Al Capone Does My Shirts takes place on Alcatraz Island in 1935. During this time the Mafia committed many crimes in the U.S. As a result, Alcatraz, an island off the coast of San Francisco, was home to the prison for criminals who had committed the most terrible crimes. The men and women who worked in the prison lived on the island with their families. The book gets its title because Al Capone, a big Mafia boss, is serving time in prison, and actually does their laundry.
You learn about all of the characters through Moose Flannigan, a 12-year-old boy, who is big enough to be called “Moose”. After school once a week he plays baseball, but most other days he stays with his autistic sister Natalie while his mom teaches piano lessons. Moose tries to fit into a new school. He works hard to stay out of trouble and away from Piper.
Piper Williams is the warden’s daughter. Piper, who is the same age as Moose, goes to school with him. She tries to make money by lying to kids at school. Also Piper will do anything to meet a convict. Piper is a very good friend to Natalie.
Through Moose, we also learn about his sister Natalie, who is 16 years old. The most important things about Natalie are that she always plays with her button collection and wants to go to the Esther P. Marinoff School.
This novel is a page-turner. Who knew that ordinary life could be so funny? It also taught me a lot about autistic children through Natalie. For example, these children are very smart, but cannot always get their point across. I would rate this novel four out of five stars. I loved this novel and I know you will also.
By Mattan M.
A Boy at War; A Novel of Pearl Harbor, by Harry Mazer
Reviewed by Ben R.
It was the first day of Adam's school. Adam Pelko is a high schooler living currently in Hawaii. His father is in the US Navy and is currently deployed to Pearl Harbor. The year is 1941. At school Adam meets Davi Mori, an American of Japanese descent. Adam becomes friends with Davi who later introduces Martin to Adam and they also become friends. Adam has a father, a mother, and a sister. One day Adam and his friends go to Pearl Harbor to fish. Near where they are fishing are many US warships. Suddenly, out of nowhere the Japanese attack and destroy much of the fleet. A while later he wakes up and is mistaken for a soldier. He escapes and goes back to his family. After he gets back, they don't hear any news about his father. Adam decides to go to a command base and ask directly what happened to his father. He is denied access but finds a Chinese man able to go freely in and out. Adam decides to ask the man if he could let him in.
I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. It is a decent book. I find that the story was, overall, very compelling and you wanted to read more. Some issues I had with the book were that you didn't get to know the family, the dialogue seemed too modern, and Adam and his friends didn't act like they were in high school but in middle school. When you are introduced to the family, you don't get to know them that much. As a result after I found out the fate of Adam's father, I didn't care much as I wasn't attached much to him. And another thing was that you didn't even get to learn Adam's mother's name. The dialogue did not seem any bit old-fashioned, but felt like the story took place in modern times. Adam and his friends did not seem like the way they acted. Calling people names made them feel like they were immature middle-schoolers and as a result, I forgot they were in high school until I reminded myself halfway through the story. The size of the story was way too short in my opinion. I wanted to know what happened to Adam later but the ending felt abrupt. One issue I had was when Adam woke up after being knocked out at Pearl Harbor. After he woke up, it was extremely hard to understand what was happening. I did like how the author introduced Adam. It was clever and was not blatantly obvious that he was trying to introduce Adam. Most stories introduce main characters like "Hi, my name is _. I was born in _. " Overall, this story would be good for anybody who wants to read a story about a boy during a time of war.
The Chosen, by Chaim Potok (Historical Fiction--America) In The Chosen, Reuven Malter is a Jewish boy living in Brooklyn during World War II, during a time when Hasidim steered completely away from non-Hasids, and the other way round. The story begins when, in a baseball game against a Hasidic team, Reuven is hit in the eye with a ball and hospitalized. When the boy who hit the ball, Danny Saunders, comes to visit him, it is the start of a most unlikely friendship. Danny, as Reuven soon realizes, is an avid reader. He has decided that he wants to be a psychologist, but, as his father is the tzaddik of a large Hasidic community, he has to take over as tzaddik from his father. He is doing a lot of reading on the human brain, including—in fact, especially—Freud. However, his father does not like Danny reading, but when he finds out, surprisingly, Brooklyn remains in one piece. In fact, there is only a very small explosion—not even big enough to destroy the house! Danny and Reuven remain close friends through college, where brawls rise between the Hasidim and the other Jews about Zionism. Reuven is one of the leaders of the pro-Zionist group, and although Danny would also like to be part of that group, many of the Hasidic students who are anti-Zionist look to Danny as their leader. This would not have been so bad, except that Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, is strongly anti-Zionist, and refuses to let his son be friends with a pro-Zionist boy. After Israel has become a state, Danny and Reuven are permitted to resume their friendship, but if I say any more, I will end up revealing the end of the book, so I will stop here. I liked this book a lot. The only reason I did not give it five stars was that there was not enough going on between when Danny and Reuven were teenagers to when they were in college. By Avi Z.
Dave at Night, Gail Carson Levine (Historical Fiction--America)
Dave at Night is a book about a boy named Dave who was sent to live in the Hebrew Home for Boys (HHB) in New York, in the 1920s. He was sent there because his father had passed away and his step-mother did not want him. Dave’s older brother, Gideon, was sent to his cousin’s house instead of the HHB. His cousins did not want Dave because he was a trouble-maker. Dave’s life at the HHB was hard because of the bullies, the prefixes and the many rules. (The prefixes are the guards or counselors.) Dave tried to make the best of his life at the HHB but Mr. Bloom, the principal, was mean to all of the kids. Things that were good for Dave at the HHB were his buddies called the Elevens. Some of the Elevens were Eli, Harvey, Fred, Jeff, Danny, Alfie, Dave and Mike. They were good guys who all watched after each other. They were like brothers. Even though Dave had friends inside the HHB he still tried to escape by going out into the city. Once he left the HHB and he met a man named Solly, who thought that Dave was his grandson. Solly took Dave to a rent party in Harlem, where there was a lot of dancing and food and poor Black people were trying to raise enough money to pay their rent. At the party, Dave met Mrs. Packer and Irma Lee. They were very kind and nice to Dave and he became very good friends with them. Dave had a very tough life. When you read the book you always wonder if he will survive. There are many challenges that make the life of an orphan hard. In general, the book moves quickly as Dave works in and out of trouble. It would be a miracle if he could survive. I really liked the book Dave at Night. I thought it was interesting and I loved the ending. My favorite characters were Dave and the Elevens. I liked them because they always tricked the bullies and the mean prefix. I also thought that the description of the orphanage made it feel like you were actually in the building. The HHB was a bad, scary and cruel place for boys. They never had enough food, it was cold and the prefixes were mean. I really wanted Dave to not get caught doing something secret. Overall, I would recommend this book to my friends. by Max F. Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson (Historical Fiction--America) Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a historical fiction novel that takes place in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic. The main character, Matilda Cook, and her family are running a coffeehouse at the beginning of the book. However, her friend dies suddenly of an illness. Doctors say that yellow fever is spreading, but few people believe them. Then Matilda’s mother gets the fever, so Matilda and her grandfather leave for the country where there is no fever . Later, when they return, they are attacked by robbers and Grandfather dies. Matilda has to live on own. She learns how to find food and take care of herself. Then she finds her friend Eliza, who takes her in. They join a community that helps fever victims. I enjoyed the book very much because it is exciting and you can learn a lot about how people lived in the late 1700s in Philadelphia. By Charles S. Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson
What would you do if everyone you knew was getting reallly sick? Matilda experienced that as a teenager in Philladelphia. In the year 1793, an outbreak of the "Yellow Fever" occured, killing thousands of people. When Polly, the coffeehouse's serving girl, does not show up for work Matilda knows something is wrong. The coffeehouse was owned by Matilda's family and they lived above it. Matilda's father had died during the fighting in the Revolution. Matilda and her mother Lucille soon got word that Polly had died due to the Yellow Fever. In fact, more and more cases of Yellow Fever were popping up. The next thing you you know, Lucille got infected. Doctors tried draining her blood to cure her, and it was barely working. Lucille demanded that Matilda and her gradfather move to the country so they would not get infected. Unfortunately, they were mistaken as sick people and were required not to cross the border. Matlda and her grandfather were stranded and no one would help them. While Matilda is caring for her grandfather, she falls ill with the fever. Fortunately, she is restored to health. Will Matilda ever be reunited with her mother? Read the book to find out! I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars because the book was confusing at times. However, this book really helped me understnd what life was like in the 1700's. It aso made me appreciate modern medicine and how far we have come from using leeches to drain blood, to using antibiotics.
