Book Description

Moose Flannagan moves with his family to Alcatraz so his dad can work as a prison guard and his sister, Natalie, can attend a special school.But Natalie has autism, and when she’s denied admittance to the school, the stark setting of Alcatraz begins to unravel the tenuous coping mechanisms Moose’s family has used for dealing with her disorder.

When Moose meets Piper, the cute daughter of the Warden, he knows right off she’s trouble.But she’s also strangely irresistible. All Moose wants to do is protect Natalie, live up to his parents’ expectations, and stay out of trouble.But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.

Set in 1935, when guards actually lived on Alcatraz Island with theirfamilies, Choldenko’s second novel brings humor to the complexities of family dynamics and illuminates the real struggle of a kid trying to free himself from the "good boy" stance he’s taken his whole life. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

"Al Capone Does My Shirts"
"Al Capone Does My Shirts" is about a 12-year old boy named Moose, whose family moves to Alcatraz in 1934 for his dad's job as a prison guard there. If you don't know, Alcatraz is a maximum-security prison on a rocky island across the bay from San Francisco. Although it is no longer in use, in the 1930's, Alcatraz was prison sweet prison to such notorious gangsters as Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. You could understand why Moose isn't excatly thrilled to live there. But the other reason they moved is so his sister, Natalie, could go to the Esther P. Marinoff school. Natalie has a disease that is today called autism, but was unidentified in the 30's. Moose, wanting his sister to be "normal", agrees to move for her sake. Still, he isn't happy about living on what he calls "a 12-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turds and surrounded by water". But the other families that live on Alcatraz might change his mind.
This book is both funny and sad, and Moose is very easy to relate to. Other very dynamic characters make "Al Capone Does My Shirts" interesting. You'll finish it quickly and wish it were longer.

Every 10-12 year old should read this book
My 10 year old daughter read this book in just over 2 days! She could not put it down!!! After reading Choldenko's "Notes from a Liar and her Dog" she could not wait for this to be published. We are buying them as gifts for many summer birthdays. I am now reading it and am thrown right back into my childhood of many years ago. Well written (as was the first), gets right into a 10-12 year olds way of thinking. Children between these ages will be able to totally relate. We can't wait for next one!

a sensational read
Twelve-year-old Moose Flannagan doesn't know how to feel about his new home. Sure, it's neat to live right in San Francisco Bay, but the neighbors leave something to be desired. You see, Moose and his family live on Alcatraz Island, where Moose's father has a new job as electrician and prison guard. At school on the mainland, Moose is a bit of a misfit. Not only do the other guys think living on Alcatraz is a little weird, they also don't understand why Moose can't stay after school to play baseball.

Instead, Moose has to head home to watch his sister Natalie. Natalie has autism, a condition that had not even been identified in 1935, when this novel is set. No one is quite sure how to deal with Natalie. Most "experts" tell the Flannagans to put her in an institution, but the family would rather try a variety of experimental therapies, which yield mostly disappointing results. Moose is the only one who can really reach Natalie, and he constantly clashes with his mother about the best way to work with her.

Moose and Natalie discover a new kind of community among the several families who live on Alcatraz Island, including bossy seven-year-old Theresa and the warden's manipulative, sneaky (but also kind of cute) daughter Piper. In the end, the kids cooperate --- with a little help from Al Capone himself --- to find a place where Natalie can finally belong.

Believe it or not, this novel's unusual setting is based on fact --- the families of Alcatraz prison guards actually did live on the island. The author includes a helpful note explaining the historical facts behind the story, as well as a brief note about autism.

What really makes this a winning novel, though, is not the setting but its main character. Moose, who narrates the story, is responsible and trustworthy in spite of himself. The love he feels for his sister despite the frustrations she causes him shines through all his words. The relationships among Moose, his hardworking father and his well-meaning mother are also rich and dynamic. Even without its connection to the famous mobster, AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS would still be a real hit.

(...)

You and Your Students/Children Should Read This!
This is a beautiful story that mixes all the elements of great fiction. Historical setting and characters, emotional involvment with genuine characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and a fresh writing style combine to form a unique and sensitive story. Highly reccomended for anyone interested in Alcatraz, Autistic children, or anyone looking for well-done modern kids lit piece. Also reccomended: Notes From a Liar and Her Dog(same author).

A fascinating read.
This novel worked for me on many levels. First, it was a gripping, fast-paced character study of a teenage boy. The author developed a sympathetic, interesting, flawed character. I kept turning the pages to see what would happen to him and how he would respond.

Second, the book was quite poignant in showing what it was like to live with an autistic child, especially in an era when autism hadn't been diagnosed and no one was sure how or if it could be treated.

Third, the setting was so interesting. It takes place on Alcatraz island when prison workers and their families lived there. I learned a lot, but I didn't feel like I was being instructed as I read.

I highly reccommend this novel. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Human History in Brief
This is one of the best book on global history, you can find every religion from east to west, north to south. You can read about all empires and kings, you can know all cultures and traditions. There is no other book which have reviewed and presented true picture of three major religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Book Review
The book was not the best textbook.....there is no study guide

Pounds and Education
My daughter have to carry tree of these size books. Her school bag is 18 lbs. Why not divide all of these schoolbooks on two parts and make our kids happy. I believe school (elementary, middle and high) is not military training base.

Gregory Yamin ... Read more

Book Description

All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam.Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution.Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion.Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father. With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.
... Read more

Reviews (235)

Historical-fiction book
This book was an assigned as a 7th grade Knglish assignement. The teacher chose to read. Our class read this book in the fall of 1999. I read the most part of this book at home. I think this book is more of a kick back relax sort of book.

This book is an historical-fiction which takes place in the Revolutionary War. The story gives the point of view of a young boy whose brother goes off to fight in the war. The boy is faced with a challenge, in which he has to decide whether to be a Patriot like his brother or a loyalist like his father. This book has a political conflict, character conflict, and a personal conflict. This book is a good example of irony because what I was expecting didn't happen. With the way the book started I didn't expect this ending.

