Book Description

Born into slavery, young Harriet Tubman knew only hard work and hunger. Escape seemed impossible--certainly dangerous. Yet Harriet did escape North, by the secret route called the Underground Railroad. Harriet didn't forget her people. Again and again she risked her life to lead them on the same secret, dangerous journey. ... Read more

Book Description

When her small hometown in Arkansas becomes the site of a camp housing German prisoners during World War II, 12-year-old Patty Bergen learns what it means to open her heart. Although she's Jewish, she begins to see a prison escapee, Anton, not as a Nazi--but as a lonely, frightened young man with feelings not unlike her own, who understands and appreciates her in a way her parents never will. And Patty is willing to risk losing family, friends--even her freedom--for what has quickly become the most important part of her life. Thoughtful, moving, and hard-hitting, Summer of My German Soldier has become a modern classic.

"Courageous and compelling!" --Publishers Weekly

"An exceptionally fine novel." --The New York Times

* A Puffin Novel
* 208 pages
* Ages 10-14

* A 1973 National Book Award Finalist
* An ALA Notable Book
* A New York Times Outstanding Book ofthe Year ... Read more

Reviews (161)

SUMMER OF MY GERMAN SOLDIER
The summer of my German soldier takes place in Arkansas, during WWII. The story is about a girl named Patty who feels that her parents are mean and cruel to her because they don't appreciate anything she does for them. The only person who she can find acceptance in is her housekeeper, Ruth. Patty's small town in Jekingsville, becomes the site of a POW camp for German soldiers, and one day the soldiers are allowed to visit her father's department store to purchase some hats. Patty, who was working that day, met one of the German soldiers named Anton Reiker. Soon after, Anton escaped from the prison camp and hid out at Patty's house in her abandoned attic. Later her family found out what Patty has been up to.
If one of the characters were to run into trouble it would be Patty. In the book Patty makes wrong choices that get her in alot of trouble. Knowing that she is Jewish she's not allowed to talk to any of the German soldiers that come to her hometown. She disobeys and does it anyway. she helps the German soldier that escaped from the prison camp. Later in the story the FBI catches up to what Patty has been up to. Her hometown then turns against her and calls her a trader and sees her as a bad person.
My favorite character in the story is Patty Bergen. But, if I were in her place I don't think I would have done the same thing she did by helping the German prisoner who escaped the campsite. For example, it's like me hiding out Bin Laddin in my attic. I could never turn my back on my country and help him. Patty is a twelve-year old brave girl who takes the risk of hiding out a German prisoner. Her parents always brush her off to the side. Patty feels left out in her family kind of like an outcast. I can kind of understand were Patty is coming from for her to help that German soldier. Since her mother or father doesn't pay any attention to her she feels like she needs someone to talk to or any one that has interest in her and would care about her. She obviously doesn't care who it is because she starts talking to a German prisoner and he's in his twenty's. The thing that I like about her is that she's a good-hearted person.
If I were to relate to any of the characters, I think it would be Patty. I had an experience kind of similar to what Patty went through. My parents always told my sisters and me we weren't allowed to have a boyfriend until we were eighteen-years old. I was the one who disobeyed my parents. When I was about thirteen-years old I had a boyfriend anyway. I would lie to my parents about where I was going or whom I was going with. After a while I felt guilty, and I felt like I had to confess. I waited to long to tell them and they ended up finding out. After that it took me a while to earn my trust back from them. So I think it's best for parents to be open with their children. Don't tell your kids you can't do this, you can't go there, or you can't hang out with a certain person because they don't like them. Later in life their parents will realize they should not tell their kids "no" just for the heck of it or just to be strict. I could see who was a bad person to hang out with, or a bad place to go.
I enjoyed reading this book, but it took me a couple of chapters to get into it. I had a favorite part and a least favorite part. My favorite part was when Patty met the German soldier at her father's department store and supplied him with a place to stay, clothes, and food. My least favorite part of the story was when Patty's father beat her because he didn't like her friend Freddy. I don't think children should get beaten by their parents, especially a young twelve-year old. I could see if it was a little kid getting disciplined, but spanked on the hand.
I think I would recommend this book for someone else to read. It's a good book. The kind of person I recommend to read this book is a girl or boy who enjoys reading romantic stories.

A Kid's book Adults Can Appreciate
I love this book for many reasons. First, because it is so politically incorrect, in its depiction of the unlikely alliance between a misfit Jewish girl and a rather naive German prisoner of war in the small minded setting of WWII era American rural south.

This book was published in 1973, and written by a Jewish woman who was the same age as the protogonist, Patty Bergen, during WW II and who likewise grew up in a rural Arkansas town. My guess is that it wouldn't even be published today -- the very idea of giving a German the benefit of the doubt is now taboo, in the aftermath of Daniel Goldhagen and his book, Hitler's Willing Executioners, in which he has supposedly proved, once and for all, that all Germans are evil, and equally responsible for the Holocost.

Yes, it is shocking that Patty felt so abused by her Jewish parents that she sided with a German. Unfortunately, that's how people sometimes behave in real life. That's why this book transcends the genre of young adult novels -- all the major characters are deeply flawed, from Patty, who should know better than to committ treason, to Anton, who should have sat tight, seeing as he was being treated just fine by the Yanks, to her self-centered and I'm afraid all too typical parents. We see that being a member of a beleagured minority group (Jews) doesn't make Patty's parents saints. They are as class conscious as any of their redneck neighbors.

This book, if published today, would probably be attacked for being antisemitic, simply because some of the Jewish characters aren't perfect. (Her grandparents, by the way, provide a contrast of warmth and fairness.)

This book provides no panaceas at the end, when the heroine is still far from in the clear. It is a morally challenging book that surprised me at every turn with its realism and fearlessness.

In a way I have more respect for it than I do for To Kill A Mockingbird, which other reviewers here compared it to. That book itself has become a predictable cliche, much imitated, of moral right and wrong -- of course white people are always wrong, and black prisoners innocent victims. Greene's book, on the other hand complicates the simplistic liberal equation.

A breath of fresh air in an era of PC censorship.

A review for parents
This book was on a list of recommended summer reading for my daughter. I was disturbed by the two sentence synopsis on the list and decided to purchase and read it myself to find out if the school to which I pay a princely sum every year, was indeed recommending a book with such a poor moral foundation. What I found out was that not only was the two-sentence synoposis accurate, the book was worse than described. (To get a plot summary look at some of the other reviews--I won't waste space with that here.)