Tevah N
The Fighting Ground, by Avi (Historical Fiction--America) The Fighting Ground takes place over two days, April 3 and 4, 1778, during the Revolutionary War. It is set in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A lot of the action takes place in an abandoned house in the middle of the woods. The main character is Jonathan, a thirteen-year-old boy. In the beginning of the book, Jonathan really wanted to be a soldier, but his father didn’t want him to fight at a young age because the father had gotten shot in the leg and was afraid that Jonathan might get hurt or die. Jonathan also had an older brother who was a soldier serving with General Washington in Pennsylvania. Jonathan wants to fight in the war. He secretly joins the fight against the Hessian soldiers, who were fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War. During his first battle, he is frightened and runs away into the woods. Then Jonathan is captured by the Hessians. His experience is the main part of the book, and I don’t want to give too much away. I would give the book four stars. I liked it because it was very suspenseful and I thought the Revolutionary War was a cool subject to read about. I liked that the Hessian soldiers talked only in German and Jonathan couldn’t understand them, but I could because there was a translation in the back of the book. The writer wrote a lot of detail and I could picture it very well in my mind. By Ari N.
Give Me Liberty, by L.M. Elliot (Historical Fiction--America)
The focus of the Revolutionary War is usually what happened to the Continental Army in the north led by George Washington. But there is a lot happening down south in Virginia, whose army is led by the silver-tongued Patrick Henry. This novel is about an indentured servant who lives in Williamsburg, Virginia at this historic period of time. The story take place in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the mid-1700s when the colonies were welcoming the thought of liberty. Nathanial was an indentured servant who had lost his parents. In the beginning of the story, Nat is being auctioned off by an Auctioneer to a horrible blacksmith. An old schoolteacher named Basil saves Nat by naming a higher price. However, Nat still has to work for a mean old carriage maker named Eden, whom Basil lives with. Eden thinks that the best way to get along with everybody is to be neutral in the uprising about liberty but that backfires on him. He and his family get poorer and poorer. Eden’s other indentured servant, Ben, really wants glory. He thinks the best way to achieve that is by going to war making him a patriot. Ben is always getting into trouble, but something even worse is coming for him. Eden wants nothing to do with liberty yet Ben is rather convincing. War is coming soon, Nat can sense it. What is he going to do?! Give Me Liberty has an amazing plot and true history facts. Therefore on a scale of one to five, I would give this novel four.
By Ariel K.
Island of The Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’ Dell Reviewed by Yasmin Stein Island of The Blue Dolphins is the true story of a girl named Karana. She gets stuck on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean while the rest of her tribe has sailed away to a new home. While Karana is on this island alone she makes new friends with some of the animals. She also builds a home, creates weapons, and fights for her survival and food. Season after season, years pass and she becomes a young woman. Even though it does not say anything about the time period in the book I can tell it is probably from the 1800s. Though I am not such a big fan of reading I can easily give this book a four out of five stars. One of the main reasons I like this book is because it is different. The difference is that the young girl Karana learns to become more independent, yet in other books the characters stay together more like a team. The only thing I did not like about Island of the Blue Dolphins was that it did not compel me to read chapter after chapter until the end of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and I would definitely recommend it to others.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell (Historical Fiction—America) Karana is an Indian girl living on an island off the coast of California. She is the daughter of Chief Chowig, the leader of Ghalas-at. Karana has two siblings, a younger brother named Ramo who is twelve, and an older sister named Ulape. Island of the Blue Dolphins is set in the early and mid-eighteen hundreds. Karana, a real person, was found on the shores of Santa Barbara in 1853. The story takes place on the Island of the Blue Dolphins in Karana’s village, in her house, and anywhere else on the island. One day a ship from Russia came to the Island. The people on it were called the “Aleuts”. They wanted to hunt around the Island. When they left, many of the Ghalas-at people were killed by Aleuts. Years later a ship came again (not an Aleut ship); It would take the people of Ghalas-at to a better place for them to live. Ramo missed the ship, so Karana dived in the water and went back. One day, wild dogs killed Ramo. Karana waited many years alone for another ship. I would rate this book five stars because the way Scott O’Dell wrote it was amazing. Every single piece of detail was great. By Simon G.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell Reviewed by Michael GW Island of the Blue Dolphins is a true story a girl named Karana who faces survival on a deserted island. When her entire tribe leaves, her brother Ramo runs back to the house to get his spear, but when he returns to the shore the boat is leaving. His devoted sister runs up and down the boat, but the captain refuses to stop the boat so she jumps over the side and swims to him. Rontu was Karana’s dog who was once a wild pack leader who becomes Karan’s companion. Chowig is Karana’s father and the tribe leader who is killed in a battle with the Aleuts. The book takes place between 1835 and 1855, on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, which is off the coast of California was and discovered in 1602. Karana’s village is called Ghalas-at. Karana’s survival spans eighteen years on her own because her brother was killed by a pack of wild dogs. During that time she hunts, builds a house, and does not go insane from loneliness. I am giving this book four stars rather than five, because some of it was not necessary.
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005, by Lauren Tarshis Reviewed by Gabe Y
The story is about a young boy by the name of Barry, who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August of
2005. Barry has a younger sister by the name of Cleo. His mom and dad heard about the hurricane that
was making its way to New Orleans. The family wanted to move away to Houston, Texas, and had asked
their Uncle Dave to join them. Uncle Dave decided that he would stay home in New Orleans. The family were headed to Houston, they hit major traffic and little Cleo got sick. The parents had no choice but to stay home and to wait out the hurricane.
During the hurricane, Cleo and Mom fell asleep, while Dad and Barry were watching a baseball game. Barry finally fell asleep, and then woke at 6 am to find his entire home flooded with water. As family worked together on trying to figure out different solutions to survive nature’s catastrophe, Barry slipped and fell from the roof and fond himself find him swept away from his family. How would Barry survive this vicious hurricane?
I think that this book is great because it’s an easy book to read its not hard to understand its can be sad at times and I recommend you read this book
I would rate this book a 4.5 because it was an interesting book sad and you really feel the emotion of the book it’s not a five because in the begging it can be boring but other than that I recommend you read it.