I liked this book because it kept you on the edge of you seat. It keeps the reader interested by throwing corners at you when you least expect it. It taught me about a historical period. It gave examples of how those people were living in those conditions. I thought it was good book because it told you everything you wanted to know about that period.

My Brother Sam Is Dead - A Cool Book
My Brother Sam Is Dead is a very realistic book. It gives the reader an idea of how bad war really is. It shows what can come of war: death and sadness. In the story war is breaking apart families. The main character is Tim Meeker. His brother, Sam, is fighting on the side of the patriots while his father supports the English king. Tim doesn't know what side to be on. He's split between his brother and his father. Most people are used to reading books about the Revolutionary War that based on the patriots' thoughts and ideas. This book gives you experiences from both sides, Patriot and British. I recommend that you read this book!

Stupendous Book- A Must Read
The book "My Brother Sam Is Dead" is a very heart-warming book. It is about family who is broken up by the Revolutionary War. The father is on the British side while his son, Sam, is fighting for the Patriots. It is very dramatic and has some older language. It is also gory and intense. This book is very descriptive in its war parts, which is awesome.

A good book.
My Brother Sam is dead was a good book. L liked the book becouse it took place in a setting was very discriptive. I liked the fact that a family in it fought for each other. Even when they disagrea on a lot of topics. The book has a good sence of humer for how seriose the topic of the story. Like when Sam was talking about stealing Old Bess (the gun) wile putting chicken eggs in a basket with holes in the bottom of it. The book is the third most favorite book I read this year. The book cept its carictors vary discriptive and interesting through the hole book. But the oldest sun Sam gets in trubble with the law. He gets exicuted. That was the only part of the story I was not interested in. Since the famaly was so close or becoase he was so nise he didn't even commit the crime.His father tries to help even though they don't always get along all the time.

I didnt want to read it, but i loved it.
I read, My Brother Sam Is Dead. I liked this book a lot. It is not the usual kind of books I read but I really enjoyed this book. It kept me just wanting to keep on reading it was so good. A lot of unexpected things happened in the story.

All Tim Meeker's life, Tim looked up to his brother, Sam. Sam is very smart and brave and always knows the right thing to do. In fact, everyone in Redding admired Sam Meeker... until now.
Now Sam is part of the American revolutionary army. He talks about defeating the British and becoming independent and free. However, not everyone in town wants to be a part of this new America. Most people are loyal supporters of the English King, especially Tim and Sam's father.
The war is raging and Tim knows he'll have to make a choice. However, how can he choose- when it means fighting his father on one side and fighting is brother on the other?

I would recommend this book to everyone. This is almost all the genres. Mystery, historical fiction, suspense and sad. It's a GREAT book. I hope you read... MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD. ... Read more

Book Description

"If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year forit," begins Richard Peck's latest novel, a book full of his signature wit andsass. Russell Culver is fifteen in 1904, and he's raring to leave his tinyIndiana farm town for the endless sky of the Dakotas. To him, school has beennothing but a chain holding him back from his dreams. Maybe now that his teacherhas passed on, they'll shut the school down entirely and leave him free toroam.

No such luck. Russell has a particularly eventful season of schooling ahead ofhim, led by a teacher he never could have predicted--perhaps the only teacherequipped to control the likes of him: his sister Tansy. Despite stolen supplies,a privy fire, and more than any classroom's share of snakes, Tansy will manageto keep that school alive and maybe, just maybe, set her brother on a new, wisercourse.

As he did in A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder, Richard Peckcreates a whole world of folksy, one-of-a-kind characters here--the enviable andthe laughable, the adorably meek and the deliciously terrifying. There will beno forgetting Russell, Tansy, and all the rest who populate this hilarious,shrewd, and thoroughly enchanting novel. ... Read more

Book Description

Laura Ingalls's story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Four-year-old Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack.

Pioneer life is sometimes hard, since the family must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her folks celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa's fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

And so begins Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family. The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier past and a heartwarming, unforgettable story.

Reviews (70)

If you love warm, family stories, this book is a good read
Little House in the Big Woods, written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, was fascinating. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was because the Ingalls family was so close. One word that comes to mind is cozy. Maybe it's because they lived in a little house in the big woods. Or maybe it's becuase Pa used to play his fiddle by the fireside some evenings for Mary, Laura and Carrie. I remember when I read this book I was interested in the fact that they were pioneers. They might have moved from place to place but they always were positive about it. I loved reading about the three girls dancing at their Grandmother and Grandfather's house and having such a fun time. I remember Laura had a rag doll made out of a corncob that she loved so dearly. And it seemed as though the Ingalls family had such wonderful Christmases. In this book, there was nothing but simplicity. It didn't matter how much they moved or how they lived, as long as the family had each other.

Good book - but not as good as the ones that follow.
I'm a huge fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and fondly remember reading the Little House books when I was a child. I've just started reading the series to my 7-year-old daughter, though, and while she loved Little House on the Prairie, she was far less fond of this one. In fact, although she's usually a good listener, I found her attention constantly wandering as we read this book.

And in all honesty, I could understand why. Laura Ingalls Wilder is without a doubt one of the best children's writers who ever lived, but I think she had barely begun to show her enormous talent when she wrote this book. Although there are wonderful little snippets of family life, and a few hints of the conflicts between the feisty Laura and her more reserved and perfect sister Mary, the truth is, there isn't much of a plot here. And Mrs. Wilder goes on for page after page describing how bullets were made, or butter churned. There are probably children who find that fascinating, God bless them, but my daughter was just bored by it.

I don't think this is a BAD book, but Little House on the Prairie is so much better, so much more interesting that I think if you want to read the series to a young child, that's the place to start, even though this is the first book in the series. This is a book for children who have already fallen in love with Laura and her wonderful family.

Wondeful series for Adults to read (or read again) too
I read these as a youngster and I am re-reading them after a trip near Independence, Kansas where we saw a house where Laura's family once setteld. They are great books! I am seeing the whole experience from a new perspective now that I am 35 (relating more with Ma I think) and I am enjoying the stories completely. It's also nice because the books can be read in a single afternoon or just a few hours. A wonderful look at the pioneer life with details about cheese making, maple suger harvests, and cabin building (in the later novels). I highly recommend these books but suggest reading them in order to keep the story of Laura's adventures straight.