Nowhere in this book is there an acknowledgment that POWs--regardless of what their personal political stands may be--belong in POW camps until the end of hostilities. The heroine of this story is in fact championed for protecting an escaping POW. There had been no build up suggesting that conditions at the camp were subhuman, etc. No, he just didn't want to be there. He wasn't a Nazi, he was misunderstood, a product of his historical circumstance, etc.

Our heroine's eventual punishment is presented as the result of an unfortunate legally-required minimum, not as an appropriate punishment for her actions. She is now the victim of a legal system that can't acknowledge her personal circumstances--her evil father and mother who through their lack of love drove her to want to help the German soldier.

The fact is, our heroine's "protection" of the soldier is an indirect cause of his eventual death, something which never even seems to occur to the heroine--or to anyone else for that matter. It is odd that after portraying the soldier as having such great personal potential and goodness that he should be protected from internment at a POW camp, the author does nothing to suggest at his death that his life had any value beyond his relationship with our heroine. Even there his memory serves as nothing more than a foundation for her daydreams. And her daydreaming is not about his life cut short, it's about her playing the role of sympathetic visitor to his grieving mother in Germany!

Not only does this story present extremely poor choices by a 12-year-old as praiseworthy, it never questions a relationship between a 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old man, and it romanticizes death--a very unfortunate theme among much of what passes for award-worthy modern children's literature.

Finally, all of the characters are completely one-dimensional. The heroine's parents are evil without explanation, the German soldier is a perfect gentleman, the townspeople are hysterical bigots, the heroine's black maid is wise and the only source of love for the heroine.

With all the great literature out there, why do we have our children read this junk? What our children read is important and it is very disturbing that it appears from the other reviews that a great many schools seem to be using this book as part of a literature or history program. It is poor on all levels, poorly written, poor character and plot development, and poor moral lessons.

Book Review for Summer of My German Soldier
Summer of My German Soldier is about a young adolescent 12 year-old-girl named Patty who is Jewish. She falls in love with a Nazi soldier when she is at her father's shop. He asks her what kind of pencil sharpener he should buy. He falls in love with her. Her grandmother then takes her out on a fancy train ride, and buys her new clothes. Patty loves this outing because her parents do not really understand her at back at home. Anton then escaped from the prison after her train ride with her grandmother. She feeds him, in her garage, and takes care of him, only until she has to eventually tell Ruth. He then leaves her. She often sees him walking, and calls out, but he does not hear her. One day when he actually heard her, she went inside the house and stole tons of food all for him. Later that day, her father comes home and notices a ring on her finger. She said that it was from a nice man who wanted food, so she gave it to him. Since she was so nice he gave her the ring, when it was really from Anton. Her father, as usual, got really upset at this, and suspected that he did something to her. She swore nothing happened, but with his stubborn mind, whacked her across the forehead. Ruth pampered and watched over her. Since Ruth was talking Patty's side, Patty's dad fired Ruth. It was the first time that she had ever been fired. Near the end of the book Patty hears that Anton gets killed, and is devastated. The overall book was enjoyable, but some did not really make sense. For example, even though we knew that the father of Patti was moody, it really did not make sense for him to beat her at the times that he did. When he was in the garage, and his temper rising, he slapped her across the face asking her where she got the ring. Secondly, I thought that some parts were rather slow, and did not need to be there. I would rate this book four stars out of five because I enjoyed the story, but some parts of the book did not need to be there, and some parts were slow.

Summer of my German Soldier
I read Summer of My German Soldier recently. I enjoyed this book, but I also believe that it could possibly have been better. It is about Jewish girl, Patti, living in Arkansas during World War Two. A prison camp for Germans is opened near her town, and one day in her father's store she meets one named Anton. She instantly befriends him, and when he escapes the camp she shelters him in the garage. Eventually, after he leaves, he gets killed. I strongly feel that the idea of this story was very genius, but the book could have been better. A Jewish girl falling in love with a German soldier could have so many possibilities, but the story lacks any action or suspense. There were so many boring parts during that book it made me sick. Many parts were Patti just thinking about her love for Anton. Even Patti said at one point that she was bored. The story also didn't develop the characters very well. When Anton died, because of bad character development, it didn't have as much emotion as it could have. The part about her transitioning to jail was confusing as well. I do believe that these parts could have been much better in the story, and it could have also been made a splendid book. With better character development and a more clear and exciting plotline, this book definitely had potential, but failed. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The Land is Mildred D. Taylor's wonderful prequel to her NewberyMedal winner, Roll of Thunder,Hear My Cry. In the stories Taylor has to tell, life is not fair, hardwork doesn't always pay off, and the good guy doesn't always win. That's becausethis extraordinary author tells the stories of her African American family inthe Deep South during and after the Civil War, a time of ugly, painful racism.

Paul-Edward Logan, the son of a white, plantation-owner father and a slavemother, is our narrator, bound and determined to buy his own land and shape hisown future at whatever cost. Caught between black and white worlds and notfitting into either one is devastating for him, but his powerful, engaging talesof the love of family, the strength of friendship, and growing up will inspireanyone to dare to persevere despite terrible odds. Taylor's books are not onlyessential in understanding what led up to the Civil Rights movement inAmerica--they are also breathtaking page-turners, full of suspense, humor, love,and hope. The Land certainly stands alone, but the other award-winningtales of the Logan family--Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; Let theCircle Be Unbroken; and The Road to Memphis--are excellent as well.Heartily recommended. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (22)

