5 comments about Fever 1793.

1. Fever 1793 was an intriguing book about a girl named Mattie Cook who had to survive the terrible yellow fever outburst in 1793. The book deeply describes the atmosphere of Philadelphia during this time, and when things take an unexpected turn for the worst, Mattie has to fend for herself.
   "The man turned back and looked at grandfather then lifted the handles of the wheelbarrow and dumped the woman on the street..."this only one example of the sickening details used by Laurie Anderson, to illustrate the stomach turning realities of that time. It also gives some interesting facts about this terrible epidemic. It's a suspense filled young adult historical fiction. "I held my breath and waited for the earth to stop spinning. The sun need not rise again. There is no reason for the rivers to flow birds would never sing." There's some great detail to describe the way Mattie is feeling. I would easily recommend this book to any of my friends and family and neighbors.



2. If you are asking this question, it's the wrong one! This book is sad, but very smart and explains a lot about housework and status in the olden days. You will want to read on and on...



3. Mattie will not believe that her mother died. The lazy, stubborn Matilda Cook is in the family coffee house in Philadelphia when her mother catches the deadly disease of yellow fever. Shortly after her mother makes Matilda and her grandfather flee so that they don't catch the plague, her grandfather gets a worrying cough. Now she must take care of her grandfather, a plague-orphaned girl, and two fevered boys.
   
   If you read this book, you will realize that Anderson is secretly giving you a most amazing history lesson in disguise. She wants you to know how horrible it was to live in the time of yellow fever and that doctors didn't always know what they were talking about.
   
   I love this book, because she teaches her "class" of readers in a very intriguing way. Watch out, because it gets horribly sad in the middle, but way better in the end, my favorite part.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventures, tragedies, and good endings, from ages 1 to 111. -- Molly



4. The streets are empty. The sellers have left the market...and taken their wares with them. The quiet homes are filled with the dying. The Doctors have fled for their lives, leaving no one to care for the sick. Orphanages overflow with parent-less children. Mass graves await the many who fall to the deadly disease that has gripped the city. This is not the description of a post apocalyptic world, but a historically true portrayal of the city of Pennsylvania in the Summer of 1793.
   
   "Fever" tells the tale of Mattie Cook, a young girl who finds herself in the middle of these tragic circumstances. She struggles to survive, hoping that the happy life she once took for granted would return again.
   
   At first, the plot moves rather slowly, but this is no reason to stop reading. Unexpected occurrences and surprising twists and turns leave the reader in constant suspense. The dynamic characters are well developed and the author effectively captures their emotions, bringing them to life. Captivating, fascinating, and entertaining, "Fever" is excellent literature that many would enjoy.



5. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689838581/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
   
   I got the book faster in the mail than I thought. I really appreciate getting the book so fast - need it for school. Book is in good condition and I'm getting an A in English thanks to the vendor. The book is good about a fever break out in 1793
   and the tragedy that follows the little girl Mattie. She has to grow up fast at the age of 14 to survive. Nice book.

5 comments about The Bronze Bow.

1. I think I read this for a class in junior high, before I was a Christian, and I didn't really catch that it was about Jesus. When I found it for almost nothing in a used book store almost twenty years later, I bought it for nostalgia, and I have been pleasantly surprised. This is not exactly classic literature. The book, a story of a young man desperate for Israel's freedom at the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, is aimed at a young adult audience, and the dialogue is awkward and direct as a result. The main character, Daniel, has a deep hatred of the Romans with an understandable origin but somewhat.. conveniently timed expressions. Also, the physically imposing and sympathetic but internally blank slave reflects more about the author's perspective before the Civil Rights Movement had really blossomed than about the carefully chosen details of the historical setting of the action in this book. Still, this book has a surprising amount of subtlety, as characters go about their daily lives interacting with images that a Christian will recognize from Jesus' parables, like a casual mention that a farmer is separating wheat from chaff, and I didn't find them obnoxious when I was a non-Christian. I recommend this book for young readers. The story is compelling enough, and while I think it's a little preachy now, I didn't complain as a kid, so both Christians and non-Christians should be able to get something out of the action scenes and the powerful message of forgiveness and peace.



2. My daughter is reading this book for school. We've been reading it together and I seriously can't put it down. The story line is beautiful. It is profoundly written and engage its readers not in just in the mind, but to the heart. There is something one can identify with each character. It is hard to find great literature that goes beyond the mind, especially for boys. This one captures the essence of humility and humanity.