Best of the series
I am an 8 year old girl who loves the Little House series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Why I liked it is because it's so happy and because I liked the little girls. My favourite part is when they go to a dance at Grandma's house and Laura danced with her uncle. I would recommend this book for people who like to read happy books.

Makes you go back in Time!!!
This book shows what it was like back in the 1800's. It tells when they had to travel by wagons and you couldn't go to town everyday. This is a GREAT book and I hope that everybody reads it. I recommend this especially to the people that lives in the cities because you see what the backwoods are like and how it is kind of today!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great classroom tool!
This book offers excellent photographs and illustrations, as well as informative text. The interesting layout and design makes it suitable for all ages. All the important information is here and well organized. ... Read more

Book Description

Introduce your students to a Newbery Award winning book with this engaging teaching guide. Includes an author biography, chapter summaries, creative cross-curricular activities, vocabulary builders, reproducibles, and discussion questions. ... Read more

Reviews (628)

Out of the Dust Critique
I think the novel "Out of the Dust" is a great, emotional story. It was very touching and I thought that it was neat that Karen Hesse wrote the story in free verse poems. The poems gave me enough information for my imagination to fill in. I could read the story at many levels.

It is about a 14- year old girl, named Billie Jo. She suffered terrible dust storms in Kansas, the death of her mother, a non- communicative father, and the burning of her hands. She really liked to play the piano and was the smartest kid in the state.

In the beginning of the book, her father worked on the farm, her mother did work around the house, and Billie Jo helped out, played the piano, and went to school.

In the middle, a terrible accident happened. The Dad placed a pail of kerosene in the kitchen, and Ma thought it was water. She tried to make coffee using the kerosene. Then the pail caught on fire and Ma ran outside. Billie Jo picked up the bucket to keep the house from burning, and ran outside with it. As soon as she was outside, she threw the pail. Ironically, Ma was running back inside. The burning pail hit Ma and she was engulfed in flames. Billie Jo pushed her down and tried to put out the flames, burning her hands badly. A month later, Ma died, giving birth to a baby, who died shortly after. The tragedy was so horrible that I was drawn to find out how the story would end. Yet, the author didn't overwhelm me with morbid details.

Billie Jo and her dad barely talked. It took time for the two to work out their problems. At the end of the book, they met a woman who acted like Ma. She was called Louise. Pa married her and Billie Jo forgave him and vice versa. They overcame the past and moved on in life.

I like how Billie Jo gradually developed the problems and gradually solved them. In doing this, the author made everything believable.

The whole story improved with the addition of Louise. There was always tension between Ma and Dad. Louise's influence brought calmness to Dad and Billie Jo. She also re-introduced Ma's good ideas to Pa, who finally acted on them.
Louise also helped Billie Jo's confidence and sense of family increase. Through all this, these three characters grew in positive ways.

In summary, the free verse poems, which encouraged my imagination and the gradual positive resolution of Billie Jo's and Dad's problems, left me feeling stronger and more positive about life. This story touches anyone who reads it.

Out of the Dust
I recently finished reading the book "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse. We are studying the Great Depression in history, and my History teacher thought it would be appropriate to read this book for further knowledge, and in depth descriptions. I think that reading this book, while studying the Great Depression is a great combination, and results in a rapid increase of knowledge. One of the most unique characteristics about this book is that it is written in diary format, completely in free verse poems, by Billie Jo, a 13-year-old girl living in Okalahoma, during the dust bowl. The best thing about expressing literature in poetry is that it adds emphasis on the dramatic parts; they also add emotion to places where emotion makes history a reality. Page upon page, Billie Jo describes how the dust storms impact the crops, as well as everyday life, and also how it feels to be living in the middle of the biggest dust storm in all of America; the Dust Bowl. As Billie Jo describes life during a dust storm, you are swept from your everyday life and brought into the reality of being in a dust storm. The descriptions are great, you feel as if you are Billie Jo, venturing into the wind, not being able to see, dust filling your mouth. This book explains the causes, effects, and impacts of the Great Depression, as well as many aspects of The New Deal. The FERA (federal emergency rescue association), a program in The New Deal, helps Billie Jo and her family with the farm, the CCC is also mentioned in the book. The story is not all about the dust storms however; "Out of the Dust" has a great plot, with many different things to pull you in farther. Many events happen that will alter Billie Jo's life forever, a horrible accident scars Billie Jo both mentally and physically, after which her relationship with her father will never be the same. As Billie Jo pursues to sort out her many family problems she surprisingly digs deeper into her soul than she ever thought was possible, finding things out about herself that she had never known before. I enjoyed this book very much, and I know you will too. If you enjoy learning more, while having suspense and a great, enthralling plot, this book is definitely for you!

it's a good story
Recommendation-
I recommend this book to anyone that's 13 years old and up because the first part of the story is emotional. Billy's mom died. "Ma died that day giving birth to my brother." Billy's mom died because of the fire in which she was burned badly. This is why I recommend this book to older kids. I like this book because when people that are close to you pass away it shows how you can get on with your live. "I was invited to graduation, to play the piano." This citation shows that people start to think that Billy is normal, and she can play the piano again.

Excellent book. Makes you think about what you have.
I read Out of The Dust when i was probably 11, and i LOVED it! For me, i love stories with a lot of drama and stories that make me cry. Some people don't like that feeling when reading a book. like i said though, i like it. As well as tears, there were also some laughs. it's a quick read and deffinately a good one!

NO GO FOR BILLIE JO
I'm sorry but unless you are looking to throw yourself in a state of depression, this book is of no use to you.
The story is about a girl who loses almost everything she has in a fire taking place around the time of the Dust Bowl. Sounds happy, huh?
And when I say that the girl, Billie Jo, loses almost everything, which is closer to 'everything' than 'almost', I mean, she loses almost everything.
Family? Her mother and unborn brother die in a kitchen fire, and the saddest part is that their deaths could have been prevented if Billie Jo hadn't flung boiling water out the door her mother had been walking through, and as you might imagine, that causes grief for Billie Jo, and her father as well. In fact, he goes on to become an alcoholic, or something like it, who lives in oblivion to pretty much everything. Even Billie Jo suffers from physical pain, when her hands were severely burned from the pot of boiling water she had unintentionally flung at her mother, causing her death.