READ THIS BOOK
When I discovered, through the note provided by Mildred Taylor, that The Land was more than five years in the making, I literally swooned in admiration of the freshness of the story. Any book which takes half a decade to research and write evolves with a certain degree of vulnerability. How can any author sustain such an endeavor, especially in the face of her readership, so familiar with her own impossibly hard acts to follow, and emerge holding such a live treasure as The Land, in the end?
The Land is a prequel, in that it tells the stories of the Logan family that chronologically came before those of her beloved, already known, characters. What sets this novel apart from typical prequel status, in my mind, is the electricity between its pages. The Land is filled with its own magical energy. Paul-Edward's many adventures, his beliefs in himself and his family (as well as his view of all the other people living on his father, Edward's, land) his complex relationships with his white father, his African-Indian mother, his white brother (Robert), and his African-American friend (Mitchell) are exclusively important. They are exclusive in that they are whole, in and of themselves, and a reader can appreciate their strengths without prior knowledge of Taylor's previous work. They are important in that they can and should be told, breathe, and stand on their own. I feel that comparing them might fail them, to a certain degree. That said, the stories of the life of Paul-Edward are certainly crucial... beyond their status as prequel. The private pain and pride of Paul-Edward that we come to know, as we follow his evolution into the young landowner we reluctantly must depart at book's end, all the great sorrows and victories that spill before him in his quest to, in his mother's apt words, have "something for himself"-his own land-while caring for Caroline, her brother, and Mitchell are wondrous, well told, at times lyrically rich.
There is nothing, in The Land, of the staleness that can threaten to tinge any writer's work when she is forced to write a prequel, by her readership, critics, or heart. Perhaps the staleness comes when a writer is not certain of the very something she must be precise about, as she attempts to trace steps prior to the heart of her matter (previous, related book(s)). I have come to believe that a great many prequels and sequels are created not in order to answer an author's own calling, but to answer the call of the readership. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Still, in Taylor's writing of The Land as a whole thing, contained in one book, which tells a before so well, as well, is wholly felt, the mold of the prequel is broken. The Land is exceptionally revealing for those who have known and loved the Logans. The Land is also its own, gorgeous, story.
I believe the heart of Mildred Taylor's matter is, actually, those family stories she finally tells, through fiction twinned with the breath of heritage, in The Land. The novel has clarity and life and a protagonist we love, and a singular life-almost as if The Land contained the most essential things the writer (the niece, the daughter, the landowner) needed to write; almost as if all those stories she'd already made were leading us to this great center.

Taylor Never Fails
Paul-Edward Logan has a unique life situation in the late 1800s. Born on a southern plantation following the Civil War, his mother is black and Native American, yet his father is a white man. As a child, he is treated with almost the same care given to his white half-brothers, yet as he grows up he begins to learn the harshness and injustice of his world. But Paul is determined to make something of himself. He wants his own land, he wants his own destiny, and he wants things that many others of his race wouldn't even dream of.

I was shocked with just how much I was impressed with this book! Throughout my life I have loved the powerful stories told in Taylor's "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" trilogy, yet often authors kind of fizzle after a couple of amazing books. But not here!

I think one of the best things about Paul-Edward's story is how once again Taylor draws on family stories. Anyone who has read "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" will recall that Paul-Edward is the grandfather of the Logan children, and will find it even more fascinating to read his own story. Which brings me to another point-the fact that Taylor not only draws on family stories, but brings them so vividly and credibly to life makes her writing all the better.

And the writing was indeed good. Paul's first-person narrative sounds intelligent and interesting, while still managing to sound realistic and fresh. He is a character full of pride and determination that makes him truly admirable. But the book never feels preachy, and the pride and strength that Taylor fashions into her stories never feels fake.

"The Land" is a book that is at once a story of hope and a realistic portrait of the ugly racism that plagued our society at the time. Just as in her other books, the author deals with racism in a balanced, up front, and intelligent manner.

I was so impressed with this latest from Mildred Taylor! The character-driven story is the perfect balance of timeless values and a compelling historical backdrop.

a good book
The book The Land was a great book a bout a boy named Paul Logan who was just trying to get by. he was th son of a white man and a black women. Paul was born with lighter skin so sometimes he could get away with things, but at other times they just treated him as if he were another one of the black people. Paul gets into a little bit of trouble along with his friend Mitchell. The boys end up becoming very close and helping each other out of achieving the goal of getting "the land." if you want to find out what happens, i recommend you read the book.

The Land
The Land by Mildred D. Taylor is a WONDERFUL book. It is the best book I have ever read. It is about a man, Paul Logan, and his life from childhood to adulthood. Paul has a hard life because he his half black and half white, meaning his dad white and his mom black. To make matters worse, it is right after the civil war. Paul has to learn that not all white men are going to treat him and be as fair to him as his white dad and brothers. This book has adventure, action, and suspense. It tells a GREAT story. I recommend this book to everybody!!!

The BEST Book
I loved this book. I could hardly put it down. Paul-Edward is a half black, half white slave whose owner is his father. He gets tired of his homelife and runs away. He meets Mitchell, a childhood friend, and they travel together. They work at a logging house and then find land that they would love to live on. I won't tell you the rest, because it would RUIN it!! This book has a whole lot of flashback and foreshadowing. I loved this book and encourage you all to read it!! ... Read more

Book Description

A vicious captain, a mutinous crew --
and a young girl caught in the middle

Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.

Reviews (266)

The book was great, I loved it
I have just read the book "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" by Avi. This book was both an adventure novel and a mystery. There are three main characters in this book; Charlotte, Captain Jaggery, and Mr. Zachariah. Charlotte is thirteen years old. Before she went on her voyage she attended the Barrington School for girls in Liverpool, England. Captain Andrew Jaggery was a brutal captain to his crew. He also befriended Charlotte in the beginning of the story before she accidentally whipped him in the face. Zachariah was the cook on the ship for awhile until he faked death and lived in the steerage. He also became good friends with Charlotte throughout the whole book. The story takes place in 1832, on a ship called the Seahawk that left Liverpool, England and sailed for Providence, Rhode Island. The book was very interesting. It was about a girl, named Charlotte, who had just finished school and was ready to come home. Her parents got her a boat ride so she could get back to Rhode Island. When she got on the ship everyone seemed very nice, until the crew decided to take avenge on the captain. This is where it started getting hectic. Zachariah faked death they found a stowaway and Charlotte decided to become on of the crew. When she was blamed for murder and found guilty, I got scared. Well, if you want to no the ending read the book yourself. Some of my favorite scenes were with Zachariah in the steerage, because they were talking mostly about what was happening in the book and I could understand it more. I Also liked the scenes because Zachariah was my favorite character. The book was exiting. I would rate it an eight out of ten. I think you would like the book if you like adventures and aren't afraid of reading

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle/a must read
Sahana Rajan 11/23

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle By: Avi
0-53105-893-X

Join Charlotte Doyle on a historical fiction voyage across the Atlantic on the "Seahawk". Piloted by the murderous, yet cunning Captain Jaggery, the "Seahawk" has all of its ups and downs with Miss Doyle on board. During the summer of 1832, Charlotte is to return to America from England in what her father thinks is a posh way. Yet, to his unknowing, there is a huge plot forming in which Charlotte must lose her fancy ways and join as a sailor. At the same time she is accused of murder.
The reason I like this book is probably because the suspense keeps you reading. I would recommend this to any young teen who likes to read. Charlotte is always making puzzles and putting them back together and it's fun to do it with her. Your mind wanders while you read this book- but not off of the book. It wanders to parts of your brain where you can tap into to discover what's happening.

