this story didn't come to life for me. So much detail was left out that I had a hard time even believing it. I did a search and found out there was a Chinatown, New Orleans that sprang up during reconstruction. Oh how I wish that tidbit had been pulled into the story to give it a more authentic feel.
Ann Rinaldi still corners the market on early American historical fiction. She weaves a complete story, filling in fictional details where needed. MucAnn Rinaldi still corners the market on early American historical fiction. She weaves a complete story, filling in fictional details where needed. Much of the story surrounding the Salem Witch Trials has been lost and we can only speculate about the truth. In Rinaldi's telling, she uses a real person, Susana English, familiar with the circle of accusers, to tell the story. Susana is paralyzed from speaking out, fearing it will bring accusations on her family. This fear, and the lack of a fair judicial system, caused the entire town to remain quiet during the hysteria.
Rinaldi gives several explanations I find interesting. Her explanation for why the girls started the hysteria is rooted in their boredom and strict upbringing. They were rebelling. They were fascinated by Reverend Parris' slave, Tituba, and her fortune telling. It's possible they were caught and had to orchestrate the whole "devil made me do it" story to account for their actions. Once it got out of control they had to maintain their story.
Ann Putnam's mother apparently was the vindictive type and may have played a role in encouraging the girls. Most of the accused were in Putnam's circle of enemies. What is still not clear is a possible reason for how the magistrates allowed this nonsense to go on. Did they have connections to the Putnams? Did they fear an accusation as well? Once they hanged one accused person, did they have to continue in order to justify the first hanging? Rinaldi doesn't answer this, but I think the part pertaining to the girls makes sense and is probably what really happened.
It's a must read for teens (or adults) with a strong interest in what went down in Salem in 1692. It drags a little in the middle, but for the most part, it moves along. Middle grade readers are not likely to enjoy. ...more
When I read books for tweens and teens I have to analyze it through two viewpoints: adult and kid. If you're an adult wanting an easier read on the SaWhen I read books for tweens and teens I have to analyze it through two viewpoints: adult and kid. If you're an adult wanting an easier read on the Salem witch trials, then this book is perfect for you. It has tons of facts, it's well-researched, and the narration is better than most nonfiction books. It dispels a lot of the inaccurate accounts and goes deep into the backstory of some of the key players. So why 3 stars? Though I wouldn't call it textbook writing, there is room to make it more readable for the target audience. Only kids with an established interest in the Salem story will enjoy it. When I look for nonfiction to add to my library, I look for books so appealing that they will attract everyone, not just the select few who already have an interest in the topic.
This is one of the best accounts I've read of the events that went down in Salem, Mass in 1692. It's a remarkable story. A village so entrenched in reThis is one of the best accounts I've read of the events that went down in Salem, Mass in 1692. It's a remarkable story. A village so entrenched in religion that it believes young girls are the target of the devil, working through random villagers. These villagers, named by the girls, are accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Everyone who denies the accusations are sent to prison. Some are hanged. The ones who claim to be working for the devil against their will are spared. It's hard to fathom that people could be so naive. I listened to the audiobook version which was well done....more
Two birds with one stone. This book covers the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 and its connection to World War I. The U.S. entered World War I very late Two birds with one stone. This book covers the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 and its connection to World War I. The U.S. entered World War I very late in the game. When soldiers went off to Camp Funston in Kansas and Camp Devens in Massachusetts, the Spanish Flu Epidemic exploded. Men were dropping like flies. 100 dying every day. Close, cramped quarters were a micro-organism's dream environment. Ships carrying soldiers across the Atlantic were breeding grounds. U.S. soldiers passed the disease to their ally, the French, who in turn passed it to their enemy, the Germans. In the end, it became a world-wide epidemic, killing 50 million people. 1/5 of the world's population was affected. The severity probably brought about a quicker end to the war.
In fascinating detail and photography, Kenneth Davis brings this often over-looked disease into the spotlight. From the very beginning, when he talks about a small community in Alaska devastated by the disease, you'll be hooked. This is my favorite nonfiction children's book about disease. Highly recommend to kids interested in the medical field....more
I enjoyed this book as an adult, but it will take a diehard history fan for a tween or teen to pick this up. The good news is that it's short, with loI enjoyed this book as an adult, but it will take a diehard history fan for a tween or teen to pick this up. The good news is that it's short, with lots of pictures, but since it focuses more on the cultural and political climate during WWI America it won't find much audience.
It starts off with a vivid description of the bombing of the British passenger ship, the Lusitania, by a German U-boat in the Spring of 1915. I didn't know much about this, and since disasters have a way of captivating the imagination, I found it fascinating. From there, it turns to the American reaction to this incident, especially the suspicion toward German-Americans. I had no idea that German was the number one foreign language taught in schools prior to WWI and for a time it was banned from being taught at all. Interesting stuff.