Belongings? Well, her family, or as the previous reviewer put it, 'what was left of it'..(I give you credit, whoever you are!) ...lost their fields, which were their main staple of income, in the dust bowl.
Now, you might think that I'm exaggerating, but I assure you I am not. Before I had read it, my friends had told me how sick a book this was (and darn it, I couldn't agree more) and I just read it because I thought THEY were the ones exaggerating.
So, you can be like me, If you wish, and go along and read it, which might not be such a bad idea, so you can get a taste for yourself how morally depressing this book is, or you can play it safe and not risk the nightmares. ... Read more

Book Description

Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

A fifth grade reading book
Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt that lives in the woods with his father. One day his father leaves while he is sleeping. He knows where he went. A month later he met some Indians and started to read a book to a Indian. The book was about the dad leaving and an Indian helping out. I think this is a great book! Matt thinks that the Indan (Attean) is very inpolite. But the more Matt and Attean are around each other they get used to one another and become good friends, and Attean teaches Matt to hunt. He never finds his father, but he finds a good friend and he is no longer afraid or alone.At the end his father comes back with his family and they lived a new life.I hope you love this book!!!

The Review of the Beaver
"THE SIGN OF THE BEAVER" is a adventure packed book that Justin really likes. It's about a family that is moving up to Maine in the late 1700's. Matt's dad left him at the cabin, while he went back to get the rest of the family back in Quincy, Massachusetts. Matt who is 12 years old decides to get honey from a bee's hive in a tree and instead he gets stung. Two indians save him and supply him with food for a while. The Chief Saknis and his grandson Attean help him back to full health. saknis asks Matt if he would teach Attean how to read and so Matthew Hallowell does. Attean also teaches Matt a lot of very usefull survival skills. He teaches Matt how to catch rabits with a snare and how to make a wood fish hook quickly and made well. Attean also shows him the signs of other indian tribes and warns him not to tresspass and to mark your path with like a broken branch or two rocks ontop of each other. Matt has a fun time but he can't get Attean to be proud of him. When Mr.Hallowell (Matt's dad) dosn't come after three weeks when he sould have Saknis asks Matt if he wants to come with them because his dad might not come back. Matt does wonder if he sould go North with Attean or stay and wate for his dad. What will he decide? It's a mind-unsettling question. Read to figure out what Matt decides and what happens after that...

We love it!
We first checked out this audio-tape out from the library when my son was 7. He loved it on that first long car trip, and we have checked it out 3 more times since then. Today, I bought it on Amazon.com for our trip this summer.
If you have a boy (or girl) who likes to listen to stories, this is a great one. As a Mom, I like that the boy learns to survive, works hard, and shows respect for others and their culture......a great role model for young kids today.

Horrible Put Down
I hated this book so much! It was horrible. Nothing ever happend, it was one big bore! Don't read this book unless you are forced to. I would rather eat vetegtables than read this book . DO NOT READ !

The Sign Of The Beaver
This is a good book. In the begining it is boring but keep on reading because it becomes fasinating. Matt's family leaves and
Matt has to watch over the cabbin. Soon after they leave, a guy named ben came and stole Matt's gun. The Native American tribe (the beaver tribe) found matt and helped him. He becomes good friends with Attean (someone from the beaver tribe). But soon Attean and his tribe have to leave and they ask Matt to come with them and matt says.............Wait i'm not going to tell you how it ends if I told you it would be a total waste because the book is better. So read The Sign Of The Beaver and you'll find out. This book is an adventure book and also fun book. I just didn't want to put it down. So read this book and I hope you feel the same way I do!! ... Read more

Book Description

Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1867. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a
family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit"s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.
Elizabeth George Speare"s Newbery Award–winning novel portrays a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love. ... Read more

Reviews (293)

ThE wItCh Of BlAcKbIrD pOnD--a GrEaT bOoK--
Kit Tyler was once a rich girl of Barbados, but upon her grandfather's death, she finds out that she now is poor. She goes aboard the ship, the Dolphin, heading for Connecticut Colony, and wishes to live a better life at her aunt's house. While on the way, she becomes friends with the captain's son, Nat Eaton, John Holbrook, a man planning on becoming a minister, and Prudence, a little girl. When she finally arrives at her destination, she tries to fit in with the Puritans, and to keep up with her lively cousin, Judith, and her gentle one, Mercy. After a number of different accidents in the family and outside, she finds becomes friends with an old Quaker woman named Hannah, that lives at Blackbird Pond, who is said to be a witch. Kit does not believe this, and she keeps on being friends with the old woman. But, the villagers see Kit as a threat to the community, since they do not trust her as being a friend to their witch, and she goes on trial. Just as she thinks she is doomed, Nat Eaton and Prudence save her. However, Kit discovers that she will never fit in with the Puritans, and planned on going on the Dolphin the next time the ship came. Finally, the ship docks, and she goes on it, for what seems to be a much better future.

My favorite part of the book was where Kit goes on trial. I thought of this at my favorite part for I think it is very interesting to hear how other people act to problems and try to blame it on someone else. I think it is very funny how people think of small problems and turn them into what sounds like a major disasters performed by a witch. I like the part where Prudence comes in, and stuns her own parents by doing what they had never thought she would be able to do, which was reading the Bible and writing her own name. I think it is not right when parents think very little about kids and think they are still their little babies that always need their parents to help them.

I recommend this book to kids the ages of 10 and up. I also recommend adults to read this book and learn the facts of how kids can do things without any help from their parents or any one else. I believe Elizabeth George Speare is a great author who has written many books that I have enjoyed. After reading this book, I came to really enjoy it. At first I thought it was very boring, but in the end, it became more interesting and fun. I also learned not to judge anyone by what people say about them, but you should always think about your judgement before actually thinking about if it is true or not. I now understand the meaning of "Never judge a book by its cover."