Johnny Tremain is an enticing story set in Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War, when the colonies fought the British for their liberty. The plot follows the life of a boy named Johnny (Jonathan), a silversmith’s apprentice, who has to give up his trade due to a crippled hand. He becomes a rider for a “Rebel” newspaper. There he meets a boy named Rab, who is the printer’s apprentice and becomes Johnny’s best friend. Rab then leaves to fight. The paper secretly held meetings for the Sons of Liberty. A local group of patriots consisting of historical figures, such as John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams, were all members of the Sons of Liberty. Fictional main characters include Priscilla Lapham, also known as “Cilla”, who is Johnny’s loved one who likes him back. She is the daughter of Mr. Lapham, his mentor. Dove is the reason Johnny’s hand is crippled, and he is also an apprentice to Mr. Lapham. Merchant Jonathan Lyte is unknowingly Johnny’s great uncle who frames him as a crook! I thought the book really described the tension between the colonists and the British. Overall, it was a great historical fiction novel that easily makes five stars.
By David T.
Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes (Historical Fiction--America)
Johnny Tremain was a silversmith’s apprentice who lived in the 1770’s in Boston. After being injured while making a sugar basin, Johnny was unable to become a silversmith. He had been living with Priscilla and Isannah Lapham and their family, but he had to leave when he couldn’t work as a silversmith. He moved in with his friend Rab, and worked for the Boston Observer.
Once a week, a club met in the attic of the Boston Observer printing shop. They were called the Boston Observers and members of the club included John Adams, Samuel Adams, Dr. Warren and more founding fathers of our country.
Johnny discovered that he was related to a famous merchant named Jonathan Lyte. Johnny went to Mr. Lyte and told him that he thought they were related, but Mr. Lyte thought Johnny was an imposter and had him arrested. After Johnny was proven innocent in court, the Revolutionary War was about to begin. There were British soldiers all over Boston and Johnny became the messenger for the Boston Observer club. He had to go all over Boston, sneak past British soldiers and give the news very quietly to the patriots.
Rating: 5 stars. Johnny Tremain is an interesting story that people of all ages can enjoy. It also gave me a good idea of what it must have been like to live in Boston in the 1770s.
By Zachary S.
Letter From Rifka, Karen Hess (Historical Fiction--America)
In 1919, Rifka and her family are in Russia trying to get to America. In her family she has Mama, Papa, and brothers Nathan and Saul. Rifka is 12 years old. She travels to six different places to get to America with lots of obstacles in her way.
A couple Russian soldiers stop Rifka while she and her family are waiting to leave for America. Everyone else in her family hides so the soldiers don’t capture them too. The rest of her family is on its way to America while Rifka is going somewhere apart from her family. After she gets separated she gets a disease on her head. All of her hair falls out. Rifka gets treated for her disease but now she is bald. Even if she makes it to America, the Americans might not allow her in because of her bald head.
I would give Letters From Rifka 5 stars because this book was really good, it has so many adventures in it and it is never really that boring. Toward the end I couldn’t put the book down. Although I don’t enjoy reading that much this one was one of the best books I have ever read.
By: Annie B.
The Lost Hero, By Rick Riordan
Set in modern times, this book has you guessing at every turn of the page. This story is about three demigods (children of a mortal and a god) who travel around the country to rescue Hera, the queen of all gods. Jason Grace, the leader of this odd trio, awakes on a bus with no memory of his past. Not knowing who he is, he tries to resume life and set out on his quest with his two best friends, Piper and Leo. Even though he doesn't recall his friends, he remembers little by little what went on before his memory loss. Jason, Piper, and Leo all have special powers given to them by their immortal parents. Jason is the son of Jupiter, the god of lightning. He can fly, and control and use his father's lightning. Piper is the daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. She can charm-speak people into giving whatever, whenever. Leo is the son of Hephaestus, the god of fire. He can control fire and is an extraordinary mechanic and blacksmith. These qualities are the most important of all their talents during this quest. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars because of the intensity throughout the book and the feeling that you can't put the book down.
By Allison G.
My Brother Sam is Dead, by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
Tim Meeker is a 12-year-old boy living in Redding (Redding is just outside of New York) with his mother, father and older brother Sam. This story takes place during the American Revolutionary War. Tim has always looked up to his older brother Sam. Sam is smart, brave, and always does the right thing. Sam decides to enlist into the Army because he has always wanted to defeat the British and become independent in America. Unfortunately, there is an obstacle in his way. Sam’s father Life does not want Sam to enlist and fight. He believes that war is a silly thing and that there is no need to get hurt. But, Sam thinks differently. Tim and his father are loyal to the British while Sam is not. While Tim has been rethinking what side he should fight for, Sam has run away to fight with America. The war was getting worse and Sam had to make a decision sooner or later. Now, Tim has a tough decision: Should he fight with his beloved father or should be fight with his brave brother. To find out read this 5 star drama packed novel.
By: Allison Einhorn
Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse (227 pages) (Realistic Fiction and Historical Fiction--America) Out of the Dust is a book about a girl named Billie Joe. She lives in Oklahoma during The Great Depression. Her dad is a wheat farmer and is having a really hard time growing wheat because of all of the dust storms that have been happening. To make matters worse, there is a terrible accident that causes Billie Joe to lose her mother and her newborn baby brother. In addition, her hands become terribly injured so she can’t play the piano which she loves to do; but even though it hurts her terribly to play she still does it because it reminds her of her mother. I thought this book was OK. It wasn’t the best but I would read it again. On a scale of one to five, I would rate it a three because it was good but not great.by Ruthie S.
Rachel’s Legacy, by Colman Marrow Reviewed by Sarah S. Rachel’s Legacy takes place on Delancey Street in New York City in the early 1900s. Rachel and her family emigrated to America from a small village in Russia. The main characters in this story are Rachel, her sister Esther, her other sister Ida and her mother. The story is about how different Rachel’s life is in America, where not all the food around her is kosher and not all the people are Jewish. When Rachel first came to America, she stayed with her cousin Sam and his wife Lena. Rachel had to work at the age of 12 to make money for her family. When her family made enough money, they moved out of Cousin Sam’s apartment. Later in the story, Rachel’s mother wanted the matchmaker to come see Esther. Esther was under 20 years old, which is very young to get married. Esther liked to cook and wanted to have a family, unlike Rachel who liked working in the factory and didn’t want to get married and have children. Rachel decided to open her own business sewing dresses. One day a salesman named Abe Levine came into her sewing factory. Rachel fell in love with Abe. Later, Rachel found out that her sister Ida planned on marrying a non- Jewish man. Rachel agreed to tell her mother but when she did, her mother fainted and sat shiva for Ida as if she were dead! Rachel’s mother became very sick and died. Six months after the funeral, Abe and Rachel got married. Rachel had a child and a family just like her mother always wanted. Sadly, Rachel did not end her life the way she wanted. Read the book to find out what happens to Rachel at the end of the story. I would rate this book with 5 stars. I thought it was amazing!
Sarah Bishop, by Scott O’Dell Reviewed by Ruthie D. This book is about a 15 year-old girl during the Revolutionary War. Her family was killed by patriots, so now she’s alone trying to survive. She also has to dodge the British soldiers who are blaming her for a crime that she didn’t commit. While Sarah survives alone in the wilderness, life will go on. But will Sarah ever be able to move on from the horrors that the Revolutionary War has burdened her with? The Revolutionary War was a war that started in 1775, a year before America was declared a country, and ended in 1783. The Americans fought the British because the Americans wanted to be their own country and the British didn’t want that to happen. Sarah lived in Long Island, New York. Her house was burned down by patriots because her father was a loyalist, so she moved a lot, sometimes on the run from the British. Finally she settles down in a cave on Long Pond, which was called Waccabuc by the Indians that she went to for supplies called Ridgeford. If I was rating this book out of 5 stars I would give it a 4.5. It had the right amount of action, but it also had the right amount of description of her survival in the wilderness, and for that I give it 3 stars. Although it had the right amounts, I think that the book was a little too wordy, and for that I deduct .5 stars, so now it only has 2.5 stars. But the ending was nice because it’s not like everything is perfect now, it just returns the peace, so I give it 2 more stars. if you add it up now, there are 4.5 stars.