3. Book shipped promptly and received in good condition as advertised. Limited shipping options offered only 1-2 day air freight method vrs. a "No Rush" option. Was told standard dlvy. could take up to 2 weeks- and via the USPS it really did. Plus, no tracking avail. Shipper should have offered a "regular UPS" option; whereby dlvy. would have been in 2-3 business days, and tracking avail. Don't count on the USPS unless it really doesn't matter how long it takes.



4. This was basically a good, gentle book, suitable for kids. I was a little bugged by the portrayal of Jesus but then I think it is close to impossible for humans to do Him justice. I got a little irked by the main character holding onto his anger for some 250 pages! It got a little tiresome. I really liked the portrayal of Simon the Zealot and I have a much better idea of what and why a Zealot was back then because of this book.
   
   If you liked this you should not miss the historical fiction by Louis deWohl, although he writes from a Catholic point of view. Bronze Bow can be appreciated by any Christian.



5. Purchased this for my 11yo. He said it is his new favorite book and he has read a ton of books!

5 comments about Out Of The Dust (Apple Signature Edition).

1. My family listened to this book on a long car ride. We were all deeply moved. I have since learned that the writing is set in prose and I wish I had read the physical book.
   For middle schoolers this book is a fine introduction to the dust bowl and the depression.. There is quite a bit of sadness, I wouldn't recommend it for younger than 5th grade.



2. This 1998 Newbery award winner presents a poignant, down-to--earth account of a year in the devastating life of 14-year-old Billie Jo, growing up during the 1930's Depression. After a prolonged drought Oklahoma has become a veritable dust bowl, where few crops are able to grow--certainly not her father's wheat. Financial despair is made evident by thick coatings of dust on everything in both her exterior and interior environments. There is no escape from the inexorable indifference of Nature to man's pain.
   
   The protagonist's situation becomes even more lamentable
   as a result of a tragic household accident which scarred four lives:
   kerosene mistaken for water left on a stove. Billie Jo's only solace in this dust bowl is playing the family's modest piano, but as if the needless loss of life after the fire were not enough, Billie Jo suffers the use of her hands so she can no longer escape her misery at the keyboard. Disfigured, shunned by her peers and rejected by her morose father, she yearns to get out of the Dust any way possible. Doesn't she have a right to leave the devastation behind her, to seek a new life where she can finally breathe free?
   
   The author's literary style offers teenage readers an additional challenge, for this unique book consists of a series of free verse poems--rather than traditional narrative prose. Teens typically experience difficulty redefining their relationships with their parents, but Billie Jo--who adores her mother despite their musical differences--is consumed by guilt over her inadvertent role in the family tragedy. While extremely depressing on the surface the plot (Nature's remorseless unrolling of anguish upon hapless people) hints of distant hope for the human spirit. Despite the bitter realism this book will leave most readers with a reminder that we should cherish what we most value in this life while we are privileged to have and recognize it. Serious YA fare in a spare and unique format.



3. Very effective. I've never liked poetry, and could never quite figure out the point of free verse, but it really works. One caveat--I thought this would be quick, easy reading because there are so few words on a page. NOT. There's something about finishing a "poem" that makes you stop and think about it, and I stopped for a few minutes after almost each and every one.



4. Have you ever read "Out of the Dust"? Its a outstanding book but at the same time its pensive. It's about Billie Jo's life she leaves in Oklahoma, she had been by herself with her dad, because her mom had died in a fire accident, she saw what happened to her mom. Her mom was nearly to have a baby when she went and put the pot on the stove, then fire started coming out of the stove and the fire had burned Billie Jo's mom, She also burned her hands, her mom was crying alot that she gave birth in the kitchen window. Billie Jo had run to go get water so the fire could stop but it was to late her hands were burned and her mom gaved birth and she died so did the little baby, but her dad came and called the doctor but the doctor said, "I am sorry, Its too late". Billie Jo and her dad were really depressing, their tears came out of their eyes and Billie Jo's dad's sister came from Lubber and she wanted to hold her nephew, but he told her what happened that he cried every time he remembered that day.
   
   Out of the dust is a good book and It's very tragical It makes you picture what is happening in the book. The part that was very mournful was that Billie Jo doesn't have a mom and a brother specially she doesn't have a family next to her to help her and everything she needs. They live In different places, she likes playing piano suchlike her mom, she showed her how to and she wants to play piano to tenacious her memories. She loves to play piano she wants to enter to a concert and play with her friends, but she doesn't know if to because she doesn't have enough money. She has to work with her dad and make money and she has to take care of the farm, Billie Jo had think alot if she should enter the concert so she can play piano and if she should help her dad with the farm and to find money well if you are curious well you should find this book and read it and find out what is she n going to do. Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak of Oklahoma and in the surprising landscape of her own heart. This is an amazing and a pensive book I am really sure your going to love it and picture all the things she've been through by her own. I recommend this book because It's a pensive book and it will make you picture and imagine how lonely and sad shes feeling . The author is Karen Hesse. Karen Hesse is a great author she describes whats happening and how is Oklahoma and she evens expressed how Billie Jo's life have been without her mom, Billie Jo wants her mom so she could tell her many things and how have she done at school. Well if you really want to know how have her life been and what have she done well I think you should buy and read the book.