Live vicariously through Charlotte!
I first read this book at age 11 when I received it as a birthday present. That was 12 years ago, and I've re-read it many times since then. To a sheltered, suburban kid, the idea of a young girl being thrown into a difficult situation on her own and then making a success of it was thrilling. I loved escaping into the adventure. Unlike most children's books, this one wasn't afraid to throw in some real danger and suspense ... along with important lessons about finding out who your real friends are and being true to yourself.

dis book sux
this is the dumbest book i have ever read in my entire life besides the secret garden that book is even dumber the rating that i gave this book is too high. I would have liked to have given it negative stars. If you read this book be prepared to be bored out of your mind for approximately 210 pages. Enjoy! (not really) lol

Thrilling High Seas Adventure
The year is 1832, and thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is excited to make an interesting voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, being transported from Liverpool, England, home to her family in Providence, Rhode Island by way of ship. She is lead to believe that other families with children her age will be accompanying her on this trip, as it is improper for a girl of her age to be traveling with a group of men, but when they never show up, she is forced to board by herself, and is soon thrown into a tailspin. Before Charlotte even knows what is going on, she is not only accused of murder, but brought to trial, and found guilty, as well. This is her story. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as she lived it.

THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE is an amazing work of literary fiction, that will stay with the reader for years and years to come. Charlotte is an intelligent, strong willed, strong minded, and brave young girl, who makes the best of all of the challenges she faces on her journey. She is not afraid of a little hard work, and even enjoys it to a certain extent. Through her adventures she keeps her head up and a smile on her face, just to prove to everyone around her that she can do anything that a man can, and sometimes she can even do it better. A must have book for anyone interested in historical fiction, as this is one of the best.

Erika Sorocco ... Read more

Book Description

When her grandfather is injured, 10-year-old Ellen Toliver replaces him on a

top-secret patriotic mission. Disguised as a boy, she manages to smuggle a

message to General George Washington."An unusually fine historical novel for

this age level."--Booklist.




... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Great Book
Toliver's Secret was a great book. It could capture anyone's interest. You find yourself in the begining of the Revolutionary War. The main character is Ellen or "Toliver". She is a very timid and shy girl. Then she finds courage she never new she had as she smuggles a mesage to Mr. Shannon. But can she walk twelve miles in the middle of winter? Escape from British soldiers? Read the book and find out!

Toliver's Secret
Young,gentle,and quiet Ellen Toliver learns to stand up for herself and to have great courage in Toliver's Secret. It takes place in New York, in the winter time during the Revolutionary War. Each day Ellen dreads to go to the well to get water because each time Dicey bullies her. Prefering to stay inside with her mother and grandfather, she rarely goes outside. But after her breathtaking adventure she changes her mind. Her grandfather,being an American spy, asked Ellen to tade a message hidden in a loaf of bread to Elizabeth Town. Find out what daring adventures ahe goes through, getting braver and braver at each step. I think this a wonderful book and anyone who likes adventures should read it.

She Power
This book is about a girl who dresses up as a boy and has to delievers a secret to Americans. The little girl gets on the wrong ship and Guess What, it is full of BRITISH SOLDIERS! She gets scared and doesnt know what to do.

quick read
This book is a really good book. It is a really quick read. It is about a girl who has to go on a mission to get a message to this person so they could find out more about the British soldiers. She has to cut her hair and dress like a boy. She came to alot of things that stood in her way. This book is realist fiction. really good american revoluton book.

not another teen review
As you can obviously see I was not all that impressed with this book. It is a fine historic novel to be sure. But only up to a certain age. You would not want to read this book if you were a teenager. But it is a very good book to teach younger children the type of secrecy the Americans had to go through to earn their independence. It also has a surprising ending but I'm not going to tell you what it is because that would ruin the surprise. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

An Unforgetable Tale
This story is very well written by author Yuskiko Uchida. This story takes place around the time when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. A normal Japanese-American girl lived in Berkekly, California and her life was like a regular girls life. Until her father was taken from her and her family. That was when World War 2 started. This girl and her family were moved from concentration camp to concentration camp taking away from her normal life. Will her friends and family ever be reunited again? Friendship, courage, and faith soon will come to her and her family .

I am only 11, 10 at the time I read the book, and it taught me so much. I have always been a "bookworm" and this book surely proved it. I read this book in a restuarant, lawyer office, and everywhere else we went. This book is so good, you will not want to put it down. This amazing boook an unforgettable, heartwarming story that you'll definitely want to read!

Wonderful historical fiction
I homeschool my 12 y.o. son, and we read this book for a historical fiction book group. It is a beautifully written story of the tragic internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. It brings to life both the physical realities and the emotional burdens that were imposed by tearing people from their homes and sending them to dismal war camps. I highly recommend this book as an accompaniment to non-fiction reading about the internments, because it provides such a vivid picture of this sad chapter in American history.

Topaz
Journey to Topaz

The plot of the story is that Yuki and her family are sent to various places to live, they are camps for only Japanese, because the Japanese across the ocean have just bombed Pearl Harbor. In the time between when Yuki is still living in her home, and Yuki and her family are sent to the last camp, Topaz, are very horrible ones. People get sick, they die, and they don't like conditions they have to live in among many other things. Like the second camp they are sent to is really sandy and gritty. The "apartments" that all the Japanese had to stay in are really cold and dark.
I liked the book to an extent. The reason for this is because this book is a lot different then the books I usually read. There are some suspenseful parts, but there weren't too many. The book deals with the Japanese living in America being marked as traitors because of the bombing on Pearl Harbor. That was pretty interesting, but I still like adventure books. I would recommend this book to everyone who like history.

