Reading this was just so much fun!! In fact the supernatural plot reminds me of a Goosebumps book - but a much longer one. And who doesn't love that tReading this was just so much fun!! In fact the supernatural plot reminds me of a Goosebumps book - but a much longer one. And who doesn't love that type of story, where your average neighborhood suddenly has dark shadows following you and maybe some giant bird is spotted? And the dog starts acting weird. Creepy music plays and the birthday party takes a horrible turn and then your heart is pounding in your chest, your hands are clammy and you only want to run out of there as quick as you can.
But its too late.
You just don't know it yet.
So be brave and attend Zee's birthday party. He is only slightly out of his mind.
And then some horrid thing will be looking for you... It only wants you for all eternity. That's not long is it? And you have to face your deepest fears... Forever.
As you can tell I had loads of fun reading this. This one is purely guilty pleasure in reading. A fast paced middle grade horror story with a very supernatural twist.. The story kept moving and young Justin faced so many different fears and problems. He was very brave. But the most bravest thing he did is he did not give up.
But do you know what I liked best about this book? How all the characters in here decided to work together to defeat the enemy. Or try to anyway. Its about being a team, not a single hero raising above everyone else.
Wow. I was amazed at how this book had captivated my attention! I had been hoping it would be good but it was even better than I had hoped? I must admWow. I was amazed at how this book had captivated my attention! I had been hoping it would be good but it was even better than I had hoped? I must admit I really enjoy books that have kids as the main character for some reason. I guess sometimes I like the more simple adventures they go on, doing kid stuff. It reminds me of the vintage comic books I would read as a kid? Anyway this one had all the things that I liked.
So this is about a boy who goes to live with his uncle in another town. And now he has new classmates. And virtually all of his classmates go to this other town across the river. But he cannot go. He has no money to cross the river. And as time goes on, his desire to go across this river grows and the other side grows into this huge perfect place in his mind. And so he eventually comes up with a plan on how he could maybe go there. But is he willing to risk the wrath of his uncle?? But it is an adventure story and the boys sometimes do naughty things. I read this way back at the beginning of February and yet I remember it very well so an excellent book!
I also liked that it moved along well and it tells us about life in a far away country. There are some tense moments too. Heart pounding. And at the end Chike has some very tough decisions to make and he has to face his fears.
So there was some real surprises in here. I was certainly surprised by a few things near the end of the book. Plus there are some good lessons in here too. This book is meant for kids but I found my copy with the adult books at my one local library. ...more
This is one of those books I have heard about often but had never actually read until I found this copy of it in a little free library. And at the timThis is one of those books I have heard about often but had never actually read until I found this copy of it in a little free library. And at the time I picked it up I really had no idea what it was about either. And this is another one the books I had read back in August and I then had passed the book on to my cousin so she could read it too...
So I enjoyed reading this. And I remember how it ended too, the decision that the family had made. I also remember that i could relate in some ways to the family in this play. There was a lot of drama in this story. The story is not very long but it was very interesting. It kept my attention. Lots of highs and lows if I remember correctly.
Did they make the right decision on the end? I cannot say. I hope so. Living with autism its hard to know what is the correct thing to do. You know, should you do this or is doing that the better choice? Well the family in here had a choice to make too and we will never know the results of their choice. But they were brave so I hope it worked for the best.
I think the fact I actually remember parts of the plot from way back in August tells you its a good story. ...more
So I am getting caught up on a few reviews. I read this on Saturday while I was trying to relax and I must say it was a very entertaining story. I fouSo I am getting caught up on a few reviews. I read this on Saturday while I was trying to relax and I must say it was a very entertaining story. I found myself caught up in the life of these three sisters as they travel to Oakland California to meet the mother they had never known. And it is 1968.
I have heard of Oakland but I must admit I know nothing of it really...so I was finding out about this place just as they were! And some of it seemed quite strange - but then it had seemed strange to the kids too.
Of the three girls I found myself relating the most to Delphine who is the oldest. We are both very logical. And I shared some of her worries too. Especially with the uncertainty of some of the things they were getting involved in over there in Oakland. Is it safe? I would have had the exact same thoughts! Because they get involved with the Black Panthers.
This is not a very lovey-dovey story or family. There is much strife in here. Especially between the girls and their mother. I don't even know if she should be called a mother! But the book shows that not all mothers are suitable to be mothers. They just don't have it in them. Families are not perfect. But the girls stick together more or less (but not perfectly)... There are some mishaps along the way as they are kids but the story just kept moving! Very excellent writing.
I do think there are things from this book that I will remember for a long time: Ming's Chinese takeout, the Center + the lines for free breakfast, how strange their mother was...and what she kept in her kitchen (and no it is not food related) and that boy racing down that steep hill on that wheeled device!
Plus I just found out there are more books in this series?? Didn't know that at all. ...more
This book was a pleasant surprise, although I must admit I was unsure what to expect when I had started reading it. The story itself can be upsetting This book was a pleasant surprise, although I must admit I was unsure what to expect when I had started reading it. The story itself can be upsetting at times because it is very realistic. It is not about a happy subject at all but about a girl trying to recover from a horrid accident and trauma, one that has drastically changed her life and she can never get that life back again. I am sure people around the world are going through this experience every day: someone hearing those words that they will never walk again. How do you get your life back? The story tries to answer that.