The Secret School, by Avi Reviewed by Adin S. In a school in rural Elk Valley, in 1925, the one teacher running the school has to leave, therefore Ida and Tom will be held back because of the lack of a teacher in the system. Ida is the main character in this book, a fun loving, serious person. Tom, the one who originally had the idea of a secret school, is a good friend of Ida’s and hoping to become a mechanic. Felix, Ida’s little brother, and all the other school children, feel that they should help Ida and Tom to get into high school. When Miss Fletcher (the original teacher) leaves to see her sick mother, Tom comes up with the idea that Ida could be the teacher so she and Tom can complete “middle school” and move up to high school. The only thing stopping them from learning are their parents and Mr. Jordan, the head of the school board. The only way that Ida feels able to keep this a secret is to not tell any adults and definitely not Mr. Jordan. When the woman giving out the clearance tests shows up, she asks to see the teacher. Though nervous, Ida sucks in her gut and walks toward the lady. She hands out the tests and Ida really needs one but would be found out if she requested a test. She tries to get one extra test and gets it with ease. I would rate this book a -3 out of 5 stars because it has no excitement in the story line whatsoever. I recommend this book to people who hate life.
Shoshana and the Native Rose, by Robin K. Levinson Reviewed by Shira S. Shoshana and the Native Rose is an amazing story about a girl named Shoshana. In April, 1654, Shoshana, an 11-year-old girl, and her family, had a hard time coming to the Dutch colony of Nieuw Amsterdam from Brazil, where they were being persecuted by the Spanish, but they finally made it. Her father traded different materials like animal fur and wool to other places. The name Shoshana means rose and Shoshana longed to see one. She asked her father who knew the forest very well, to go with her to find a rose. They looked but could not find anything. Since Shoshana wanted so badly to see a rose she decided to go back alone a few days later. She ran home with a beautiful flower and her parents were relieved to see her, but upset that she had gone off alone. When she came to the bush again it looked like somebody else had cut from it and also left a corn doll there. Shoshana took the doll and left a few glass marbles. Finally, Shoshana met the unknown person who had been cutting roses. The girl was named Ogee and was from the Lenape tribe. Shoshana’s father was so excited to hear this news because he traded with that tribe. On the other hand, her mother was very upset that her daughter was playing with a stranger. Later on in the story, Shoshana and her father took a hike in the woods in the winter. When Shoshana's glass marbles fell and slipped down an icy slope, her father slowly went down to get them, but his foot caught on a root and he fell. Read the book to find out what happens. I would give this book 5 stars because it was a great book. It had so much detail and so many differences in the characters. It also showed how differently each character thought
When Will This Cruel War Be Over? By Barry Denenberg (Historical Fiction--America)
In the book When Will This Cruel War be Over? Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, there are a few main characters, although there are a lot of sub-main characters. The book is about Emma Simpson who lives during the Civil War in 1864, on the south side in Gordonsville, Virginia. Emma is a girl who loves to read and hates the war. Her mother always tells her to believe in the Lord and she tries to, but it is really hard when bad things happen. The thing that Emma misses most from before the war is having visitors come and celebrating Christmas. Before the war starts, she falls in love with a boy named Tally when she goes to visit her Aunt Caroline and Cousin Rachel in Richmond. She and Tally write letters to each other during the war. Tally is different from other boys because he cares about her opinions and isn’t afraid to tell people that he likes to read. When Emma’s mother gets ill, Aunt Caroline and Cousin Rachel with baby Elizabeth come and stay with them. The Negros Iris and Amos stay loyal to Caroline’s family when some Negros don’t stay loyal and go off to the north. I would rate this book with 4 stars It is good but it is also sad at parts. It was really scary when the Yankees came to Gordonsville. It was really good because you could feel Caroline’s emotions like you were really there. It was a great way to learn what really went on in the war and there were funny and romantic parts too.By Tali G.
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by Eli B The Western frontier isn’t easy. Samuel Smith is a 13-year-old boy who lives with his parents, Olin and Abigail, in Pennsylvania, around 1776. The frontier is a small settlement surrounded by the woods, where Samuel’s parents decided to live so they could get out of the city. When Samuel was growing up, he had to work a lot harder compared to his educated parents' childhood. Equipped with his rifle, Samuel had the best job—and that was to hunt. He loved being in the midst of nature where it’s peaceful and quiet; he felt all alone and could actually have some relaxing time. Of course, he still had to shoot animals so he and his family could eat. His skills and speed outmatched his parents', so he had to become the provider of the family. One day, while Samuel was hunting deep in the forest (about several miles in), he saw a huge plume of smoke rising from the settlement and rushed back as fast as he could, but was too late. All he saw were bodies and burned-up cabins. Then he noticed something while he examined the settlement—his parents had been dragged away from the camp and were most likely being held captive. Eventually, he found out that the attackers were a group of British soldiers accompanied by Iroquois Indians; it was the start of a war. Samuel found out that his parents were being held in British-controlled New York City. On the way there, he also finds an 8-year-old girl named Annie Clark, whose parents were killed by Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British. As Samuel continued his journey, he got into trouble, developed feelings for Annie and had a fight for his life. Did he find his parents, and if so, were they alive? Why Read ThisI think everyone should read this book because it is full of action, adventure, drama and suspense, and gets better every page. I enjoy reading historical fiction books set around the 1700s. Out of all the books that I have read, this one falls in the top five. I also think that the author put everything perfectly into place, like a puzzle, presenting the feelings and emotions that Samuel had. I give it five stars!
Wood Runner, by Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by Michael Grant W.
If you like adventure, battle, and historical events, then this is the book for you. This book takes place in Colonial times in New York, Philadelphia, and some small towns during the Revolutionary War.
In this book, Samuel is the hunter for his whole village. One day when he is out hunting he sees smoke coming from his village and he runs home and finds the village burnt to the ground and his parents missing and everyone else dead. He follows the attackers everywhere and he even gets an axe to the head and is unconscious for three days. He meets new people along the way some of whom are in the book for a short time, others a long time.
This book is special because you feel like you are Samuel, the main character . You feel his emotions, which makes the book a worthwhile read. I would give this book a 5 star rating because of its realistic feeling. Because of its unique quality I think people will like this book.
A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck
Reviewed by Elana K.
Sixteen year-old Mary Alice has to go live with Grandma Dowdel for a year in 1937 because her parents are facing some rough times financially. Mary Alice thought that the Great Depression was bad in the big city of Chicago where she grew up, but she was blown away by how much it affected the small, old towns outside the big city. While Mary Alice was used to nice family dinners and wearing fancy skirts to school, the people in Grandma’s sleepy Illinois town live completely different. Most of the townspeople live like farmers, including Grandma. Grandma Dowdel is not the type of person who would invite her friends over for tea, even if she did have any friends. Mary Alice doesn’t know what to expect when she has to stay there for twelve whole months.
I give this book a three-star rating because this book is really well written, but I’m not typically a fan of historical fiction. Even though this isn’t my first choice of genre, Grandma Dowdel is quite a character, and I loved reading about all of her adventures.
Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
Al Capone Does My Shirts takes place on Alcatraz Island in 1935. During this time the Mafia committed many crimes in the U.S. As a result, Alcatraz, an island off the coast of San Francisco, was home to the prison for criminals who had committed the most terrible crimes. The men and women who worked in the prison lived on the island with their families. The book gets its title because Al Capone, a big Mafia boss, is serving time in prison, and actually does their laundry.
You learn about all of the characters through Moose Flannigan, a 12-year-old boy, who is big enough to be called “Moose”. After school once a week he plays baseball, but most other days he stays with his autistic sister Natalie while his mom teaches piano lessons. Moose tries to fit into a new school. He works hard to stay out of trouble and away from Piper.
Piper Williams is the warden’s daughter. Piper, who is the same age as Moose, goes to school with him. She tries to make money by lying to kids at school. Also Piper will do anything to meet a convict. Piper is a very good friend to Natalie.
Through Moose, we also learn about his sister Natalie, who is 16 years old. The most important things about Natalie are that she always plays with her button collection and wants to go to the Esther P. Marinoff School.
This novel is a page-turner. Who knew that ordinary life could be so funny? It also taught me a lot about autistic children through Natalie. For example, these children are very smart, but cannot always get their point across. I would rate this novel four out of five stars. I loved this novel and I know you will also.
By Mattan M.
A Boy at War; A Novel of Pearl Harbor, by Harry Mazer
Reviewed by Ben R.
It was the first day of Adam's school. Adam Pelko is a high schooler living currently in Hawaii. His father is in the US Navy and is currently deployed to Pearl Harbor. The year is 1941. At school Adam meets Davi Mori, an American of Japanese descent. Adam becomes friends with Davi who later introduces Martin to Adam and they also become friends. Adam has a father, a mother, and a sister. One day Adam and his friends go to Pearl Harbor to fish. Near where they are fishing are many US warships. Suddenly, out of nowhere the Japanese attack and destroy much of the fleet. A while later he wakes up and is mistaken for a soldier. He escapes and goes back to his family. After he gets back, they don't hear any news about his father. Adam decides to go to a command base and ask directly what happened to his father. He is denied access but finds a Chinese man able to go freely in and out. Adam decides to ask the man if he could let him in.
I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. It is a decent book. I find that the story was, overall, very compelling and you wanted to read more. Some issues I had with the book were that you didn't get to know the family, the dialogue seemed too modern, and Adam and his friends didn't act like they were in high school but in middle school. When you are introduced to the family, you don't get to know them that much. As a result after I found out the fate of Adam's father, I didn't care much as I wasn't attached much to him. And another thing was that you didn't even get to learn Adam's mother's name. The dialogue did not seem any bit old-fashioned, but felt like the story took place in modern times. Adam and his friends did not seem like the way they acted. Calling people names made them feel like they were immature middle-schoolers and as a result, I forgot they were in high school until I reminded myself halfway through the story. The size of the story was way too short in my opinion. I wanted to know what happened to Adam later but the ending felt abrupt. One issue I had was when Adam woke up after being knocked out at Pearl Harbor. After he woke up, it was extremely hard to understand what was happening. I did like how the author introduced Adam. It was clever and was not blatantly obvious that he was trying to introduce Adam. Most stories introduce main characters like "Hi, my name is _. I was born in _. " Overall, this story would be good for anybody who wants to read a story about a boy during a time of war.
The Chosen, by Chaim Potok (Historical Fiction--America)
In The Chosen, Reuven Malter is a Jewish boy living in Brooklyn during World War II, during a time when Hasidim steered completely away from non-Hasids, and the other way round. The story begins when, in a baseball game against a Hasidic team, Reuven is hit in the eye with a ball and hospitalized. When the boy who hit the ball, Danny Saunders, comes to visit him, it is the start of a most unlikely friendship. Danny, as Reuven soon realizes, is an avid reader. He has decided that he wants to be a psychologist, but, as his father is the tzaddik of a large Hasidic community, he has to take over as tzaddik from his father. He is doing a lot of reading on the human brain, including—in fact, especially—Freud. However, his father does not like Danny reading, but when he finds out, surprisingly, Brooklyn remains in one piece. In fact, there is only a very small explosion—not even big enough to destroy the house! Danny and Reuven remain close friends through college, where brawls rise between the Hasidim and the other Jews about Zionism. Reuven is one of the leaders of the pro-Zionist group, and although Danny would also like to be part of that group, many of the Hasidic students who are anti-Zionist look to Danny as their leader. This would not have been so bad, except that Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, is strongly anti-Zionist, and refuses to let his son be friends with a pro-Zionist boy. After Israel has become a state, Danny and Reuven are permitted to resume their friendship, but if I say any more, I will end up revealing the end of the book, so I will stop here. I liked this book a lot. The only reason I did not give it five stars was that there was not enough going on between when Danny and Reuven were teenagers to when they were in college.
By Avi Z.
Dave at Night, Gail Carson Levine (Historical Fiction--America)
Dave at Night is a book about a boy named Dave who was sent to live in the Hebrew Home for Boys (HHB) in New York, in the 1920s. He was sent there because his father had passed away and his step-mother did not want him. Dave’s older brother, Gideon, was sent to his cousin’s house instead of the HHB. His cousins did not want Dave because he was a trouble-maker. Dave’s life at the HHB was hard because of the bullies, the prefixes and the many rules. (The prefixes are the guards or counselors.) Dave tried to make the best of his life at the HHB but Mr. Bloom, the principal, was mean to all of the kids. Things that were good for Dave at the HHB were his buddies called the Elevens. Some of the Elevens were Eli, Harvey, Fred, Jeff, Danny, Alfie, Dave and Mike. They were good guys who all watched after each other. They were like brothers. Even though Dave had friends inside the HHB he still tried to escape by going out into the city. Once he left the HHB and he met a man named Solly, who thought that Dave was his grandson. Solly took Dave to a rent party in Harlem, where there was a lot of dancing and food and poor Black people were trying to raise enough money to pay their rent. At the party, Dave met Mrs. Packer and Irma Lee. They were very kind and nice to Dave and he became very good friends with them. Dave had a very tough life. When you read the book you always wonder if he will survive. There are many challenges that make the life of an orphan hard. In general, the book moves quickly as Dave works in and out of trouble. It would be a miracle if he could survive. I really liked the book Dave at Night. I thought it was interesting and I loved the ending. My favorite characters were Dave and the Elevens. I liked them because they always tricked the bullies and the mean prefix. I also thought that the description of the orphanage made it feel like you were actually in the building. The HHB was a bad, scary and cruel place for boys. They never had enough food, it was cold and the prefixes were mean. I really wanted Dave to not get caught doing something secret. Overall, I would recommend this book to my friends.
by Max F.
Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson (Historical Fiction--America)
Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a historical fiction novel that takes place in Philadelphia during the yellow
fever epidemic. The main character, Matilda Cook, and her family are running a coffeehouse at the beginning of the book. However, her friend dies suddenly of an illness. Doctors say that yellow fever is spreading, but few people believe them. Then Matilda’s mother gets the fever, so Matilda and her grandfather leave for the country where there is no fever . Later, when they return, they are attacked by robbers and Grandfather dies. Matilda has to live on own. She learns how to find food and take care of herself. Then she finds her friend Eliza, who takes her in. They join a community that helps fever victims. I enjoyed the book very much because it is exciting and you can learn a lot about how people lived in the late 1700s in Philadelphia.
By Charles S.
Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson
What would you do if everyone you knew was getting reallly sick? Matilda experienced that as a teenager in Philladelphia. In the year 1793, an outbreak of the "Yellow Fever" occured, killing thousands of people. When Polly, the coffeehouse's serving girl, does not show up for work Matilda knows something is wrong. The coffeehouse was owned by Matilda's family and they lived above it. Matilda's father had died during the fighting in the Revolution. Matilda and her mother Lucille soon got word that Polly had died due to the Yellow Fever. In fact, more and more cases of Yellow Fever were popping up. The next thing you you know, Lucille got infected. Doctors tried draining her blood to cure her, and it was barely working. Lucille demanded that Matilda and her gradfather move to the country so they would not get infected. Unfortunately, they were mistaken as sick people and were required not to cross the border. Matlda and her grandfather were stranded and no one would help them. While Matilda is caring for her grandfather, she falls ill with the fever. Fortunately, she is restored to health. Will Matilda ever be reunited with her mother? Read the book to find out! I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars because the book was confusing at times. However, this book really helped me understnd what life was like in the 1700's. It aso made me appreciate modern medicine and how far we have come from using leeches to drain blood, to using antibiotics.
Tevah N
The Fighting Ground, by Avi (Historical Fiction--America)
The Fighting Ground takes place over two days, April 3 and 4, 1778, during the Revolutionary War. It is set in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A lot of the action takes place in an abandoned house in the middle of the woods. The main character is Jonathan, a thirteen-year-old boy. In the beginning of the book, Jonathan really wanted to be a soldier, but his father didn’t want him to fight at a young age because the father had gotten shot in the leg and was afraid that Jonathan might get hurt or die. Jonathan also had an older brother who was a soldier serving with General Washington in Pennsylvania. Jonathan wants to fight in the war. He secretly joins the fight against the Hessian soldiers, who were fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War. During his first battle, he is frightened and runs away into the woods. Then Jonathan is captured by the Hessians. His experience is the main part of the book, and I don’t want to give too much away. I would give the book four stars. I liked it because it was very suspenseful and I thought the Revolutionary War was a cool subject to read about. I liked that the Hessian soldiers talked only in German and Jonathan couldn’t understand them, but I could because there was a translation in the back of the book. The writer wrote a lot of detail and I could picture it very well in my mind.
By Ari N.
Give Me Liberty, by L.M. Elliot (Historical Fiction--America)
The focus of the Revolutionary War is usually what happened to the Continental Army in the north led by George Washington. But there is a lot happening down south in Virginia, whose army is led by the silver-tongued Patrick Henry. This novel is about an indentured servant who lives in Williamsburg, Virginia at this historic period of time. The story take place in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the mid-1700s when the colonies were welcoming the thought of liberty. Nathanial was an indentured servant who had lost his parents. In the beginning of the story, Nat is being auctioned off by an Auctioneer to a horrible blacksmith. An old schoolteacher named Basil saves Nat by naming a higher price. However, Nat still has to work for a mean old carriage maker named Eden, whom Basil lives with. Eden thinks that the best way to get along with everybody is to be neutral in the uprising about liberty but that backfires on him. He and his family get poorer and poorer. Eden’s other indentured servant, Ben, really wants glory. He thinks the best way to achieve that is by going to war making him a patriot. Ben is always getting into trouble, but something even worse is coming for him. Eden wants nothing to do with liberty yet Ben is rather convincing. War is coming soon, Nat can sense it. What is he going to do?! Give Me Liberty has an amazing plot and true history facts. Therefore on a scale of one to five, I would give this novel four.
By Ariel K.
Island of The Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’ Dell
Reviewed by Yasmin Stein
Island of The Blue Dolphins is the true story of a girl named Karana. She gets stuck on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean while the rest of her tribe has sailed away to a new home. While Karana is on this island alone she makes new friends with some of the animals. She also builds a home, creates weapons, and fights for her survival and food. Season after season, years pass and she becomes a young woman. Even though it does not say anything about the time period in the book I can tell it is probably from the 1800s.
Though I am not such a big fan of reading I can easily give this book a four out of five stars. One of the main reasons I like this book is because it is different. The difference is that the young girl Karana learns to become more independent, yet in other books the characters stay together more like a team. The only thing I did not like about Island of the Blue Dolphins was that it did not compel me to read chapter after chapter until the end of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and I would definitely recommend it to others.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell (Historical Fiction—America)
Karana is an Indian girl living on an island off the coast of California. She is the daughter of Chief Chowig, the leader of Ghalas-at. Karana has two siblings, a younger brother named Ramo who is twelve, and an older sister named Ulape. Island of the Blue Dolphins is set in the early and mid-eighteen hundreds. Karana, a real person, was found on the shores of Santa Barbara in 1853. The story takes place on the Island of the Blue Dolphins in Karana’s village, in her house, and anywhere else on the island. One day a ship from Russia came to the Island. The people on it were called the “Aleuts”. They wanted to hunt around the Island. When they left, many of the Ghalas-at people were killed by Aleuts. Years later a ship came again (not an Aleut ship); It would take the people of Ghalas-at to a better place for them to live. Ramo missed the ship, so Karana dived in the water and went back. One day, wild dogs killed Ramo. Karana waited many years alone for another ship. I would rate this book five stars because the way Scott O’Dell wrote it was amazing. Every single piece of detail was great.
By Simon G.
Island of the Blue Dolphins , by Scott O’Dell
Reviewed by Michael GW
Island of the Blue Dolphins is a true story a girl named Karana who faces survival on a deserted island. When her entire tribe leaves, her brother Ramo runs back to the house to get his spear, but when he returns to the shore the boat is leaving. His devoted sister runs up and down the boat, but the captain refuses to stop the boat so she jumps over the side and swims to him. Rontu was Karana’s dog who was once a wild pack leader who becomes Karan’s companion. Chowig is Karana’s father and the tribe leader who is killed in a battle with the Aleuts.
The book takes place between 1835 and 1855, on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, which is off the coast of California was and discovered in 1602. Karana’s village is called Ghalas-at.
Karana’s survival spans eighteen years on her own because her brother was killed by a pack of wild dogs. During that time she hunts, builds a house, and does not go insane from loneliness.
I am giving this book four stars rather than five, because some of it was not necessary.
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005, by Lauren Tarshis
Reviewed by Gabe Y
The story is about a young boy by the name of Barry, who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August of
2005. Barry has a younger sister by the name of Cleo. His mom and dad heard about the hurricane that
was making its way to New Orleans. The family wanted to move away to Houston, Texas, and had asked
their Uncle Dave to join them. Uncle Dave decided that he would stay home in New Orleans. The family were headed to Houston, they hit major traffic and little Cleo got sick. The parents had no choice but to stay home and to wait out the hurricane.
During the hurricane, Cleo and Mom fell asleep, while Dad and Barry were watching a baseball game. Barry finally fell asleep, and then woke at 6 am to find his entire home flooded with water. As family worked together on trying to figure out different solutions to survive nature’s catastrophe, Barry slipped and fell from the roof and fond himself find him swept away from his family. How would Barry survive this vicious hurricane?
I think that this book is great because it’s an easy book to read its not hard to understand its can be sad at times and I recommend you read this book
I would rate this book a 4.5 because it was an interesting book sad and you really feel the emotion of the book it’s not a five because in the begging it can be boring but other than that I recommend you read it.