Jouney To Topaz
Journey to Topaz is a great book. I love the advanced words in it and the way that the author throws in Japanese words into it. My reading teacher said that the school didn't have enough books to supply all of us with books, so I had to get a photocopied book. But it was such a great book, I'm going to beg my parents into buying it on Amazon.com! I think my teacher should have gone onto Amazon.com and bought us books so we could have the pleasure of having a real copy! I think Journey to Topaz is the best book I have ever read, because it teaches you that not only the Jews were affected by World War 2, but the Japaneese were affected as well, just as much as the Jews. It was also a breaking to the constitutional laws. Yoshiko Uchida(the author of the book) says it was uncalled for. I think that this book is great-five stars is definitly underestimating it!

an unforgetable book
i first read this book when i was about 9 yrs. old and i still read it and i'm 15. it's a really good book and i like how Yoshiko Uchida comined real hisorical events that really happened in the internment camps and to the japanese-americans in america at that time to make the story relistic. it's is a moving stoy about yuki a girl who lives a perfectly normal life in Berkley, CA. until japan bombs pearl harbor and her life is turned upside down. i really recomend this book to anyone who'd like to read a good book. ... Read more

Book Description

Each summer over the nine years of the Depression, Joey and his sister, Mary Alice-two city slickers from Chicago-make their annual summer visit to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town. Soon enough, they find that it's far from sleepy... and Grandma is far from your typical grandmother. From seeing their first corpse (and he isn't resting easy) to helping Grandma trespass, pinch property, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry-all in one day-Joey and Mary Alice have nine summers they'll never forget. Richard Peck's laugh-out-loud funny, episodic novel makes sure that you never will, either!



The 1999 Newbery Honor Book-"A small masterpiece of storytelling." -The Horn Book

Reviews for A Long Way from Chicago:

"Peck deftly captures the feel of the times...Remarkable and fine." -Kirkus Reviews, pointer review

"Warmly nostalogic, beautifully written, and full of thought-provoking interpersonal relatinships." -Children's Literature

"A rollicking celebration...Perfect for reading aloud and a great choice for family sharing." -School Library Journal, starred review

Awards for A Long Way from Chicago:

( The 1999 Newbery Honor Book
( A 1998 National Book Award Finalist
( An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
( A Riverbank Review 1999 Book of Distinction ... Read more

Reviews (98)

A One Woman Crime Wave
It seems that GrandMa Dowdel lives in her own little world. She apparently disdains contact with her neighbors and thinks them all to be 'horse's patooties'. Once you get to know her better, you learn that her worst enemy may in fact be her best friend. The way she cons and browbeats the town banker into coughing back up the house recently foreclosed upon, free and clear, well it must be read to be enjoyed fully. Each chapter, a week the kids are 'dumped on Gandma so Mom & Dad can go fishing', reveals another action packed adventure in the constantly turning mischief mill that is Grandma Dowdel's mind. I was given this book by my ten year old son after he finished it in record time, and I knocked it off in just one day. I cried at the end, as the boy, now a man heading off to war is on the troop train. He telegrammed his Depression-era Grandmother he would merely pass through without stopping, and after many delays, is treated to a heart warming experience I'll let author Richard Peck handle in his inimitable style.

"Everybody's private business is public property."
What a fun read! Peck presents 8 short tales which span several summers in rural Illinois during the Depression, when two kids make annual visits to their eccentric Grandmother. Narrated by the boy (two years old than his sister), these outrageous yarns create a wonderful atmosphere of wacky individualism and family bonding.

It would be hard to find a literary granny as feisty, resourceful and fearless of authority as Grandma. Things are never dull when she stirs her stumps to create a mild uproar in that pompous little town. Her nefarious schemes range from a one-woman crime wave to appointing herself Champion of the helpless and downtrodden. Don't get on the wrong side of Mrs. Dowdel--if you value your reputation or your hide! Grandma remains undaunted and unflappable through bizarre but comical events. Peck's tongue-in cheek humor will bring many a chuckle as you are drawn into her slightly-shady activities. This book will delight kids of all ages--a winner, perfect for summer reading!

Richard Peck is a genius!
I am a big fan of Mr. Peck's writing. He has a way with words that makes him seem like he is fourteen right now, which in reality, he isn't. Now that's talent.

The story is about Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel, two kids from Chicago who never have left the city until one summer in 1929. They go for one week to their Grandmother Dowdel's in Cerro Gordo, Illinois. (Which, funnily enough, is just outside Mr. Peck's hometown of Decatur). Strange things happen there, including a mouse in a milk bottle, and living corpses. The story follows them for six years, and then goes to an epilouge of what happens to Joey.

This was my first book I read that was from Richard Peck, and I am glad I read it. He has a gift for writing. I recomend the sequel to the book, A Year Down Yonder.

Independent Reading Review
Dear Amazon,

The book, A Long Way from Chicago, by Richard Peck, is a fantastic novel for people that just want to have fun reading.The three main characters, Grandma Dowdel, Mary-Alice, and Joey each have their own virtues that stick out in my mind. Grandma's stretching of the truth makes her two grandchildren doubt how safe they really are with her. When a local gets killed many townspeople tell of old time stories of how "Shotgun Cheatham" god his name. Grandma Dowdel wants to settle the mystery of this man and let him rest in peace so she dicides to hold a wake at her house. During this time some wild things occur which could drive any reader to keep turning this books pages. The target audience for this book is more for young teens and kids to read, becuase the way the characters act in certain positions they are put in. I would recommend this novel, I definitely enjoyed it!

A Long Way From Chicago
When I first saw the cover of A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck, I thought that this was going to be an easy book to read. Somebody recommended this book to me and this book was not only easy to read, it was terrific. It takes place during the 1930s. Every summer two grandchildren, Joey and Mary-Alice visit their grandma. Joey thinks he is getting more and more mature, at least that's what he thinks, because in one summer when he turned 13, he said to his grandma, "Please call me Joe, grandma. I am not a kid anymore." Mary-Alice is more of a quiet girl and likes to read books and likes to jump rope. Grandma is a very unique type of grandma. She rides in biplanes, wrestles snakes, shoots guns, tells whites lies, sometimes, and so much more. It seems like grandma is very active and she can't seem to slow down. Richard Peck did a great job on this book and it is great literature to read. This is just a funny book and you will get a few laughs out of this book while you are reading it. It gets sad at the end, but overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars becuase it is the type of reading that I like to read. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This book is a great book for us young girls
This book is great for us young girls because it talks about relationships with boys, and everything in that book helped me a lot! I think that it's great about telling really young girls about 9-12, about puberty etc.

