Fiction - Historical Fiction, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous
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Overview
The American Revolution is about to ignite!
Life is tough for thirteen-year-old Nathaniel Dunn, an indentured servant in colonial Virginia. Yet in a twist of luck, he meets Basil, a kind schoolmaster, and an arrangement is struck lending Nathaniel's labor to a Williamsburg carriage maker. Basil introduces Nathaniel to music, books, and philosophies that open his mind to new attitudes about equality. The year is 1775, and as colonists voice their rage over England's taxation, Patrick Henry's words "give me liberty, or give me death" become the sounding call for action. Should Nathaniel and Basil join the fight? What is the meaning of "liberty" in a country reliant on indentured servants and slaves? Nathaniel must face the puzzling choices a dawning nation lays before him.
Synopsis
For thirteen–year–old Nathaniel, an indentured servant in colonial Virginia, life is hard. Though things improve with the help of a kind master named Basil–who shares music, books, and philosophies on equality–around him the climate is heating up. It's 1775 and colonists are enraged by England's taxation. Patrick Henry's words "give me liberty, or give me death" become the sounding call and the American Revolution is about to errupt. Nathaniel and Basil must make a choice about joining the fight and face a larger conundrum about the true meaning of liberty.
L. M. Elliott crafts a stirring narrative for middle grade readers–conveying the hopes and dilemmas of this crucial era in American history.
ALA Booklist
“Filled with action, well-drawn characters, and a sympathetic understanding of many points of view.”
Editorials
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
βElliottβs vivid descriptions and in-depth research make it easy to envision revolutionary-era Williamsburg.βVOYA -
This reviewer's daughter struggled with social studies: She memorized pieces but failed to make sense of the whole. Parts floated independently, disconnected, dispassionately. Veteran historical fiction writer Elliott helps such students by weaving together an interesting story line and detailed research. Meet Nathaniel, a thirteen-year-old indentured servant in 1775 Virginia, who has a way with horses, underdeveloped musical abilities, and a battery of bruises to prove that he has had ill-tempered masters. He finds himself learning carriage making, becoming literate, and aiding a runaway slave in a colonial community engulfed in political turmoil. Surrounded by a teacher, fellow workers, and rebels, Nathaniel tries to make sense of the rhetoric, the meaning beyond the words of Patrick Henry, the Virginia governor, and newspaper reports. Along with Nathaniel, readers listen to mentor Basil explain demonstrations in Boston, mirror events in Virginia, political addresses, militia movements, and more. Frequently the story slows for lengthy but clear explanations. Sandwiched between sorting out pre-revolutionary players and their agendas is action, character development, and suspense. A historical time line is included. Whether struggling with illiteracy or "nightmares about the voyage over the Atlantic or the treatment at the plantation" Nathaniel shows readers personal, domestic, and communal challenges of life before freedom was won. Middle school students of history might understand more easily if they accompany Nathaniel on a transformational, albeit didactic, narrative journey.KLIATT
Nathaniel, age 13, has had a difficult life as an indentured servant in colonial Virginia, but his luck changes when he is taken under the wing of a kindly old schoolmaster named Basil and apprenticed to a carriage maker in Williamsburg. The year is 1775 and new concepts of liberty and equality are inciting the colonists to rebel against the British. Nathaniel learns all about the exciting new political ideas of the day from Basil and the swirl of events around him, though his experiences as an indentured servant and those of his friend Moses, a runaway slave, lead him to question whether liberty really applies to all. Nevertheless, Nathaniel and Basil end up joining the Virginia Second Regiment and proudly take part in the Battle of Great Bridge. With the presence of historical characters such as Thomas Jefferson and lyrics from patriotic songs of the day, Elliot (author of Annie, Between the States and Under a War-Torn Sky, among other YA novels) successfully evokes the spirit of the times. The tone is rather didactic, but fearful Nathaniel and kind-hearted Basil come alive as characters and help to flesh out this exciting time in US history, making this a solid piece of historical fiction as well as a useful supplement to coursework. A timeline is appended, and an author's note explains the historical backdrop to her story. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students. 2006, HarperCollins, 384p., $16.99 and $17.89. Ages 12 to 15.βPaula Rohrlick
KLIATT -
To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 2006: Nathaniel, age 13, has had a difficult life as an indentured servant in colonial Virginia, but his luck changes when he is taken under the wing of a kindly old schoolmaster named Basil and apprenticed to a carriage maker in Williamsburg. The year is 1775 and new concepts of liberty and equality are inciting the colonists to rebel against the British. Nathaniel learns all about the exciting new political ideas of the day from Basil and the swirl of events around him, though his experiences as an indentured servant and those of his friend Moses, a runaway slave, lead him to question whether liberty really applies to all. Nevertheless, Nathaniel and Basil end up joining the Virginia Second Regiment and proudly take part in the Battle of Great Bridge. With the presence of historical characters such as Thomas Jefferson and lyrics from patriotic songs of the day, Elliot (author of Annie, Between the States and Under a War-Torn Sky, among other YA novels) successfully evokes the spirit of the times. The tone is rather didactic, but fearful Nathaniel and kind-hearted Basil come alive as characters and help to flesh out this exciting time in US history, making this a solid piece of historical fiction as well as a useful supplement to coursework. A timeline is appended, and an author's note explains the historical backdrop to her story. Reviewer: Paula RohrlickSchool Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Thirteen-year-old indentured servant Nathaniel Dunn arrives in Williamsburg in 1774 to work for the local carriage maker. As the royal governor and the king's loyalists attempt to control the colonists more tightly, it becomes apparent that there will be no peaceful resolution to the tension. Through his friendship with an elderly schoolmaster, Nathaniel is exposed to music, philosophy, and the political ideas of the day. While his inclination is to keep to himself and avoid trouble, he cannot help but be caught up in the events around him. One of his fellow servants is full of patriotic fervor and draws Nathaniel into the protests. The carriage maker, a staunch loyalist, becomes increasingly volatile as his business dwindles in the face of rising tension. In the end, Nathaniel must determine what he believes in and act accordingly. Elliott's engaging and highly readable novel is well researched and sprinkled liberally with renowned patriots of the period. Readers come away not only with an accurate glimpse into 18th-century life, but also with a better understanding of how the colonies cooperated. Particularly noteworthy is the way in which Elliott handles the paradox of colonial Americans fighting for their independence from England yet clinging to the practice of enslaving other human beings. She does not provide pat answers, and Nathaniel's inability to reconcile what he sees around him promises to provoke thoughtful discussion. A rich and robust piece of historical literature.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.Kirkus Reviews
When 13-year-old Nathaniel Dunn apprentices to a carriage maker in Williamsburg and is befriended by Basil, an elderly schoolmaster, he finds himself in the midst of the early excitement over conflicts with England. Calm and cautious Peyton Randolph is becoming known as the "Father of American Liberty," Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson are perhaps too radical and George Washington isn't as influential as he is destined to be. Readers who stick with this hefty volume will learn much history, though too much of the dialogue reads like history lessons, and the bibliography contains too few sources to guide young readers further. Still, it's a lively account of the times with a likable narrator and solid action. As Nathaniel gets involved in the war itself and wonders about fighting for freedom and independence in a land where so many are not free, readers will be prompted to ponder the contradictions of their nation's past. Elliott takes her readers seriously, and her author's note tells more about characters and ideas. (chronology, acknowledgments) (Fiction. 9-13)ALA Booklist
"Filled with action, wellΒdrawn characters, and a sympathetic understanding of many points of view."Book Details
Published
February 1, 2008
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Pages
384
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780060744236