5. This book will make anyone smile it is beautifly written in poetry by Karen Hesse. While you read you have to flip back to the front cover and look at the picture of the little girl I caught myself saying "did that really happen to you." Although this book is one of the saddest it is still very sweet. It will definitly pulls your heartstrings out of place.I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes history and the Oklahoma dust bowl.

4 comments about The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, On Her Way to Botany Bay (Bloody Jack Adventures).

1. This book had a bit of a different feel to it than previous installments in the series but given the fact that our beloved Jacky is getting older and thus more mature, it makes sense that the series would as well... And while some may not like it, I do.
   
   As mentioned in a previous review, it does go back and forth between Jaimy and Jacky and while Jaimy's portions of the book may not be quite as exciting, there really aren't very many of them and they're not very long (Usually a few pages or so) and I honestly didn't find them that bad... In comparison to Jacky's sections, though, they did lack.
   
   There are some great new characters in this book, along with the return of many favorites. The book has a lot of Jacky performing in it and the songs, as always, are great. All in all, with a few dark exceptions, I really think that this is the 'lightest' book yet in the series... In other words, things aren't as bad for Jacky and her friends as they usually are and she doesn't face as much peril as she has before. That's not to say that there isn't action and that it isn't a great book because there is and it is.
   
   Overall, I loved this book... I do hope, though, that certain villains (Flashby and Blifill, to name but a couple) are done away with soon and new villains are introduced that cause Jacky trouble in future books. I do like the return of characters from past books but I think that they're being stretched a little thin here and their ways of getting Jacky into trouble are running out (or at least should be).



2. One of the happiest things for an avid reader like myself is to discover a new series to enjoy. It means that you have not only one good book to read, but several! It allows you to space out the books, interspersing others as necessary, and still be able to come back to the books you're enjoying so much, and yet have each story break fresh and new and unexpected.
   
   This is what I have been able to experience with the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer. I am a huge fan of pirates, both fictional and historical (because ninjas suck); I find the lifestyle, the concepts, and the characters hugely enjoyable. My wife pointed out this series on the shelf of our local bookstore because of that attraction, and we decided to give it a try. Now, eight months later, I have the bittersweet experience of having caught up with the series, and so now I must wait for the next book to be published, rather than simply being able to go buy it when I feel a craving for the adventures of Jacky Faber.
   
   And that craving will come. These books are, without a doubt, the best things I have read this year, and are certainly now one of my favorite series of books, not least because they are not like anything else I usually read. There are certain parallels to Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, largely because the two authors have set their work in the same general time and place, but where those are fantasy, L.A. Meyer's books are historical fiction at its best. Not only do you get a rollicking good story, but you get to learn things about the past, and relive some of the golden days of yore.
   
   This latest installment (But not the last, since it ends, as these books often do, in a cliffhanger) is just as good as all the rest; a remarkable achievement, since it is the eighth book in this outstanding series, which has not had a single drop in quality, either of the writing or the storytelling. This book was as hard to put down as every other one.
   
   The Wake of the Lorelei Lee does follow the general pattern of the other books, which is: our beloved hero, Mary "Jacky" Faber, former street urchin and wayward waif, Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, Belle of the Golden West, Fine Young Lady, head of Faber Shipping Worldwide, Mermaid, Performer, Adventuress, and Pirate, has her life looking up, being exactly where she wants to be: captain of her own ship, the Lorelei Lee, on her way to England to reunite with her long-suffering fiance, James Emerson Fletcher. And as happens in pretty much every book so far, things all fall apart in the worst way, at the worst moment, and Jacky is, once more, arrested by His Majesty's Government. I don't want to give too much away, so suffice to say that Jacky finds herself on the way to Australia, a captive in her own ship, the Lorelei Lee. I knew that much going in, so I hope I haven't spoiled anything for those who haven't yet had the pleasure of reading the book.
   
   I could never have predicted what comes in this book, either the immediate circumstances and how Jacky makes them work for her -- though I was not surprised by the trouble Jacky gets herself into, as that seems to be her greatest skill, other than getting herself out of that same trouble -- or the remarkable whirlwind of events that come in the last several chapters, after things take a sharp turn for the worse. But I loved every minute of it. Jaimy plays a larger role in this book, acting as narrator for his own chapters as he did in the fifth book, "Mississippi Jack," and he did very well, both as main character and as adventurer on the high seas.
   