3 and a half stars for a helpful book!
As a 12 year old just begging to think of boys in any romantic way, this book helped a lot with crushes, imtroducing yourself, dealing with friends who are jelous, ect, ect. Then, once you gte into a relashionship, there is a big question mark. I would still reccomend this book, but only for 11-13 year olds who havn't had a real relashionship yet.

A GIRLS GUIDE
THIS BOOK IS GREAT FOR US GIRLS CAUSE IT HELPSWITH MANY SIRUTIONS WERE ALWAYS IN. I LOVED THIS BOOK IT HELPED ME GET OUTY OF MANY SITUTIONS. ... Read more

Book Description

DESCRIPTION: A gripping YA fiction debut by bestselling author Walter Mosley. Walter Mosley is one of the best known writers in America. In his first book for young adults, Mosley deftly weaves historical and speculative fiction into a powerful narrative about the nature of freedom. 47 is a young slave boy living under the watchful eye of a brutal slave master. His life seems doomed until he meets a mysterious run-away slave, Tall John. Then 47 finds himself swept up in a struggle for his own liberation. ... Read more

Book Description

A stranger rode out of the heart of the great glowing West, into the small Wyoming valley in the summer of 1889. It was Shane, who appeared on the horizon and became a friend and guardian to the Starrett family at a time when homesteaders and cattle rangers battled for territory and survival. Jack Schaefer"s classic novel illuminates the spirit of the West through the eyes of a young boy and a hero who changes the lives of everyone around him. Renowned artist Wendell Minor provides stunning images and a moving introduction to this new edition of Shane, the ultimate tale of the Western landscape. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

That's why they call them kids
"I had to read it for school. and I hated it!" seems to be the common theme, here. As a middle school teacher, I can vouch for the observable fact that many many children 1. hate to read (sad) and 2. hate to read - even more - what they are told to read. Shane, while now somewhat dated, was a classic in it's time, and often imitated. One direct imitation is the Clint Eastwood movie, "Pale Rider", which serves as a wonderful comparison piece. As far as the young reviewers not being able to "understand" the novel "Shane", one can only ask if TV has destroyed their brain cells, or if they can't understand how Shane and Marion resisted their temptation to be with each other at the expense of friend and husband Joe Starret. In today's age, such restraint must surely seem confusing. A fine, easy- to- read book.

One of the best five
Howdy everyone, this is James Drury. I used to play The Virginian on NBC television, for those of you who can't remember that far back. It's that time again, time to read Shane. I'm only into it up to chapter six, and already those old memories have flooded back, and I recall why I love this book so much. It is timeless, to use a perhaps overused word. It is nearly a flawless book, although for the first time I've noticed that a few of his time elements are incredible, such as, for example, the time it takes Marion to bake a pie in the book. But this is such a good book that things like this don't matter. The only Western author I can truly say I enjoy as much as Jack Shaefer is Kirby Jonas, a young author whose books I read on audio for Books In Motion, who can be located at Booksinmotion.com . But in my opinion Shane can never be topped nor matched by anyone. If you are a young person and feel forced into reading this book, I wish I could tell your teachers, "Don't force Shane on anyone!" This book should be read in your leisure time, when YOU want to, to be truly enjoyed. I hope you will give it an honest chance.

Classic Western Motifs
Unlike the reviewer "Barb from Oregon," I believe everything she found detestable in Shane is what makes it a great western. Her firts complaint was to the shallow development of the Shane character. I believe the author intentionally left his past dim, his motivations unkown, as part of the "hero" motif. As to violence--it's a western story depicting a range war, not a court proceeding. The author shows Joe's muscles ripping his shirt in the bar fight for a reason. From the perspective of his son, it was vitally important that he see his father as strong, otherwise his admiration of Shane may have overshadowed his father.

Wild Bill recommends this book for any reader interested in a portrayal of the wild west in its legendary form.

1 star? More like no stars...
Hello everybody out there. I'm one of those "pre-high-school kids" who read Shane in class. And, though I don't like to be cliche, I hated it.
Somebody said before that this novel had little character development. I have to agree. Jack Schaefer is excellent at fight and appearance description, but our characters are left as empty clothes waiting to be filled. We know Shane is a tall, dark, and handsome gunslinger trying to escape his past, but we don't know what he's escaping from or anything else about him. And his character seems to change dramatically throughout the text. When he first arrives in the valley, Shane is hesitant to involve himself with anything, wanting only to stay at the Starrett's for a night. Joe persuades him to stay and work on his farm, and as time passes Shane gradually becomes more involved in the valley's affairs. I can see this happening. But Shane seems always quiet and, yes, still hesitant. I can't see Shane losing his cool in everyday life. This is supported by his actions throughout the book, especially by his tenderly wiping the blood from Chris's face after breaking his arm. But after Johnson's bringing the news of Wilson's arrival, Shane pushes past him saying roughly, "You'll only ever be a farmer." I can't see Shane doing this.

Another point my friends and I poke fun at is all the violence. Schaefer describes, in detail, each punch landed and each bone splintered. I can see how this adds to Shane's prowess in fights, but I find it overly descriptive. There is no point in, for example, telling us how Joe's shirt rips off his back and reveals bulging, rippling muscles. I find this unbelievable, unnecessary, and revolting.

So to anyone out there, be you English teacher, avid book reader, or a Western fanatic, I advise you to stay away from Shane.

Second thought--you Western fanatics might like it. *shrug*

4 star book!
The book shane was about a man, that was trying to get away from his past and by doing this was wondering throughout the country and he stumbled into a family, the starrett's the took him in Shane helped them on there farm. The Wealthy land owner Fletcher wanted to buy the land of the Starrett's and Joe Starrett didnt want to sell his land, so Fletcher made it a war between the two and hired a hit man to kill Shane and Joe. His name was Wilson, Wilson a well known gunfighter came in and picked a fight with Shane and Joe.... and im not going to give away the whole book espicially the ending.