Johny Tremain, by Esther Forbes (Historical Fiction--America)
Johnny Tremain is an enticing story set in Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War, when the colonies fought the British for their liberty. The plot follows the life of a boy named Johnny (Jonathan), a silversmith’s apprentice, who has to give up his trade due to a crippled hand. He becomes a rider for a “Rebel” newspaper. There he meets a boy named Rab, who is the printer’s apprentice and becomes Johnny’s best friend. Rab then leaves to fight. The paper secretly held meetings for the Sons of Liberty. A local group of patriots consisting of historical figures, such as John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams, were all members of the Sons of Liberty. Fictional main characters include Priscilla Lapham, also known as “Cilla”, who is Johnny’s loved one who likes him back. She is the daughter of Mr. Lapham, his mentor. Dove is the reason Johnny’s hand is crippled, and he is also an apprentice to Mr. Lapham. Merchant Jonathan Lyte is unknowingly Johnny’s great uncle who frames him as a crook! I thought the book really described the tension between the colonists and the British. Overall, it was a great historical fiction novel that easily makes five stars.
By David T.
Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes (Historical Fiction--America)
Johnny Tremain was a silversmith’s apprentice who lived in the 1770’s in Boston. After being injured while making a sugar basin, Johnny was unable to become a silversmith. He had been living with Priscilla and Isannah Lapham and their family, but he had to leave when he couldn’t work as a silversmith. He moved in with his friend Rab, and worked for the Boston Observer.
Once a week, a club met in the attic of the Boston Observer printing shop. They were called the Boston Observers and members of the club included John Adams, Samuel Adams, Dr. Warren and more founding fathers of our country.
Johnny discovered that he was related to a famous merchant named Jonathan Lyte. Johnny went to Mr. Lyte and told him that he thought they were related, but Mr. Lyte thought Johnny was an imposter and had him arrested. After Johnny was proven innocent in court, the Revolutionary War was about to begin. There were British soldiers all over Boston and Johnny became the messenger for the Boston Observer club. He had to go all over Boston, sneak past British soldiers and give the news very quietly to the patriots.
Rating: 5 stars. Johnny Tremain is an interesting story that people of all ages can enjoy. It also gave me a good idea of what it must have been like to live in Boston in the 1770s.
By Zachary S.
Letter From Rifka, Karen Hess (Historical Fiction--America)
In 1919, Rifka and her family are in Russia trying to get to America. In her family she has Mama, Papa, and brothers Nathan and Saul. Rifka is 12 years old. She travels to six different places to get to America with lots of obstacles in her way.
A couple Russian soldiers stop Rifka while she and her family are waiting to leave for America. Everyone else in her family hides so the soldiers don’t capture them too. The rest of her family is on its way to America while Rifka is going somewhere apart from her family. After she gets separated she gets a disease on her head. All of her hair falls out. Rifka gets treated for her disease but now she is bald. Even if she makes it to America, the Americans might not allow her in because of her bald head.
I would give Letters From Rifka 5 stars because this book was really good, it has so many adventures in it and it is never really that boring. Toward the end I couldn’t put the book down. Although I don’t enjoy reading that much this one was one of the best books I have ever read.
By: Annie B.
The Lost Hero, By Rick Riordan
Set in modern times, this book has you guessing at every turn of the page. This story is about three demigods (children of a mortal and a god) who travel around the country to rescue Hera, the queen of all gods. Jason Grace, the leader of this odd trio, awakes on a bus with no memory of his past. Not knowing who he is, he tries to resume life and set out on his quest with his two best friends, Piper and Leo. Even though he doesn't recall his friends, he remembers little by little what went on before his memory loss. Jason, Piper, and Leo all have special powers given to them by their immortal parents. Jason is the son of Jupiter, the god of lightning. He can fly, and control and use his father's lightning. Piper is the daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. She can charm-speak people into giving whatever, whenever. Leo is the son of Hephaestus, the god of fire. He can control fire and is an extraordinary mechanic and blacksmith. These qualities are the most important of all their talents during this quest. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars because of the intensity throughout the book and the feeling that you can't put the book down.
By Allison G.
My Brother Sam is Dead, by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
Tim Meeker is a 12-year-old boy living in Redding (Redding is just outside of New York) with his mother, father and older brother Sam. This story takes place during the American Revolutionary War. Tim has always looked up to his older brother Sam. Sam is smart, brave, and always does the right thing. Sam decides to enlist into the Army because he has always wanted to defeat the British and become independent in America. Unfortunately, there is an obstacle in his way. Sam’s father Life does not want Sam to enlist and fight. He believes that war is a silly thing and that there is no need to get hurt. But, Sam thinks differently. Tim and his father are loyal to the British while Sam is not. While Tim has been rethinking what side he should fight for, Sam has run away to fight with America. The war was getting worse and Sam had to make a decision sooner or later. Now, Tim has a tough decision: Should he fight with his beloved father or should be fight with his brave brother. To find out read this 5 star drama packed novel.
By: Allison Einhorn
Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse
(227 pages) (Realistic Fiction and Historical Fiction--America)
Out of the Dust is a book about a girl named Billie Joe. She lives in Oklahoma during The Great Depression. Her dad is a wheat farmer and is having a really hard time growing wheat because of all of the dust storms that have been happening. To make matters worse, there is a terrible accident that causes Billie Joe to lose her mother and her newborn baby brother. In addition, her hands become terribly injured so she can’t play the piano which she loves to do; but even though it hurts her terribly to play she still does it because it reminds her of her mother. I thought this book was OK. It wasn’t the best but I would read it again. On a scale of one to five, I would rate it a three because it was good but not great.by Ruthie S.
Rachel’s Legacy, by Colman Marrow
Reviewed by Sarah S.
Rachel’s Legacy takes place on Delancey Street in New York City in the early 1900s. Rachel and her family emigrated to America from a small village in Russia. The main characters in this story are Rachel, her sister Esther, her other sister Ida and her mother. The story is about how different Rachel’s life is in America, where not all the food around her is kosher and not all the people are Jewish.
When Rachel first came to America, she stayed with her cousin Sam and his wife Lena. Rachel had to work at the age of 12 to make money for her family. When her family made enough money, they moved out of Cousin Sam’s apartment. Later in the story, Rachel’s mother wanted the matchmaker to come see Esther. Esther was under 20 years old, which is very young to get married. Esther liked to cook and wanted to have a family, unlike Rachel who liked working in the factory and didn’t want to get married and have children.
Rachel decided to open her own business sewing dresses. One day a salesman named Abe Levine came into her sewing factory. Rachel fell in love with Abe. Later, Rachel found out that her sister Ida planned on marrying a non- Jewish man. Rachel agreed to tell her mother but when she did, her mother fainted and sat shiva for Ida as if she were dead! Rachel’s mother became very sick and died.
Six months after the funeral, Abe and Rachel got married. Rachel had a child and a family just like her mother always wanted. Sadly, Rachel did not end her life the way she wanted. Read the book to find out what happens to Rachel at the end of the story.
I would rate this book with 5 stars. I thought it was amazing!
Sarah Bishop, by Scott O’Dell
Reviewed by Ruthie D.
This book is about a 15 year-old girl during the Revolutionary War. Her family was killed by patriots, so now she’s alone trying to survive. She also has to dodge the British soldiers who are blaming her for a crime that she didn’t commit. While Sarah survives alone in the wilderness, life will go on. But will Sarah ever be able to move on from the horrors that the Revolutionary War has burdened her with?
The Revolutionary War was a war that started in 1775, a year before America was declared a country, and ended in 1783. The Americans fought the British because the Americans wanted to be their own country and the British didn’t want that to happen.
Sarah lived in Long Island, New York. Her house was burned down by patriots because her father was a loyalist, so she moved a lot, sometimes on the run from the British. Finally she settles down in a cave on Long Pond, which was called Waccabuc by the Indians that she went to for supplies called Ridgeford.