A FASCINATING TALE!
A witch? Someone thinks you are a witch? When Kit leaves Barbados on the lovely Dolphin ship to live in America with her Uncle, she is unprepared for what she encounters. What a surprise when she discovers that being able to read, swim, wear fancy clothes, as well as befriending a kind old woman is odd behavior for this town. In The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Spears sends you on a reading adventure. The story includes a number of surprising and suspenseful events including a frightening witch hunt and a big outcry among some angry villagers against their government. Some parts of the story are a little boring, but the elaborate language and unpredictable moments bring you right back into the book. The climax of this book is the best part. It's unbeleivable and exciting. The main character, Kit, is very interesting. You will feel like you know her only after reading a few pages. Fiesty, wise, and stubborn are some of Kit's personality traits. You will also become very familiar with many of the other characters including Kit's two cousins, her Aunt and Uncle, Nat a seaman, and John and William two very interesting men, plus many more! This book has many hidden lessons in it. It teaches you about friendship, trust, bravery, genorosity, and happiness, It will fill you with sorrow and joy, and is a very adventurous story loved by many!

Diverse Religions, and History
Kit comes over to the 13 colonies becuae her grandfather died. When she arrives, she finds a place very diffrent from her former home, Barbados. She is forced by her strict uncle to be a solemn as the puritans, and to set aside her silk gowns and wear homespun dresses. she feels completly stifled by her new life, and one day, after almost cuasing her crippled cousin her teaching job, she breaks. She runs to the "meadow" where she meets Hannah Tupper, a Quaker who is shuned and thought to be a witch by many. All she really is is a kind old lady. She takes kit home and feeds her, and helps her be brave and get her cousins job back. kit goes back to Hannahs house and eventually meets Hannahs seafaring friend, none other than Nat, the son of the man who brought her to America.And yes Nat was on the boat the whole time kit was. Then one day Kit is accused of being a witch. Something not to be taken lightly in the 1600's. She is rescued by none other than Nat. Then hannah is going to be burned out of her house, or if the people have their way, in her house. But Kit goes and helps Hannah get out before the evil people come, and she gets her on a ship... whose ship? Guess. Nats. And so Hannahs gone and Kits life is drudging on a usual.... and then someone comes... like you can't guess who... and something happens...

Now that's what I call a "living" book
I just finished reading this book aloud to my 3 children. They are a tough audience but this book made the history lesson extra smooth. They were begging for "just one more chapter".

This book delves into the Puritan lifestyle,touches a bit on some of the sentiments of the colonists and their fierce independence, briefly touches on some of the archaic medical practices of the times, shows how easily innocent circumstances turned into witch hunts and sparked a conversation about how people can fall into a mob mentality and much more.

There is tons of information here to spark an interest in children to dig deeper. Our family highly recommends it!

Excellent lesson to be learned
I discovered this book years and years ago in the fourth grade. The thought of it stayed with me through the years. I bought the book for my friend's son a couple years ago and reread it to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was even better because as an adult I can see some of the most important themes of the book that weren't evident to a child. Tolerance and acceptance are perhaps the biggest lessons of all to take away from it. Independence is another. I will continue to buy this book every time a child close to me comes to the age where they can understand it. The plotline is enough to keep them interested while at the same time teaching them valuable life lessons, without them even knowing it. ... Read more

Book Description

It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast.
The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity.
This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change.Author's note. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Richie's Picks: LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY
"From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved."
--Charles Darwin, THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES

"Like angels appearing in the sky,
whales are proof of God."
--Cynthia Rylant, THE WHALES

Because it is based upon a series of true, race-related events in Maine during the early 1900s, LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY might make you think of Karen Hesse's WITNESS. Several of the "good guy" characters--Mrs. Carr and the elder Mrs. Hurd, for example--have a charm reminiscent of the idiosyncratic folk in BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE. But, because of the depth of the evil behind the tragic real events upon which the fictional story of Lizzie and Turner is built, the feelings of despair and anger with which we're left evoke memories of such books as MISSISSIPPI TRIAL, 1955 and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

The enchanting Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl of great strength and few words, belongs to the youngest of many generations of African Americans who have called Malaga Island home.

"Lizzie held close against her grandfather as the people of Malaga Island came out from the pine woods, gathered around their preacher on the shore to hear what had been said. Before they turned, Lizzie felt her grandfather ebb as though his soul were passing out of him, the way the last waves of a falling tide pass into still air and are gone. "She took a deep breath, and she wasn't just breathing in the air. She breathed in the waves, the sea grass, the pines, the pale lichens on the granite, the sweet shimmering of the pebbles dragged back and forth in the surf, the fish hawk diving to the waves, the dolphin jumping out of them.
"She would not ebb.
"Then she turned with her grandfather to tell the gathering people of Malaga that times had moved on, and they would have to leave their homes."

Across the water, on the mainland, Turner is the new kid in town. And even worse--from his perspective--he's the new minister's son.

"Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for almost six whole hours.
"He didn't know how much longer he could stand it."

Here, as with the fight over the towers in Elaine Konigsburg's THE OUTCASTS OF 19 SCHUYLER PLACE, the root of conflict involves money and property values. Phippsburg's shipbuilding industry is dying, and the local "boys with the bucks" reckon that tourism may be the source of future prosperity if only the "less desirable" portion of the community can be run out of town.

" 'Would you look at that monkey go? Look at her go. She climbing down or falling?' Deacon Hurd watched the last leap to the ground. 'Sheriff Elwell, I believe she thought you might shoot her.'
" 'Wouldn't have been any trouble, Mr. Hurd. One less colored in the world.' "

The character who is most difficult to decipher in this story of Turner's coming of age is his father. Reverend Buckminster was hired by the church leadership and is supposed to be serving God. However, he is being pulled in various directions: by the white community, by his own knowledge and conscience (or sometimes lack thereof), and by the beliefs of the maturing son he apparently loves, albeit in a stiff, 1912 Congregationalist ministerial fashion.