Genie goes through so many emotions in here. And some of them I certainly recognize. I may not have any walking issues like Genie but I do have other problems, like PTSD, so I can relate to her. She has anger and she does the avoidance thing too. In fact I am surprised that the fact Genie could have PTSD after her accident was never brought up! I know the story is supposed to be about her wheelchair but the way she got into that wheelchair surely will cause lots of fear. I believe she does have PTSD and that is why she avoids discussing the accident at all because that is what people with it do. Because it becomes a trigger then.
And at the story's beginning!! I could literally feel the stress and anger in that house! The fights going on. And that is actually what happens too. The problems brought on by her wheelchair and her sudden disability only creates more stress for everyone. And that leads to fights. Because no one likes those changes. Change is hard to accept. And if you are suddenly trapped in a wheelchair then things you used to do without thinking about it like opening the refrigerator or reaching the sink is suddenly very difficult. And that creates frustration. And the frustration leads to fights. Because the feeling has to go somewhere.
Or else you hold it all in and then explode later. She does that too. But that is exactly what happens.
Because accepting the situation takes time. And it is often a very hard thing to do. It's never easy. And you need people to support you to recover too. To know that there are people out there who really care about you. And that can get you living your life again even if you are stuck to those limitations you are stuck with. It can give you your self confidence back too. And then you can relax, be yourself and not feel that you are being stared at or that you are unwanted. But the story shows it is not that easy to get over these things and that many people do not understand the problems that go with it.
The book gives some ideas of how someone like Genie can continue doing work in the field of ballet that she loves. Now I don't know if this sort of idea could work in all types of sports. What about people who run marathons, which is more a solitary sport and not a group sport like ballet? Hmmm... Technically ballet is dance but many sports are popular you know and could lead to injuries and hence wheelchairs.
The only part I really didn't care for about this story was Genie's relationships with guys. I just feel by the end she hasn't actually learned anything and that she was going to repeat the same mistake all over again.
But this is a very realistic story and even the paragraph above is probably realistic too.
I do think more people should read this so they hopefully can get a better understanding of the issues people go through. The emotional turmoil. How hard everything can be for someone in a wheelchair. ...more
This book asks a very deep question: Is it worth it to lose your humanity to gain freedom for others but in the process of doing so you become the murThis book asks a very deep question: Is it worth it to lose your humanity to gain freedom for others but in the process of doing so you become the murderous monster that you have always hated? That is the exact situation that poor Sloan faces in this story.
And what a story this is! I have never read anything like this before. I was totally engrossed by the characters and the plot. And the first person narrative makes is so much more powerful. Everything is right in your face. No holds barred. The violence of the empire and their might. Their cruelty to innocent people and to the recruits. The awful bloody games. The countless deaths. The scheming. Tons of action and fighting and powerful magic. A girl fighting a part of herself too so she can stay alive a bit longer so she can get her revenge.
This world has a deep rich history too. A world of gods & goddesses, cultures lost and destroyed by invaders who arrived from elsewhere. I admit I am a little confused as to where these invaders exactly came from - another continent I guess? Anyway they came and everything was destroyed. I certainly see parallels between this story and how the power of the Europeans had destroyed many cultures too.
Sloan never has it easy in here. She suffers so much in many ways. This is not a happy story at all. And it has twists and turns as well, the biggest near the end.
Truthfully I am unsure how I feel about the end. I guess I am reeling still from a few totally unexpected events? But this is so worth reading! It is a long wild ride in a dark tropical country clearly based off of Africa ruled by a cold blooded royal family. ...more
This was a real pleasure to read! I got totally swept up into the world of the Great Depression in Flint, Michigan and the life of Bud. He was having This was a real pleasure to read! I got totally swept up into the world of the Great Depression in Flint, Michigan and the life of Bud. He was having a very tough time (darn right awful at times and so unfair too) but he never gave up and for a ten year old he was very brave indeed. If only more kids these days could be like Bud the world would be a much better place. While he is not perfect (as no one is) and he has many misadventures I think he actually makes a good role model.. The world in this book is also much simpler too than it is today. I don't know if Bud would have fared as well if he would be in today's fast paced modern society?
The thing is I actually like Bud. I can't say that about most of the characters I meet in books.. He is an honest boy even if he is a liar. Now isn't that mighty strange? The things should contradict each other but it's true. He is so super polite, he doesn't take things that are not his (even though he may need it) and I just love the child like innocence he has about so many things! He made me laugh a few times. And he certainly has surprised me too! I think the biggest surprise was that thing he found in that shed! I certainly never saw that coming! Ouch! Plus he believes monsters are real - that makes him perfect. He is also cautious too when he should be. I think that is good. A child in his situation needs to be.
But this is the story of a boy searching for his roots, his father. Will he find him with the few clues he has? One can hope.