I really enjoyed this book, i thought Shane was a good mystery character, the book, was well written by jack Schaefer. I thought it was hard to put down the book and when i did it wasnt for that long. The ending I would of never expected and for that i recommend this book to everyone, that enjoys the twists and turns in a book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Most comprehensive telling of the Hunley yet to date!
Civil War buffs, 21st Century scientists, teachers, archaeologists, and readers looking for a good "yarn" alike will be absolutely riveted by this book.In the most comprehensive telling of the H.L. Hunley story yet to date, Walker's extensive research includes a variety of primary sources such as letters, African American testimony from Naval Court inquiries, and family photos to highlight the Civil War era - the "first" part of the story.Next, through a subtle color in pages of the text, Walker continues the story in modern times, detailing the 2000 raising of the sunken submarine.Color photographs showing every step of the recovery and excavation (including new scientific technologies), and thorough explanations by the actual recovery divers make this a unique "you-are-there" kind of book.A poignant end to the story is the facial reconstruction of Hunley's crew, and photographs of the funeral caisson taking the crew members to their final resting place in Charleston's Magnolia Cemetary.

Fascinating, readable, colorful account
This is a great story, and each part separately is great, but, together, they make an amazing whole.
The H.L. Hunley was the first submarine to sink another ship, early in 1864, in Charleston Harbor.Built to help the beleagured Confederacy, she was long, narrow and brilliantly designed.Not brilliantly enough, however.Her successful mission was also her last, and she sank into the deep, facing an even longer wait that the Titanic for rediscovery.
Great photographs, compelling reading. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Every Robert Sabuda pop-up is a marvel, but America the Beautiful is singularly remarkable for its inspired interpretation of the classic American anthem. Each page presents a magnificent pop-up featuring a line from the first (and best known) verse of "America the Beautiful." Sabuda has included the song in its entirety, featuring mini pop-ups, in a small booklet on the final page. Beginning with the Golden Gate Bridge, and ending with a spectacularly regal Statue of Liberty, Sabuda's America the Beautiful is a lovely keepsake that also serves as a patriotic primer for teaching young ones about America. --Daphne Durham

Amazon.com's The Significant Seven
Master paper engineer Robert Sabuda answers the seven questions we ask every author.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?

A: Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. I specifically remember feeling as if I'd become a grown-up reader because many of the pages did not have pictures.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?

A: The Stand by Stephen King
Madonna's Greatest Hits
Strangers with Candy: Season One

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?

A: That I'd be finishing a book project on time.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.

A: I live in New York City, so anyplace that's quiet.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

A: "Robert Sabuda--Bookmaker."

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?

A: Benjamin Franklin

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?

A: Invisibility

... Read more

Book Description

This book for reading level kindergarten to grade 3 is about Seaman,the Newfoundland dog belonging to Meriwether Lewis. The story tells of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and back to St. Charles, Missouri where the adventure began. Issustrations are in the styles of the Lewis and Clark Journals and feature the Native America tribes encountered and the plants and animals discovered. The book comes with a bookmark of Seaman. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Book
My seven year old really likes this book. We have read it to her several times and she just renewed it from the library. ... Read more

Book Description

Her name is Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop, and she lives on an island in Lake Superior.It is 1850, and the lives of the Ojibwe have returned to a familiar rhythm: they build their birchbark houses in the summer, go to the ricing camps in the fall to harvest and feast, and move to their cozy cedar log cabins near the town of LaPointe before the first snows.

The satisfying routines of Omakayas's days are interrupted by a surprise visit from a group of desperate and mysterious people. From them, she learns that all their lives may drastically change. The chimookomanag, or white people, want Omakayas and her people to leave their island in Lake Superior and move farther west. Omakayas realizes that something so valuable, so important that she never knew she had it in the first place, is in danger: Her home. Her way of life.

In this captivating sequel to National Book Award nominee The Birchbark House, Louise Erdrich continues the story of Omakayas and her family.

Reviews (11)

Felicity is BORING!!!!!!!!!!
Felicity is a tomboy trying to be ladylike in the seventeen hundreds. Where's the uniqeness in THAT? I reccomend all the other American Girls compared to Felicity. One thing that most f the raders don't realise is that Felicity is a fictional character. In Happy Birthday Felicity(!), Brits are trying to steal all the gunpowdre in the Williamsburg magazine and Felicity has to warn all of Wiliamsburg when thwe gunpowder gets stolen. HULL-OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Wouldn't that go down in history? right next to the Boston tea party? I've looked in all the social studys books I've been issiued (since the second grade. I am currently in sixth grade.)and have NOT found anything about that night. Honestly, Valarie Tripp needs to think about that sort of thing before putting it on paper. I reccomend all the other American girls. Or better yet, two other historical seiries! The Girlhood Journeys series and the Dear America series. They are 10xbetter!You can read my other reveiws for the books in that series (all by A Reader in Florida). And that is what I think about Filicity!

I thought it was sweet
The Felicity books portray very nicely the life of a colonial girl. The stories are unique, sweet, and fun with a twist of adventure in them. I liked all the Felicity books, except the first one, Meet Felicity. It was good, but it wasn't very believable. There's a man who's beating a horse Felicity loves, and she sneaks out every morning for 5 weeks while it's still dark to visit the horse-- and her parents don't even notice she's acting weird. But, if you want to read the series, the books explain things really well. You can start with the 2nd book (Felicity learns a lesson) and pick right up on the story.

Sweet and Simple
This collection of books about Felicity, a girl in colonial America, is a wonderful chronology of the life and times of people in America's earliest history. The stories are simple, but sweet and often touching.

Awesome!
This book was awesome! It was very intriguing. I couldn't put it down! I read all six Felicity books twice. This is one of the best books I've ever read!

These books rule!!!
I have two series out of the American Girls and I absolutely love them. I have Samantha and Josefina. My favorite is Josefina. The reason I gave this book 3 stars is because Meet Felicity isn't very good, and that's what I'm reviewing.
My sister likes Kirsten. All in all, AG is very good. ... Read more

Book Description

Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this is the story of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Elizabeth George Speare Amazing as Usual!
Elizabeth George Speare only wrote four books that I'm aware of, and all but one were awarded a Newbery Award. (And the one that did not win an award, "Calico Captive," is one of my favorite books of all time!) Ms. Speare was quite simply a fantastic writer of historical fiction. Her books are written in a style suitable for young readers, but anybody who loves historical fiction will love her work regardless of age! It's such a shame that she did not write more books.