"And suddenly, Turner had a thought that had never occurred to him before: he wondered if his father really believed a single thing he was saying.
"And suddenly, Turner had a second thought that had never occurred to him before: he wondered if he believed a single thing his father was saying."

Reverend Buckminster is but one of several characters who end up throwing Turner a curveball.

The innocent, against-all-odds friendship that develops between Turner and Lizzie repeatedly caused me shivers, delight, and despair. It is first among the many reasons why LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY is an entertaining and important piece of YA historic fiction. (...) ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Read this book!
The scene: 1844, Caldwell, Colorado, high in the Rocky Mountains. Fourteen-year-old Daniel LeBlanc lives with his aunt and uncle while his father is out hunting and fishing. Daniel's father is a Mountain Man, an experienced trapper who knows the mountains, forests, and streams like he knows the back of his hand. Then one day he disappears! No one can find any trace of him.

Daniel is, understandably, hit hard by the loss of his father. He swears that he is hearing a voice --- a voice that is telling him frightening things about his father. He's also having severe dreams at night. Frightened by these hallucinations and omens, Daniel goes out to search for his father. Daniel has many escapades and adventures. One particular stormy night, Daniel sees a scar-faced man stealing horses. The thief sees Daniel, too, and Daniel barely escapes being shot. In fear, he joins a wagon train heading west. After many long months and many obstacles, Daniel finally finds his father. How does Daniel come to understand that he and his father aren't the only ones in danger? Read this book to find out!

I like to learn about the lives of people in America's past, so I thought this book was really informative and awesome. I also liked this book because it was exciting and full of adventure and action, and I never knew what was going to happen next! If you want an exciting book to read then read this book!

--- Reviewed by Ashley, age 13, Book Boss

Can't agree with School Lib Journal
(...) This is an adventure story, and on that level it works very well. In addition, the characters are diverse, rich, three-dimensional, funny, and complex. No simple formula writing here, though you can see the capture-escape-recapture-escape rhythm that you also see in the best of authors in this genre. Plus, it's a coming-of-age novel. Daniel goes off to find his father, and ends up finding himself. I'd compare it to Gary Paulsen's _Tucker_ series, or even (if you're old enough to remember) _True Grit_. Many YA readers and adult readers alike will find this book a very rewarding read.

Furthermore, this book shows a more accurate picture of the impact of white settlement in the Amer West than most of the popular YA historical fiction. There is no whitewash of the settlers, and no romantic images of the native Americans, either. Compared to some of the "Dear America" books, for example, _Daniel's Walk_ is far and away more historically accurate.

Students especially should get hold of it. (...) It's rare enough that we come across a decent story based on decent historical research.

An exciting new historical novel.
Daniel's mother died in childbirth when he was just a small boy. After that, his father, a fur trapper, left Daniel to be raised by relatives in Missouri. Aunt Judith believes Daniel's father is a good-for-nothing responsible for her sister's death. She and her husband discourage Daniel from ever searching for his father. But a mysterious voice in the night warns Daniel that his father is in danger. Determined to save him, he sets out to cross the country and find his father in the Rocky Mountains. Daniel joins up with a wagon train and meets a headstrong girl named Rosalie as well as a horse thief determined to kill him. But even if Daniel survives the dangers of the overland journey, can he escape the horse thief's vengeance and find his father before it's too late? This was an exciting historical novel with a new perspective on the Oregon Trail. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This story of a tragically injured young silversmith who ends up hip-deep in the American Revolution is inspiring, exciting, and sad. Winner of the prestigious Newbery Award in 1944, Esther Forbes's story has lasted these 50-plus years by including adventure, loss, courage, and history in a wonderfully written, very dramatic package. It's probably not great for little guys but mature 11-year-olds or older will find it a great adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (221)

Johnny Tremain
In this epic novel, Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes through the eyes of a young boy, shows us what struggles America went through to become free. In Forbes only children's book Johnny, the main character, meets old Revolutionary heroes such as Sam Adams and Paul Revere. As the book progresses Johnny discovers hard times during the fight for freedom. Forbes takes Historical Fiction a step further by putting real characters and events in this story. Joy and sorrow are two of the many moods throughout the book. Set in Colonial Boston, Forbes story is a true Heart warmer. This book is challenging and appropriate for fourth grade and up. Forbes classic novel, for a good reason, won the Newberry Award, it is a true winner.

That a Man May Stand Up!
This is fascinating historical fiction, for Esther Forbes has seamlessly woven a good Colonial yarn about an aspiring apprentice silversmith into the tapestry of New England's grievances, which culminated in the American Revolution. One could almost believe that Johnny--quick, cocksure, ambitious--actually lived and rubbed shoulders with the brilliant and fervent Boston patriots: Paul Revere, John Hancock, Sam and john Adams.

What a wonderful parallel read this is for English-History classes, which will definitely appeal to boys
who crave literary action. The protagonist is an impoverished youth who loses his job and ultimately his place in a modest craftsman's home, because of an accident in which he burns his hand beyond folk healing. He struggles to find a few position, new friends and a sense of self-worth, since he realizes that his silver dreams are shattered beyond repair. But Johnny also undertakes a personal quest--a legacy from his poor mother: to be recognized by a wealthy merchant's family as a direct heir. But was this spirited and talented fellow meant to be a nobleman? Ultimately he learns to value the nobility of the heart.

As war clouds loom increasingly over disgruntled Boston, Johnny's outlook changes; his new, American loyalty is refined in a crucible of patriotic hope--fired by the empassioned oratory of James Otis. The coming Revolution will stand as a beacon to oppressed people the world over, even back in "mother" England. Johnny learns to curb his temper somewhat, as he comes of age and suddenly must perform a man's job by defending his values in perilous times. This book is an excellent story which will hold the reader's interest because of the intensely personal storyline, plus accurate historical details. This book makes one proud to be Yankee born!

after watching Disney's Johnny Tremain
This was also required reading for our 5th grade curriculum. Daughter hated it, so about half way through to reinforce it we watched Disney's version of Johnny Tremain on home video. After that, she couldnt read it fast enough. The book filled in all the blanks the movie made for her, and she had faces and personalities to add to the book, along with visual points of reference.
In the end, she really enjoyed it.