   These books, each and every one of them, are now my strongest recommendations to those who haven't found them yet. They are treasures, they are wonderful stories. They are, I think, a little too adult to be considered children's books, as there is quite a lot of death and horror in them, and a few risque elements, but I would definitely put them as young adult books, and certainly something that anyone would enjoy who likes a good adventure yarn. Especially young girls, as for all of her faults, Jacky is an incredible character, strong and endearing and wonderful, and, in her context, I think an excellent role model.
   
   But even if she's not that, she's a heck of a lot of fun to read about.



3. Fans of the series won't be disappointed in this one. Jacky is such an amazing character; she feels so real that I expect her to pop out from the book any second now. The secondary characters are great as well and in this book we see the old characters reunite and we're introduced to new ones. I loved the plot of this book and it was just so great. I didn't want it to end. I don't want to go to deep into details because I fear I'll spoil the previous books in the series and this one. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. This was a pleasant and entertaining addition to the Bloody Jack series.



4. The now 16-year old intrepid Jacky Faber, is back in her 8th action-packed adventure, having somehow survived everything from life on London's streets as an orphan, to pirates, life at a snooty New England girls' school, spying in Napoleon's army, serving as a naval lieutenant, and diving for Spanish gold (these are only a few of Jacky's many adventures that take place in prior novels in the series). Now rich after skimming just a little bit of gold from the treasure she dutifully turned over to the Crown , Jacky has purchased and outfitted the Lorelei Lee to carry immigrants across the Atlantic. Our Jacky is never one to miss a potentially lucrative business opportunity!
   
   Jacky docks in London to finally marry her beloved Jaimy and hire her crew, but alas, things never go smoothly for our spirited heroine. She discovers Jaimy has been imprisoned and she herself is arrested and will surely hang for her supposed crimes against the Crown. But once again, Jacky escapes the hangman's noose and instead is sentenced to be transported along with more than 200 other female convicts to become "breeders" in the newly formed penal colony in Australia. Having confiscated Jacky's ship, the Crown uses the Lorelei Lee to carry Jacky and a motley passenger list of madams, whores, and petty thieves. Not knowing whether she'll ever see her Jaimy again, she decides to make the best of things on her long voyage While Jacky is travelling the world on her way to Australia, what has happened to Jaimy? Meyer doesn't shy away from coincidence (or is it fate, or karma?), and Jaimy, too, is on his way to Australia in a convict ship. Will they ever be reunited?
   
   As usual, Meyer incorporates real historical events and personalities into Jacky's somewhat fantastic adventures. In this novel, Meyer was clearly inspired by the real voyage of the British ship Lady Juliana, which sailed in 1789 (some years before 1807, when this novel takes place, according to the author's timeline for the series). The Lady Juliana carried 226 female convicts sent to help increase the population of the fledgling colony. Meyer uses the names of the actual women on this ship, including Mary Wade, the youngest of the convicts (sentenced to hang at age 10 for stealing clothes), and Esther Abrahams, a Jewish prisoner who married one of the ship's officers and later became the first First Lady of Australia, as characters in his story; these women are often known as Australia's founding mothers. Jacky's pirate friend, Cheng Shih, was also a real person.
   
   As a huge fan of this series, I enjoyed reading Jacky's newest adventures, although I must say this was definitely not my favorite volume in the series. Meyer alternates the narration from Jacky to Jaimy, and I didn't find the Jaimy sections as interesting. My 15-year old daughter, also a Jacky fan, said she skimmed over all the Jaimy parts to get back to Jacky, and I did a bit of the same. I found that this switching back and forth didn't work well, since it distracted from the main character. Still, fans of the series will definitely want to pick this one up. For readers new to the series, you'll want to read them in order, starting with the first volume, Bloody Jack.

5 comments about The Golden Goblet (Newbery Library, Puffin).

1. My 7 and 4 year old boys and I couldn't put this book down. We loved the mystery, intrigue and Egyptian history.



2. While doing our Unit Study on Egypt, we chose this book for our read-aloud. What started off as one to two chapters a day, grew to three. Finally, when there were just eight chapters left I could not stand the suspense. My children were on the edge of their seats and wide-eyed. We grabbed some tea and finished the book that day. Filled with suspense, imagination, and great characters, "The Golden Goblet" will transport you in time. This delightful book has twists and turns that will keep readers interested. My children grew passionate about studying Ancient Egypt because of this book.