If I was rating this book out of 5 stars I would give it a 4.5. It had the right amount of action, but it also had the right amount of description of her survival in the wilderness, and for that I give it 3 stars. Although it had the right amounts, I think that the book was a little too wordy, and for that I deduct .5 stars, so now it only has 2.5 stars. But the ending was nice because it’s not like everything is perfect now, it just returns the peace, so I give it 2 more stars. if you add it up now, there are 4.5 stars.
The Secret School, by Avi
Reviewed by Adin S.
In a school in rural Elk Valley, in 1925, the one teacher running the school has to leave, therefore Ida and Tom will be held back because of the lack of a teacher in the system. Ida is the main character in this book, a fun loving, serious person. Tom, the one who originally had the idea of a secret school, is a good friend of Ida’s and hoping to become a mechanic. Felix, Ida’s little brother, and all the other school children, feel that they should help Ida and Tom to get into high school. When Miss Fletcher (the original teacher) leaves to see her sick mother, Tom comes up with the idea that Ida could be the teacher so she and Tom can complete “middle school” and move up to high school. The only thing stopping them from learning are their parents and Mr. Jordan, the head of the school board. The only way that Ida feels able to keep this a secret is to not tell any adults and definitely not Mr. Jordan. When the woman giving out the clearance tests shows up, she asks to see the teacher. Though nervous, Ida sucks in her gut and walks toward the lady. She hands out the tests and Ida really needs one but would be found out if she requested a test. She tries to get one extra test and gets it with ease. I would rate this book a -3 out of 5 stars because it has no excitement in the story line whatsoever. I recommend this book to people who hate life.
Shoshana and the Native Rose, by Robin K. Levinson
Reviewed by Shira S.
Shoshana and the Native Rose is an amazing story about a girl named Shoshana. In April, 1654, Shoshana, an 11-year-old girl, and her family, had a hard time coming to the Dutch colony of Nieuw Amsterdam from Brazil, where they were being persecuted by the Spanish, but they finally made it. Her father traded different materials like animal fur and wool to other places. The name Shoshana means rose and Shoshana longed to see one. She asked her father who knew the forest very well, to go with her to find a rose. They looked but could not find anything. Since Shoshana wanted so badly to see a rose she decided to go back alone a few days later. She ran home with a beautiful flower and her parents were relieved to see her, but upset that she had gone off alone. When she came to the bush again it looked like somebody else had cut from it and also left a corn doll there. Shoshana took the doll and left a few glass marbles. Finally, Shoshana met the unknown person who had been cutting roses. The girl was named Ogee and was from the Lenape tribe. Shoshana’s father was so excited to hear this news because he traded with that tribe. On the other hand, her mother was very upset that her daughter was playing with a stranger. Later on in the story, Shoshana and her father took a hike in the woods in the winter. When Shoshana's glass marbles fell and slipped down an icy slope, her father slowly went down to get them, but his foot caught on a root and he fell. Read the book to find out what happens. I would give this book 5 stars because it was a great book. It had so much detail and so many differences in the characters. It also showed how differently each character thought
When Will This Cruel War Be Over?By Barry Denenberg (Historical Fiction--America)
In the book When Will This Cruel War be Over? Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, there are a few main characters, although there are a lot of sub-main characters. The book is about Emma Simpson who lives during the Civil War in 1864, on the south side in Gordonsville, Virginia. Emma is a girl who loves to read and hates the war. Her mother always tells her to believe in the Lord and she tries to, but it is really hard when bad things happen. The thing that Emma misses most from before the war is having visitors come and celebrating Christmas. Before the war starts, she falls in love with a boy named Tally when she goes to visit her Aunt Caroline and Cousin Rachel in Richmond. She and Tally write letters to each other during the war. Tally is different from other boys because he cares about her opinions and isn’t afraid to tell people that he likes to read. When Emma’s mother gets ill, Aunt Caroline and Cousin Rachel with baby Elizabeth come and stay with them. The Negros Iris and Amos stay loyal to Caroline’s family when some Negros don’t stay loyal and go off to the north. I would rate this book with 4 stars It is good but it is also sad at parts. It was really scary when the Yankees came to Gordonsville. It was really good because you could feel Caroline’s emotions like you were really there. It was a great way to learn what really went on in the war and there were funny and romantic parts too.By Tali G.
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by Eli BThe Western frontier isn’t easy. Samuel Smith is a 13-year-old boy who lives with his parents, Olin and Abigail, in Pennsylvania, around 1776. The frontier is a small settlement surrounded by the woods, where Samuel’s parents decided to live so they could get out of the city. When Samuel was growing up, he had to work a lot harder compared to his educated parents' childhood. Equipped with his rifle, Samuel had the best job—and that was to hunt. He loved being in the midst of nature where it’s peaceful and quiet; he felt all alone and could actually have some relaxing time. Of course, he still had to shoot animals so he and his family could eat. His skills and speed outmatched his parents', so he had to become the provider of the family. One day, while Samuel was hunting deep in the forest (about several miles in), he saw a huge plume of smoke rising from the settlement and rushed back as fast as he could, but was too late. All he saw were bodies and burned-up cabins. Then he noticed something while he examined the settlement—his parents had been dragged away from the camp and were most likely being held captive. Eventually, he found out that the attackers were a group of British soldiers accompanied by Iroquois Indians; it was the start of a war. Samuel found out that his parents were being held in British-controlled New York City. On the way there, he also finds an 8-year-old girl named Annie Clark, whose parents were killed by Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British. As Samuel continued his journey, he got into trouble, developed feelings for Annie and had a fight for his life. Did he find his parents, and if so, were they alive? Why Read ThisI think everyone should read this book because it is full of action, adventure, drama and suspense, and gets better every page. I enjoy reading historical fiction books set around the 1700s. Out of all the books that I have read, this one falls in the top five. I also think that the author put everything perfectly into place, like a puzzle, presenting the feelings and emotions that Samuel had. I give it five stars!
Wood Runner, by Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by Michael Grant W.
If you like adventure, battle, and historical events, then this is the book for you. This book takes place in Colonial times in New York, Philadelphia, and some small towns during the Revolutionary War.In this book, Samuel is the hunter for his whole village. One day when he is out hunting he sees smoke coming from his village and he runs home and finds the village burnt to the ground and his parents missing and everyone else dead. He follows the attackers everywhere and he even gets an axe to the head and is unconscious for three days. He meets new people along the way some of whom are in the book for a short time, others a long time.
This book is special because you feel like you are Samuel, the main character . You feel his emotions, which makes the book a worthwhile read. I would give this book a 5 star rating because of its realistic feeling. Because of its unique quality I think people will like this book.
A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck
Reviewed by Elana K.
Sixteen year-old Mary Alice has to go live with Grandma Dowdel for a year in 1937 because her parents are facing some rough times financially. Mary Alice thought that the Great Depression was bad in the big city of Chicago where she grew up, but she was blown away by how much it affected the small, old towns outside the big city. While Mary Alice was used to nice family dinners and wearing fancy skirts to school, the people in Grandma’s sleepy Illinois town live completely different. Most of the townspeople live like farmers, including Grandma. Grandma Dowdel is not the type of person who would invite her friends over for tea, even if she did have any friends. Mary Alice doesn’t know what to expect when she has to stay there for twelve whole months.
I give this book a three-star rating because this book is really well written, but I’m not typically a fan of historical fiction. Even though this isn’t my first choice of genre, Grandma Dowdel is quite a character, and I loved reading about all of her adventures.