WORST BOOK EVER!
This is the worst book I have ever read. The characters are weak, the action is non-existant and the book is just flat-out bad! There is little to no action throughout most of the book, and when there is, it is extremely predictable.

I love Johnny!!
I had to read this book for school, and I assumed it would be boring. Well, I shouldn't assume because this book was excellent! It is the sad, funny, and exciting story of a fourteen year old silversmith in Boston during the Revolutioary War.
The characters are so vivid, you feel like you've known them all your life. This book also teaches a lesson about pride, but I won't spoil what happens! Yes, this book is older, but don't judge it by its age. If you're looking for a good book, this is definintely one to read! ... Read more

Book Description

It’s 1936 Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and 10-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy, but Bud’s got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase full of special things; 2. He’s the author of “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself”; 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band of renown, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud is sure those posters will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road, nothing can stop him, not hunger, not fear, not would-be vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
... Read more

Reviews (288)

Bud, Not Buddy
This book is about a ten-year-old orphan named Bud who is searching for his father, who he has never seen. Living on his own during the Great Depression, he meets his old friend Bugs. They decide to ride the rails west on a Hooverville train. Bugs makes it, but unfortunately Bud doesn't. This one event will change Bud's life, because Bud decides to walk to the next town and search for his father. After meeting new faces, Bud finds his believed-to-be-father, Herman E. Calloway, a musician. Although Mr.Calloway is not very friendly, Bud is invited to stay with him. In this book you learn how important communication is between people. Bud, Not Buddy won the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. I would recommend this book for forth to sixth graders because some events are hard to understand. I think this book has terrific facts on how people lived during the Great Depression. Something I particularily enjoyed about this book is how much the author described things. She used the five senses, especially the sense of smell. It was like the item was right in front of you. Is Mr. Calloway Bud's real father? Read this book to find out. Just remember to expect the unexpected. A great read for 5th and 6th graders.

A Place Called Home
Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of 10 year old Bud Caldwell, a young boy growing up in Michigan during the 1930's. Bud's mother died when he was only 6 years old, and since he never knew his father, Bud was forced to live in a home for orphans between his brief stays in various foster homes. Bud carries a battered suitcase which contains all the things that are near and dear to his heart; a special blanket and pictures of his mother. Although it seems as if Bud has very little, he has a drive to find his father, using the clues he feels that his mother left for him. After a bad experience at a foster care placement, Bud runs away using the rules he authored "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" to guide him. Will the clues really lead to his father? Will Bud finally find a place to call home?

While this plot seems pretty intense, Curtis has truly captured the voice of a 10 year-old boy. The book is filled with laugh out loud humorous scenes that make it a really enjoyable read. Curtis carefully slips in a great deal of historical events through Bud's experiences without disrupting the overall flow of the book. Bud's voice is one that will draw children into the story and this is truly a book that young readers will enjoy. Check out Bud, Not Buddy for a splash of history, a heap of humor and an overall good book.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A good short story.
I liked this book becuase it was a wonderful story about history(the Great deppresion) and a boy trying to find out who he was. Or rather, who his father was. he ends up traveling with a band and finding more than he bargained for.

Exciting Blend of Mystery, History, and More!
"Bud Not Buddy" is the story of a young boy in the Great Depression whose mother has died, leaving him with what he believes to be a clue to his unknown father's identity: a flyer for a band featuring bass player Herman Calloway. When Bud exhausts other options to finding a happy home, he listens to his mother's advice ("When one door closes, another one opens") and heads to Grand Rapids to find his father. Bud's naive nature and vivid imagination lead to many humorous moments and observations along the way. Readers find themselves constantly guessing about Herman Calloway's relationship to Bud and trying to put the artfully-inserted clues together. While Bud is surprised when he finds out the truth, he ends up learning a great deal about his mother, his past, human nature, and what it really means to belong. The book is an excellent introduction to the Great Depression, while at the same time interesting readers with a likeable character and excellent mystery.

My fav book
bud, not buddy is my favorite book. this book had me laughing and crying. i read it in like, the fourth grade and its still my fav book. i suggest this book to ne1! ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. Upstarts like Davy Crockett, giants like Paul Bunyan,

and gentle souls like Johnny Appleseed are among the nine "tall" heroes

featured in this exuberant collection of traditional American folk tales.

"McCurdy's intricate wood engravings set these larger-than-life folk on

majestic landscapes brimming with energy, rich with wildlife and local color.

The author's thoughtful introduction and notes round out this superlative

offering."--(starred) School Library Journal.




... Read more

Book Description

Ten Volume SetWhether its standing on the podium in Seneca Falls with the Suffragettes or riding on the first subway car beneath New York City in 1907, all the books in Joy Hakim's A History of US series weave together the exciting stories that bring American history to life. Kids may want to start with War, Terrible Warthe tragic and bloody account of the Civil War thats been hailed by critics as magnificentor All the People, brought fully up-to-date in this new edition with a thoughtful and engaging examination of our world after September 11th. No matter which book they read, young people will never think of American history as boring again. Hakims single, clear voice offers continuity and narrative drama as she shares with a young audience her love of and fascination with the people of the past. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

An exceptional, panoramic kids' introduction to U.S. history
Joy Hakim has accomplished something close to impossible: a readable, thoughtful, even-handed narrative of American history, from the pre-Columbians to the end of the Cold War. The book is fun to read. Hakim tells her stories without stuffiness, pomposity, or self-rightreousness -- and she tells hundreds of stories! Illustrations are almost all from the period being discussed. Marginal comments explain difficult words and concepts. Sidebars print excerpts from diaries, speeches, letters, literature and histories of the time. Hakim relies heavily on biography and anecdote to convey a sense of the times she discusses. She manages to convey a sense of enthusiasm for this country throughout her warts-and-all account of its history. Periodically, she stops to discuss how historians know what they know and to encourage her readers to arrive at their own evaluations. My wife and I started reading this series to our son when he was eight years old. We marvelled at how well it communicated history and its lessons (clear and ambiguous, simple and complex) to him. We found ourselves wishing we'd had books like these when we were first learning U.S. history

The perfect American History for Kids
My son and I read through the entire series of books, but skipped most of the sidebars. He is now a confirmed history nut, and I learned many things. We both had a wonderful ride: when my son was asked to bring in his favorite thing for a class picture sesion, he brought one of these volumes. There are a good many facts, set pieces, thumbnail biographical sketches, but the focus is on the highlights, especially as they illustrate the few basic themes that underly who we are. The manner in which these themes recur throughout the series reinforces them and ties everything together. Reductionist yes, but on target for the audience. I was impressed with the evenhanded interpretation of difficult events and people, and ended up feeling strongly that this is the way I want my children to understand our past.