Bausam also gives an excellent portrayal of Woodrow Wilson, being the president during the entire span of the war, and what compelled him to finally enter it two years after the Lusitania sinking. But mostly what the author is trying to do is to show how freedom of speech gets suppressed during times of war. Anti-war talk is suppressed. Pro-socialist talk is suppressed. Basically anything that runs counter to pro-America talk during war time gets suppressed. And mistrust of immigrants from offending countries amps up. Think Japanese-Americans during WWII and Muslims post 9/11.
She makes some valid and interesting points. I personally learned quite a bit. It's a good book to have in the library. Just don't expect much circulation. Kids are a very hard sell these days. ...more
This is a well-researched nonfiction book for young people who enjoy the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. If you don't have an interest in pioneer life anThis is a well-researched nonfiction book for young people who enjoy the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. If you don't have an interest in pioneer life and westward expansion then don't bother with this book. You probably won't appreciate all the great information it provides. Russell Freedman is a well-known author of children's nonfiction. His writing is better than textbook style, but doesn't reach the narrative style of someone like Jim Murphy or Deborah Hopkinson. Still, I found it very interesting.
Some of the topics covered: Oregon Trail, frontier homes, frontier schools, entertainment, native American life. The photographs are amazing. I can't figure out how a family living in a sod house managed to have a photograph taken. Photography was a rare thing in the mid 1800s. Definitely gives you a feel for the times. Interesting how these kids in these photographs look so alike and yet so different from kids today. These kids had to work hard every day, but their lives were so full of love and happiness. Makes we wonder what we've given up with our easy lives....more
John Joseph Clem is 9-years-old and ready to fight for his country. Everyone laughs when he tries to join up with the 3rd Ohio, so he sneaks onto the John Joseph Clem is 9-years-old and ready to fight for his country. Everyone laughs when he tries to join up with the 3rd Ohio, so he sneaks onto the train, and hides under a seat. The soldiers still laugh when they find him, but decide to humor him. They give him food, a uniform, and finally a drum. William teaches him the drum calls, and just like that, he's doing his part. He even changes his middle name to Lincoln.
Like all the soldiers, Johnny is ready for action, but war is a slow process, and it isn't pretty. They walk many miles a day, thirsty, hungry, sunburned, dirty, and lice infested. But nothing could have prepared him for the Battle of Shiloh. Drummers had to serve double duty, pulling the wounded from the battlefield. "Johnny vomited more than once, usually when he saw a limb with no body."
Eventually, he joins up with the 22nd Michigan. He's captured and briefly imprisoned at Andersonville. Famous Civil War photographer Matthew Brady gets a photo and "Johnny Shiloh" makes national news before heading home.
Though this book is historical fiction, Johnny Clem was a real drummer boy in the Union Army. The author tried to match the historical record as closely as possible. It's amazing to me that a 9-year-old boy was independent enough to leave home and remain under such terrible conditions. The minute things got tough, I would have high-tailed it out of there! I never knew drummers had a whole slew of different drum calls that served as communication between officers and soldiers. It makes sense.
This book is both short and well-written. If a kid asks you for a good Civil War historical fiction book, make sure this one is on your shelf....more
Love the cover. I'm a cover person and had to get that out of the way.
If I were rating this for myself I would give it a 4 or 5. I've been to the DonnLove the cover. I'm a cover person and had to get that out of the way.
If I were rating this for myself I would give it a 4 or 5. I've been to the Donner Memorial, so I know the story. I'm fascinated with the pioneer days. Seems to me it was perilous for anyone alive in the 1800s. But to set off across the country into the relative unknown, traveling 2000 miles at walking pace is hard to imagine. Knowing you are going to cross deserts and mountains with covered wagons is crazy.
I'm giving 3 stars because the beginning is a little slow for kids. They are setting off from Illinois and there's not much exciting about it. I suppose narration like a Laura Ingalls Wilder book would have helped. There are a lot of kids who will give up on the book early. If they can make it to chapter 3, where the group decides to take Hasting's shortcut, they'll probably make it to the end. The shortcut ends up being a disaster in every way. Tragedy upon tragedy happens and it all culminates in the group being stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains just as the snows begin.
The cannibalism doesn't make this story unsuitable for middle grades. In fact, the Donnor Memorial is a popular field trip destination for schools in California. This is a case of good, religious people starving to death, boiling cow hide for food, realizing that if they don't eat a human corpse that will decompose to bones anyway, death is a certainty. When people are pushed to that limit, you know they are experiencing the worst in human suffering.
The Donnor story is fascinating. I'm just not sure this is the book that is going to grab a kid's attention....more
This is book is told from many different perspectives: south, north, black, white, soldier, commander, doctor, photographer, seamstress, spectator, anThis is book is told from many different perspectives: south, north, black, white, soldier, commander, doctor, photographer, seamstress, spectator, and a few others. Each chapter is very short, about a page and a half. Overall it's a quick read. For the most part it's about all the different people who ultimately convened at the Battle of Bull Run. Fleischman had a novel idea to set the story up this way. Usually you just think about the soldiers and officers, but there was so much more to the Civil War. Fleischman tries to make that point, but for most kids, it just ends up being too disjointed. If you don't already understand a lot about the Civil War, it's confusing, and I hate to say, boring....more
If you can only have one book on the Civil War, this is it. No one tells this story better than Steve Sheinkin. In fact, I would say, this is SheinkinIf you can only have one book on the Civil War, this is it. No one tells this story better than Steve Sheinkin. In fact, I would say, this is Sheinkin's best work. Given his portfolio of excellent nonfiction books for kids, this isn't a statement to take lightly.