3. I very much enjoyed this story of Ranofer, a young boy whose goldsmith father died, leaving him in the care of his cruel half-brother, who denies him an apprenticeship as a goldsmith, beats him, and half-starves him. Ranofer discovers his brother Gebu is a thief and tries to prove it to earn his freedom.
   
   This book is very well-written and enjoyable. Ranofer's friend Heqet is amusing; his friend the Ancient wise with a droll wit. The characters are very well drawn. I was interested in Ranofer's fate, and along the way, learned quite a bit about ancient Egypt.
   
   I think my 8-year-old son will enjoy this (reads on a 5th grade level), but I will talk with him a bit about it first. The descriptions of Ranofer's brother's abuse of him are not graphic, but they are there. Also, there is a good bit of Egyptian beliefs presented, that I want to discuss with him and how they differ from our Christian beliefs. It's not a book that I'd just hand off to him and never talk about it, but with a little discussion, I think it's very worth while. I'd give this 4 1/2 stars, but will round up to 5.



4. Ancient Eyptian history can be very confusing to children, but when you incorporate this book alongside your studies the kids become fascinated and Egypt comes alive. Absolutely recommend this book...I even found it interesting! There is just enough mystery to keep young readers attentions.



5. I read this book before giving it to my children and couldn't put it down. It is both enjoyable and educational.

5 comments about The Boy In the Striped Pajamas (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Random House Movie Tie-In Books).

1. If you want to read a book about the holocaust, go for Maus I & II. I would bypass this one. It began with the author saying he couldn't really explain this book. Shame, if he had I wouldn't have read it. It started off from the perspective of a 9 year old boy. I liked that part of it. He wasn't happy about moving away from his friends. Both he and his sister are spoiled brats from a well off German officers family. About the middle of the book, it started to irritate me, and by the end I wanted to throw this book across the room. I can't believe they actually made a movie.



2. Excellent book and easy-to-follow plot. The perspective of a child adds a sentimental view to the atrocious acts that occurred at the concentration camp. Very quick read as well. Not reading this book would be an injustice.



3. My daughter had to write a book report on this book. She read the book first and then we watched the movie. (She says there are many differences). I thought the movie was a child-like interpretation of WWII Germany/Poland described in an innocent enough way that it could be understood by youth. Adults will know the underlying story is much more horrific. It is a story of a friendship that defies boundaries at a time when boundaries were very defined-- all told with a 9 year old's viewpoint.



4. It is written through the eyes of a child, so expect it to be written a bit elementary. But oh my goodness, what a beautiful innocent way of seeing the terrible gruesome world during war time. It could not have been portrait better. I do recommend reading the book before watching the movie, I like the ending in the book much better.



5. My 10-year-old son and I watched the movie as he is studying WWII history. The end of the movie will surprise you. Moreover, you will be surprised by your own reaction.... You'll see. Now my son has purchased the book to see if it any different from the movie.

5 comments about My Brother Sam Is Dead (Apple Signature).

1. To my surprise my daughter loved this story! I thought it was going to be a fight to get her to read this book. It is full of 'colorful' language which middle school children enjoy, in addition to being uniquely told from a preteen boy's perspective. Excellent story! Though I should warn parents the ending can be disturbing to children. Realistic ending...might want to discuss feelings with your child upon completion.



2. I began reading this book is the hope that it would be a good book for my 10 year old grandson. I was looking for books that might pull him into history. The beginning of this book was very promising. There was certainly complexity on many different levels during the Revolutionary period and I thought the book did a good job of portraying some of that. As the book went along, though, I was disturbed to notice that the Tories were consistently portrayed as "the good guys" and the Patriots as "the bad guys". This is not over simplifying. As sympathetic as a book may be towards people who genuinely believed in the English Monarchy, the American Revolution established a "new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal".
   This book leaves the reader with the distinct impression that the more sympathetic position, based on the characters it presents and the way it treats them, was that of those individuals wanting to maintain the Monarchy.
   I believe that many efforts are underway these days to undermine a sense of pride in the sacrifices many American Patriots made to establish and preserve the ideals of this nation. This book will be going into my garbage--not into the hands of my grandson. I was amazed to see there are "study guides" for this book.



3. There aren't that many novels about the American Revolution, so I started this book with anticipation. Anticipation quickly turned to boredom. Although the novel does try to shed some light on the complex issues of the revolution, it is so dark, depressing and dull that it was a chore even to finish. I find it unfortunate that this book gets read as part of unit studies on the American Revolution. I wouldn't want to have anything to do with history ever again if I had been ofrced to read this in the classroom.