Buyer Beware.
I doubt there's any US History textbooks more excitingly written for kids age 9-12 than Joy Hakim's. (This series is the one used in one of the best private schools in Silicon Valley.) They're glossy and beautiful, and well-nigh irresistible. What an incredible shame. What's the problem? The problem is they contain a version of history so slanted as to amount to an utterly shameless propagandizing of children. I'm a liberal atheist, but, really, these books should be sealed into a time capsule, to entertain future historians.

I assume Hakim simply doesn't know any better, but even a Marxist with a PhD in American History would blush a little to discover that a child reading this series would never suspect that close to 100 million innocent men, women, and children died under the yoke of socialist regimes, nor that a third of the world was plunged into an unnecessary grinding poverty for decades. On the other hand, they will learn, as they should, that National Socialism murdered six million innocents, and that the Ku Klux Klan 'grew hugely' in the 1920s. But they won't learn that any other serious totalitarian movements also grew hugely in the 1920s, or that five million innocents died under the rule of Lenin's first experiment in socialism in the 1920s.

On the contrary, all anti-Communism in the twentieth century is presented as nothing better than a witch-hunt. Indeed, anti-communism is literally referred to as a 'witch-hunt,' several times. Come on. So, was the fight against Hitler's National Socialism a 'witch-hunt'? Why such a palpable double standard for twin evils? Hakim teaches children that while National Socialism was indeed a real and present danger, and even worth waging an unprecedented World War to fight it, on the other hand, international socialism, or Communism, was, as she tells it, never any real danger to Americans.

For instance, there's a chapter on the HUAC hearings in which McCarthy is referred to as a 'liar' about a half a dozen times. The chapter literally begins with the opening sentence "Joe McCarthy was a liar." Sure, he's controversial, but the latest research by historians just doesn't back up Hakim's wild-eyed account of liberal anti-socialism in America as nothing better than a nefarious 'witch-hunt' conducted by 'liars' and oppressors. Totalitarian Communist Lillian Hellman is profiled as a hero, and the overall impression is given that none of these people really were Communists, but, instead, were all just as falsely accused as the supposed 'witches' of Salem.

This conclusion is then used to prove the statement that Americans are a fundamentally paranoid people, who basically lose their marbles very once in a while. (See book "Not Without Honor." on McCarthy and PBS documentary on Salem to find out why even Salem wasn't actually paranoia after all, but a toxic crop of moldy rye.)

Bad History book
I teach 8th grade social studies and this textbook is the worst piece of garbage I have ever read. There is no relevant vocabulary, no glossary, and lacks important facts. It is unfortunate that trees were killed to write this horrible book.

Easy and enjoyable for reluctant readers.
Customer reviewers alleah and Tom Steinberg (see Spotlight Reviews) sum up this series quite well. I'd like to add that, as a homeschooler of a special needs child who is what I call a "reluctant reader", I find the short, to-the-point entries written in interesting story format not only do-able for my son, but an excellent means of imparting the comprehensive, overall view of American history he will need as a foundation for the more difficult, in-depth work he will be doing in high school. I strongly recommend this series to all families with grammar/middle school students, whether homeschooled or private/public schooled. In addition, I recommend the eleventh book in the series, "Sourcebook and Index: Documents That Shaped the American Nation". (Titles of books should be underlined, not in quotation marks, but, alas, the program doesn't allow for that.) Well worth owning, as these books are hard to find in libraries (at least where I live) and, as reference books, can't be borrowed, only read right there at the library.

If you are going to purchase the series, Amazon has the best price I've seen by several dollars per book. ... Read more

Book Description

Ada Ruth's mama must go away to Chicago to work, leaving Ada Ruthand Grandma behind. It's war time, and women are needed to fill the men's jobs. As winter sets in, Ada Ruth and her grandma keep up their daily routine, missingMama all the time. They find strength in each other, and a stray kitten evenarrives one day to keep them company, but nothing can fill the hole Mama left.Every day they wait, watching for the letter that says Mama will be coming onhome soon.Set during World War II, Coming On Home Soon has a timeless quality that willappeal to all who wait and hope. ... Read more

Book Description

During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out.

Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease. ... Read more

Reviews (114)

Historical Tragedy
Imagine fleeing your home, leaving family members behind, just trying to get away from the plague!
In the book Fever 1793 written by Laurie Halse Anderson, a fourteen year old girl named Mattie Cook, has to leave her home in Philadelphia during 1793. She lives with her mother and grandfather above their family business, the Cook Coffeehouse. Many citizens come down with yellow fever and when Mattie comes home to find her mother sick, lying on the doorstep, she must help her. Ms. Cook refuses to let Mattie get near her, in fear of Mattie getting ill as well. Mattie and her grandfather decide to flee the city. Eliza, their maid, stays behind to care for Ms. Cook and other friends who have also come down with yellow fever.
I thought this was and excellent book. The author gave fantastic descriptions of what Philadelphia looked like during this crisis. she makes it posible to actually see the run-down city, and the corpses lying in piles at the cemetary waiting to be buried. What also made this book so interesting was that it was written about every day. It was almost like reading a journal. All of the details made it seem so real that I could put myself in Mattie's shoes. She had to grow up fast so that she could help out and she had to deal with so much.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson is and excellent historical book. It is filled with descriptions that make you feel like you were in that time period.