I admit that I had my reservations about "The Bronze Bow," since its setting in 1st century Judea seemed incongrous with Ms. Speare's other books which are all set in colonial New England. Also, although I'm a practicing Catholic, I was not keen on reading a fictional book with Jesus as a character fearing some very dry, preachy version of the most famous man in history would ruin the believability of the story. But my reservations were completly unfounded. Ms. Speare describes life in Roman occupied Judea with the same wonderful detail as she did colonial America. She ably describes the political/historical situation with great skill while weaving it into her fictional story of a young man deciding which path he will choose in life.

Daniel, the protagonist, is as three dimensional and believable as Kit Tyler in "The Witch of Blackbird Pond." In fact, all the characters are memorably brought to life especially Daniel's emotionally devastated, younger sister, Leah. However, the major surprise is Ms. Speare's portrayal of Jesus of Nazareth- what a wonderful depiction of that itinerate preacher. Jesus is a supporting but crucial character in the narrative, but Ms. Speare does not use him to preach to the reader. Instead, the reader, like Daniel, is left to decide who Jesus is- just a kind-hearted teacher? A miracle worker? Someone unwilling to take sides? The messiah? Daniel is puzzled by these questions because the Jesus he sees is just a human being and not a resurrected savior in glowing robes.

"The Bronze Bow" is arguably Ms. Speare's strongest novel, and that says alot considering her other work. It's historical fiction at its finest, and anyone who passes on it because of fears of it being "too religious" or "too preachy" are doing themselves a disservice. A great work of fiction is a great work fiction regardless if one of the characters happens to be Jesus of Nazareth.

Still powerful
I was first introduced to this book in my 8th grade English class. I enjoyed it so much then, I went out and read the author's other books. I recently picked this one up again and was amazed at how powerful it still was to me.

The story concerns Daniel, a young Jew at the time of Christ. He has an intense hatred of the Romans and lives with in an outlaw band in the hills. When his grandmother dies, he must move to the village to take care of his sister while trying to continue his life's mission of driving the Romans back to Rome. He is drawn to the miracle worker, but just doesn't know what he truly thinks about him. Is he the Messiah sent to free them from the Romans? And will his sister ever recover?

Ms. Speare was able to create a complex plot that is simple enough for her target age to understand, but still captivating to adults. I got so caught up in the events when I was rereading that I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this children's novel to readers of all ages.

Way better than The Witch of Blackbird Pond!
The author of this book, Elizabeth George Speare, also wrote The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Both of them won a Newberry Medal. This book is so much better than "Blackbird Pond". It kept my attention and I couldn't put it down! The book taught lessons of leadership, patience, care, and love. It wasn't a romantic book but it was more about loving the people that matter to you and also loving your enemies.

I have recently been reading Tom Clancy novels that teach nothing of the sort but I found this book at a bookstore warehouse that was going out of business and I decided to give it a chance even though I didn't like my previous experience with the author. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? I am very glad that I chose to read this book and I think that you are missing out if you don't read it.

Why Don't You Get It?
Those of you who are considering reading, or buying this book should get it from a library or a friend and try it out. You may not like it, but give it a shot first. Everyone has their own opinion or view on these type of books. If you do or don't like it, it doesn't matter. If you want to give your opinion, go ahead, but allow others to form their own and don't tell them whether they should read it or not.

After reading several of these reviews I've found that people who are forced to read something, have short attention spans, or prefer short or action-packed books should avoid this one. Make sure to look at this book and judge it by how well it fulfills it purpose: harmless ENTERTAINMENT. Look at it with a mature objective view.

I personally think its wonderful, but it depends on you. Bye!!

The Bronze Bow
Adventure, bloodshed, romance, love, and religion. The Award winning novel, The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare, combines all of these components. The story, which is set in Galilee in the year 31 A.D., tells of a boy named Daniel who is caught between fighting the Romans, whom he hates, and following the teaching of love from Jesus. Daniel is forced to choose and his decision will affect the rest of his life. The combination of historical accounts, biblical accounts, and the author's diction, creates a vivid picture, and a new mystery is unfolded with each turning of the page. ... Read more

Book Description

So many readers have written and asked: What happened to Sarny, the young slave girl who learned to read in Nightjohn? Extraordinary things happened to her, from the moment she fled the plantation in the last days of the Civil War, suddenly a free woman in search of her sold-away children, until she found them and began a new life. Sarny's story gives a panoramic view of America in a time of trial, tragedy, and hoped-for change, until her last days in the 1930s. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Sarny , A Life Remebered
Sarny is an interesting book to read. It is about a young woman named Sarny who was a slave for a long time. A war was occuring to either end slavery or keep continuing it. Her two children, Tyler and Delie were sold to a man named Chivington in New Orleans. Before Sarny's owner died, he freed her and she set out on a journey to find her children. She found them and were glad to see them.

I enjoyed this book a lot. As I was reading, I was learning at the same time. Sarny really went for her goal and never gave up. She struggled so many times but never wanted to give in. If there was something she was fighting for, she would fight until the end. I liked the way she acted and responded.

My favorite part of the book was when Sarny finds her children. It was the happiest day of her life. This part was my favorite because everyone was excited and overwhelmed. This event brought Sarny and her family together. I was even joyous for Sarny to find her children. I relished reading this book.

Sarny
I read the book Sarny in school. It was a great story that was well written. I was reading something that I, along with my other peers do not experience everyday. Slavery is something we do not deal with, but it is a huge part of our history that we should all know about. The book portrays it in a light that shows what people like Sarny went through. I think that classes in schools should be required to read Sarny.

Sarny
We really enjoyed this book. It was very emotional in some parts and very funny. It gives people the chance to see what it was like to be a slave and to change dramatically in one day. We give this book 4 stars out of 5.

Sarny: A Life Remembered by Gary Paulsen
Sarny takes place in the South. It occurs right after the Civil War. Sarny is a slave whom just been freed because the North won. She sets off in a desperate search for her sold children. There were two of them and they had just barely became toddlers when they were hurriedly sold to a slave trader. Their names were Delie and Tyler.
Finding herself free in a Northern filled South, Sarny is accompanied by another former slave as they trudge their tenseful journey. She meets many new friends and even finds true love in places she had never even imagined.
As many friends as she makes, there were still quite a few people who threatened her and became a nuisance. These people still thought blacks should be slaves. They treated Sarny in the worst ways without even touching her...
Although Paul revolves the book around Sarny and her experiences with life during and after the Civil War, he skillfully mixes in a bit of history. Paul shows the hardships of both races-