4. One major conflict in the book is when Sam comes home with a rebel uniform on. Sam's father is very upset when Sam does this because he is against the war. When Sam comes home with a rebel uniform on, he and his father get into a long argument about it. Until he finally gives up and tells Sam to leave. In the end, the conflict is not resolved. He and his father never come to an agreement.
   In the book Season of Life, the main character, Joe Ehrman's job was to go around to different places and teach groups of boys about manhood. In the book, My brother Sam is Dead, the main character Sam is transformed from a boy to a man by the war. The two characters are alike because they transform boys into men or are transformed from a boy to a man. From what I have read, I think that if Sam wasn't executed that he would have been a nice friend for Joe. If the two met today, they would probably help each other by sharing life experiences that may assist them with their future problems. They would also share the same morals and views.
   My Brother Sam is Dead is a compelling story about a boy who is determined to break free of his parents protective hold and join the militia. A militia which is now being attacked by British soldiers in a fight for American independence. Even though Sam is gone at war, everyday life must go on. That includes running the family tavern in a troubled economy, and taking the yearly trip to the market to sell their cattle. Sam's father and most of the town are against the war. His brother Tim looks up to him and wants to follow along to join the militia. Although, his mother has already lost one son in a previous war and isn't about to give up another. While in the militia, Sam learns that the general in charge of him likes to make an example of lawbreakers. That means public execution. Now with one son fighting the British, and the other at home helping run the family tavern, all the Meeker's can do is wait for Sam's safe return.
   After reading this book I would definitely recommend it to someone else. I thought it was a good book because it taught you a lot about the Revolutionary War. I think someone in middle school who is studying the Revolution or is interested in the war would be interested in this book. I think people will enjoy this book because it gives you a personal perspective on the war. Not just the facts from the history book.
   The theme I picked was when Tim was learning to be a man by looking at the people around him. Those people were his father who was very conservative and experienced. Also his brother Sam who is very adventuresome, and curious. This theme relates to some of the situations in my own life. When two people are talking about their points of view, instead of believing them, I will research it so I can find out the real answer. I will learn from others around me but still make my own views.



5. Tim's father said "In war the dead pay the debts of the living." This book does a wonderful job of portraying the folly of war. At the end of the book, you can understand where Tim is coming from when he says, "But somehow, even fifty years later, I keep thinking that there might have been another way, beside war, to achieve the same end." Not only was Tim's individual family torn apart, with a Tory father and Patriot son, but communities. Both sides are depicted to have engaged in atrocities that were in no way justified, no matter how lofty the ideals they were supposedly pursuing.
   
   In addition, Tim is a very enjoyable character, and you can really feel his confusion as he's torn between his father and brother, who both seem to make good points. The authors did a wonderful job portraying this and drawing the reader into the story. This book had lots of wonderful potential that the authors had the ability to fulfill. That fact that Tim is so engaging a character makes the book's problems that much worse.
   
   My number one complaint is the language in the book. I counted 6 occurrences of d*** by itself, 9 instances of taking the name of Jesus or God the Father in vain, 1 son of a b****, and 1 bast***. The language was not necessary. Most of it came from the narrator Tim and his brother Sam. It is in no way portrayed as being a bad thing that they speak in this manner, and Tim is everyway portrayed as a great kid. We do not use such language (or such blasphemy) and do not want it encouraged as "normal" (i.e. okay) for our children.
   
   Also, Tim lies and sneaks off several times to do things he knew his father didn't approve of, or that he had even directly forbid. Some of these had the potential to be very dangerous situations, where Tim went against his father. Like the language, this was not portrayed as being a problem, and this is not something that needs to be role-modeled for children/teens. The instances in which a child or even a teen should go against their parent's instructions are very rare, and Tim's instances were not among those few.
   
   If I had known these things ahead of time, I would not have bought the book. There were some good things in the book, and a lot of potential, but it was ruined for me by too much trash. If the language were limited to only a couple words and I didn't have any other concerns, then I might just let the profanity meet the business end of a permanent marker, but as is, I won't be keeping this book and will move on to some of the many other books available on the Revolutionary War.

5 comments about The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

1. I, too, am a little past the recommended age for reading this book. But who's to say a baby boomer can't enjoy a book meant for a teener?
   
   The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a real page turner. This time period in our history, when a young girl could be accused of being a witch for no reason at all, has always fascinated (and horrified) me.
   
   This book offers a nice mix of fiction and non-fiction. It is poignant without being corny, thought provoking without being preachy.
   
   Bottom line? Buy it for your child, or your grandchild... but read it before you give it to them!



2. The book starts out with the main character sailing to America. I immediately liked the main character due to her courage and determination. Historically, the book was accurate. The book was a wonderful insight. I couldn't put it down when I first started it. The only thing I can say that I didn't enjoy about this book was that it was a bit slow. True, it wasn't slow all the time it only had slow parts. Other than that the book was utterly amazing. Without thinking I gave it five stars. I recommend this book to everyone, of every age.