Like his similar book King George: What Was His Problem?, Sheinkin uses humor in just the right dose to make this an easy, entertaining, light read about the Civil War. And yet, he manages to cover everything. His writing is so masterfully simple than you might actually remember what you read. He throws in all the extraneous, but highly interesting tidbits too that no one else bothers to mention in their books. I definitely can't do this book any kind of justice, but trust me, if you know any kid with the slightest interest in the Civil War, get this for him, and you'll be the coolest person he knows....more
I have read enough children's nonfiction to recognize a good story done well and a good story done poorly. Sadly, this book falls into the second cateI have read enough children's nonfiction to recognize a good story done well and a good story done poorly. Sadly, this book falls into the second category. So much potential existed with this unknown story about women forced to fill the manufacturing void when men went off to fight in the Civil War. The author focuses on munitions production to show that women were willing to put themselves in harm's way in order to support their families. In three different munitions factories, explosions occurred that left entire cities stunned. Both women and girls, mostly poor, were killed instantly or disabled for life.
Here are some of the problems. Any one of these stories could have been a book in itself if enough research had been done. If I had written this book, I would have tracked down all the key players, their stories, their histories, and combined them into one big narrative story full of details and human interest. Who were these women? Who were their husbands? What were their lives like before the war? What was it like sitting there for twelve hours? Who watched their children? These stories should be edge of your seat suspense. I wanted far more details than I was given about the events that led up to these explosions. Children's nonfiction has come so far and I have a low tolerance for textbook style writing. Kids will not read it. ...more
I don't think I'm ever going to be satisfied with a book about the lost colony. It's a fascinating story, but since there's no evidence about what hapI don't think I'm ever going to be satisfied with a book about the lost colony. It's a fascinating story, but since there's no evidence about what happened to the men and women left at Roanoke Island, there's not much of a story to tell. Any good story can only sift though what little is known and come up with theories. No one will ever know for certainty if they lived or died. This book focuses on the several expeditions to scout out the area, the landing of the settlers, and John White's frustrating attempts to get back there. It took him five years to get back and by then the colony was gone. I found the material interesting, but doubtful that kids will....more
I'm personally not a fan of the You Choose nonfiction books. In my opinion, they chop up the story and make it hard to understand what happened when. I'm personally not a fan of the You Choose nonfiction books. In my opinion, they chop up the story and make it hard to understand what happened when. I need a linear path to fully grasp events that happen on a timeline. These books are great for fiction where you are in effect creating the storyline you choose. The Civil War path is already set.
Some kids love the You Choose books, and they would probably love the nonfiction ones too. Just not for me and my brain....more
I'm so glad there's an author/illustrator filling the need for nonfiction graphic novels. My kids will read anything in graphic format. In fact, it's I'm so glad there's an author/illustrator filling the need for nonfiction graphic novels. My kids will read anything in graphic format. In fact, it's the most popular area in the library. I have two more Don Brown graphic novels sitting in my 'To Read' stack and I can't wait to get to them.
This one is about the 10-year drought that occurred during the worst possible time, the Great Depression. Lack of water caused the dry earth to whip up into storms so thick that light turned to dark. Dust got into people's houses and lungs no matter how hard they tried to seal it out. Animals died in large quantities. Food was scarce. It was a tragedy of immense proportions.
Quick read. It will be a winner in your library....more
Someday I hope to read all of Jim Murphy's books. He combines facts, narration, and photos in a perfect blend. He often takes an obscure or little knoSomeday I hope to read all of Jim Murphy's books. He combines facts, narration, and photos in a perfect blend. He often takes an obscure or little known bit of history and elevates it to prime importance. One of the reasons they are so compelling is that tragedy is usually at the heart. Often there's wrong choices made, leading to death for some and survival for others. Murphy always leaves you wondering, "What would I have done? Would I have been among the living or the dead?"
Blizzard! is about a a freak snowstorm that happened in March 1888. Thinking heavy snowfall was done for the winter, the East Coast was not prepared when temperatures suddenly went from balmy to freezing. Deep snow compromised the transportation systems, stranding trains in the middle of nowhere. Having no way to get home, people ventured outside on foot. Some lost their way or froze to death, others had good fortune and survived.
I personally like Murphy's style of giving you 5 or so different stories, and carrying all of them to the end as the disaster unfolds. I've seen some reviewers complain about this as "jumping around." I think it's what makes the story so interesting. Keeps you in suspense. Murphy has won awards for good reason. I highly recommend his Newbery winning book The Great Fire....more
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