3. I read a lot of young adult historical fiction as a kid and this was one I read over and over. I think I just liked the characters.



4. "Awaiting her in the bleak dwelling that was her new home were suspicion and loneliness. The master of the house despised everything about her. The man, who claimed he loved her, abandoned her to the circle of terror. And there was nowhere to turn, no one to help, no way to escape the evil claiming her as a victim...." Sounds good doesn't it. This book is about a girl, Kit, who leaves the only home she has known and travels to Connecticut in 1687. Kit grew up in Barbados and was raised by her indulgent grandfather. When he dies, she moves in with an aunt and uncle she has never met. Everything about Kit stands out, from her clothes to her opinions. She is forced to work hard for the first time in her life. She is practically friendless until she meets Hannah. However their friendship must remain a secret because the town believes Hannah to be a witch. Elizabeth George Speare does a remarkable job in describing early life in the colonies and relaying the loneliness of Kit. You can't help feeling sorry for her. This book is a Newbery Award Winner and definitely a To Read. If you like what you read visit by blog for other reviews: [...]



5. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
   By: Elizabeth George Speare
   Paperback: 223 Pages
   Publisher: Dell Books (1973)
   ISBN: 0440995779 (isbn13: 9780440995777)
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Time Period: 1687
   Setting: Barbados, Connecticut
   
   Characters:
   Katherine ("Kit") Tyler
   Nathaniel ("Nat") Eaton
   Hannah Tupper
   Wood Family: Matthew, Rachel, Judith, Mercy
   John Holbrook
   William Ashby
   Cruff Family: Goodman Adam, Goodwife Cruff, and Prudence
   Eleazer Kimberly
   
   This book had the most profound affect on me and my life both as a reader and a woman. Kit Tyler is an impulsive and genuine young woman with a very strong mind with whom I definitely identified with. In this time in Puritan society this description isn't one that you want nor was it for me for a long while. The ability to identify with at least one character is always a good indicator of a story because the whole idea is to walk in an other's shoes no matter how different they are from your own.
   
   Also as with all great stories they have lessons that you are meant to take away from the story if it fails to do this then in my opinion the story no matter how entertaining it was, it was a waste of time. In regard to this book it is thoroughly riddled with ideas and morals, some very unexpected given the time period.
   
   It taught me that sometimes you just won't fit in but that doesn't mean you should change your "feathers":
   
   "You know," he said, looking carefully away at the river, "once ~hen I was a kid we went ashore at Jamaica,~ and in the marketplace there was a man with some birds for sale. They were sort of yellow- green with bright scarlet patches. I was bent on taking one home to my grandmother in Saybrook. But father explained it wasn't meant to live up here, that the birds here would scold and peck at it. Funny thing, that morning when we left you here in Wethersfield---all the way back to the ship all I could think of was that bird." -Nat Eaton
   
   It taught me what love is and shouldn't be:
   
   "You and I would always be uneasy, ail of our lives. We would always be hoping for the other one to be different, and always being disappointed when it didn't happen. No matter how hard I tried, I know I could never care about the things that seem so important to you." -Kit Tyler
   
   It taught me love is sometimes hidden right in front of you.
   
   It taught me truth and loyalty are two of the most important things in life.
   
   Most importantly be yourself for the right people will love you more for that and the ones that don't, don't matter.
   
   As far as did the author succeed in their story, read the following quotes.
   
   "I don't believe a historical novel should gloss over the pain and ugliness. But I do believe that the hero... should on the last page... still be standing with the strength to go to whatever the future may hold." -Elizabeth George Speare
   
   "Every book begins with questions. How must it have seemed to people who lived through this experience? What choices would I have made in their place? I must find the answers by going back in the past, by living side by side with them until the world they lived in becomes as real to me as the room in which I am working. This is an enormously satisfying experience. I find that renewed perspective and a sort of reinforcement to the spirit...[are] gifts from the past that...a person of any age...can gain from reading...historical fiction." -Elizabeth George Speare
   
   If I am to judge the story based on these then the author most definitely succeeded on all counts.
   
   As far as eye-candy when it comes to covers this is my favorite cover of all the editions of this book. I love how she looks free-spirited even in the strict clothing of the Puritans. I like how the artist included water in the background because the difference in the water was one of the first indicators that Kit was no longer in clear blue Barbados water but rather the murky water of Connecticut. The cover also gives a hint of the wooded way the North used to be like during that time before the Industrial Revolution.
   
   Overall I give this book a five. It is a book you will want to give to any girl coming of age, or any woman at a crossroads in her life. Personally, I pick up a copy of this book whenever I can and have several editions that sometimes if I have doubles I tend to give away.

5 comments about Across Five Aprils.

1. OK, well I read this book, or at least I tried to, in 8th grade, and it is the most boring book I have ever had to read. It seemed like it always took place in a field where the family was farming. I had to stop reading it after a few chapters because it was excessively boring (watching corn boil on the stove took hold of my attention more than this book did) and I was not in the least bit interested in reading it, let alone finding out what happens in the book (at the time it seemed like the plot was nonexistent), it was not until my teacher explained what was going on that I realized it could have been so much more interesting. Sure the family's troubles make for a great story, but the author just did not create a good story. I'm sorry Irene Hunt, and I realize that you put a lot of work and effort into this book, but it just didn't do it for me. Although I must admit that I did not give this book a fair chance, I would say that I would have been able to appreciate it much better if I had read it when I was older.



2. This was at least my second reading of this wonderful book - this time out loud to my son who was studying the Civil War in 4th grade. It truly brought home to him (and reminded me) of just how destructive the war was, and how deep the pain was that touched every inhabitant of this country.



3. I love how Irene Hunt took the knowledge provided by her grandfather and put it together in this phonominal book. The story of how much the Creighton family went through and overcame through the Civil War is a great insite of what life was like during the Civil War. I would deffinately suggest this book to readers who love books about U.S history



4. This book was very boring unless you like war stories and jumpy plots.
   Personally I didnt get anything out of the book, and hated reading it. I DO NOT reccomend for kids under the 6th grade. ( tough words, hard to understand, and Im a good reader. :)



5. A good book to show the effects of The Civil War on a family. BUT it completely ignores the part that preachers had in inflaming the emotions of ignorant pioneers and sending them off to fight a war that was not so noble as they had been lead to believe.

5 comments about The Education of Little Tree.

1. The book was recommended to me by a Bible Study teacher. I was almost incapable of putting it down until I finished. For a lot of people over 70 years of age, it is a review of their early childhood. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.



2. This was a very easy read that offers a lot of insight
   into the Indian ways, culture. I think it would be a
   great book for classroom discussion for students from
   5th-7th grade.



3. I purchased this book as a gift to my sister.
   We had both read the book & loved it.
   A wonderful book for all ages, we are in our 70's.



4. Regardless of what has come to light concerning the author and the fact that it is apparently a work of fiction, this has always been one of my all time favorite books. After a recent re-reading of this book, my opinion remains unchanged. It'll make you laugh and make you cry...highlights kindness and cruelty in a simple manner through the eyes of a child. With its message of tolerence one can't help but wonder if Mr. Carter underwent a dramatic change in his beliefs at some point and wrote this as some form of redemption...speculation yes, but the contradiction between author's supposed past and this work is mind blowing.
   
   This book ranks among my top five probably of the best books I've read.



5. Sure the book is a wonderful spiritual read, but ignoring the author's past is like eating a fine 5 star meal only to peek into the kitchen to discover maggots cavorting in the meat and the tubercular cook clearing his throat in the soup you just raved over - but, in the minds of some of the reviewers here, since you can't see or taste the origins of what you just consumed, then it doesn't matter now does it? The food was excellent, you ate it and you liked it. Personally, I like to know what's going into my body or mind...
   Here's what's in the kitchen of "Forrest" Carter. ("Forrest" named himself after Nathan Bedford Forrest, founder of the KKK BTW...)
   
   "...Also during the mid-1950s, Carter founded a paramilitary KKK splinter group called the "Ku Klux Klan of the Confederacy".[10] Carter started a monthly publication entitled The Southerner, devoted to purportedly scientific theories of white racial superiority, as well as to anti-communist rhetoric.[11]"
   
   "...Members of Carter's new KKK group attacked singer Nat King Cole at an April 1956 Birmingham concert.[11] After a more violent event, four members of Carter's Klan group were convicted of a September 1957 abduction and attack on a black handyman named Edward Aaron. They CASTRATED Aaron, poured turpentine on his wounds, and left him abandoned in the trunk of a car near Springdale, Alabama. Police found Aaron, near death from blood loss. (Carter was not with the men who carried out this attack)..." (WELL THAT'S A RELIEF)
   
   "...In 1958, Carter quit the Klan group he had founded after shooting two members in a dispute over finances. Birmingham police filed attempted murder charges against Carter, but the charges were subsequently dropped.[12]..."
   
   "...During the 1960s, Carter was a speechwriter for Wallace. He was one of two men credited with Wallace's famous slogan, "Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever", part of his 1963 inaugural speech)..."
   
   Bon Apetit.