And the Great Depression really comes to life in this book: the long lines at the soup kitchens, living on an orphanage, hobos and riding boxcars, the fact that cars are not so common yet...
And I do love these old fashioned adventure types stories. I always have. In many ways there are superior to today's modern ones. Lots of great stuff in here including running away, hobos, trains and so much more. And jazz!
I had a good time reading this today. And yes, I had figured out a few things before they were revealed at the end. ...more
Hmmn...this one has left me a bit confused truthfully. I am unsure how to rate it. The writing is good and very descriptive but the story also has lefHmmn...this one has left me a bit confused truthfully. I am unsure how to rate it. The writing is good and very descriptive but the story also has left me with more questions than answers. I think maybe this needs to be expanded so we can see more clearly exactly what is going on? But without a doubt this is a story about bitter revenge set in a dying world ravaged by a flood and strange creatures. I do admit I find myself more interested in the creatures than the human characters. And I have no idea if it's supposed to be that way?
I found myself confused by the human characters too. Like a prince was mentioned early on in the story. Was one of the male characters living on the ship with her the prince? It's never stated clearly so I have no idea. Also another character was described once by the word "halfling" so does the author mean the world has actual hobbits or does she mean he's not fully grown? I have no idea and these things do affect my view of the story. Basically I would like to know the answers, as nothing bugs me more than not understanding something properly.
Some people might want to know this story contains a birth scene? Plus some other very weird stuff. The weird stuff is great!
And I would like to know what happened next after the end of this story. It would be intriguing to see this world expanded and to see more of it....more
This was an easy book to read and rather relaxing too. The core of this story is about friendship. And that you should give people a chance. Maybe froThis was an easy book to read and rather relaxing too. The core of this story is about friendship. And that you should give people a chance. Maybe from a distance you think someone is kind of strange or they act a bit differently but once you get to know them they are actually a very good friend. Plus maybe they have a reason for acting that way.
Yellow Bird does. He acts kind of silly because he doesn't know how to read. And he is smart too! But he also knows he should be able to read but he can't. The words won't stay still on the page. They sometimes swirl around or he reads them backwards. And sometimes if he wants to write the number "21" he might write "12" instead. But he acts silly because he is trying to hide this problem! Because it is embarrassing. And his teacher is very strict so he is always in trouble.
And so we meet Doris. She thinks Bird is strange and kind of annoying too. But somehow she ends up helping him. And then when she begins to actually understand his issue she wants to help him! And he helps her too.
I enjoyed reading all of Doris's many little adventures and the things she got up to: her letter writing, her ideas to earn money and her quest to help Bird (who is actually named James).
But I do think the most important thing in here is that it explains dyslexia. Plus it ends on a positive note. The story is uplifting. It shows with time, patience and planning you can get the things you want.
I'm having a hard time writing my review of this book. I'm not sure what to think about it. At first because of the title I thought it would be sciencI'm having a hard time writing my review of this book. I'm not sure what to think about it. At first because of the title I thought it would be science fiction but clearly it's not. Then while reading I thought it was more of a mystery but I don't think it's a mystery either...I guess it's just plain fiction. I did find it very interesting while reading and I flew through the pages. But I still feel very muddled about what the book is, how to classify it. I guess each person who reads it has to decide for themselves. A lot of the story is about life in South Africa, especially the power outages.
The story follows several different characters who get involved in a scheme to make Nigeria a better country through science. It's called Brain Gain. One of the scientist is Wale who works at NASA and is an expert on moon rocks. His dream is to go to space and become an astronaut. Brain Gain lures him and other scientists away from their current successful lives to go back to Nigeria, the country of their birth. But then things rapidly start falling apart. Some people die and others are left foundering on their own. Confusion and fear reigns. Where will they live? How will they survive?
The mystery itself is not really driving the plot. It seems to me it takes a backseat to the characters trying to just survive. Most of the story actually takes place in South Africa but many other countries are in here too including France, the USA, Switzerland. Anyway there is none of the typical snooping one has in a mystery and there really isn't any sense of suspense although people certainly die. And even though it didn't have those elements I certainly flew through the pages. I read the entire book in less than 12 hours. So yes the story is very engaging even though it's hard for me to classify it.
The ending does leave me feeling a bit confused. The revelation of what was actually going on (the murderer if you will) just was not satisfying. It was confusing and not what I had expected or even experienced in another book. That's one reason I'm rating this the way I am. I do think it reflects life in another country and how things are over there. I guess I'm just not familiar with life in other places.
Another one of the main characters is Thursday. I really liked him. He seemed more honest, even simple in a few ways, but I think why I liked him so much was because he loved caring for his abalones so much. His passion and love for them really touched me. And I think that is why I read the book so quickly. I must say I really was unsure what an abolone was so I had to go look it up on Google. If it weren't for Thursday I wouldn't have liked the book as much. Perhaps the author should try writing a story about sea life as I think that's where he shines. Anyway I could very easily imagine Thursday just simply keeping the abalones as pets and never wanting to give them up!
Another character I should mention is the girl Melissa. Towards the end I ended up not liking her at all really. She was too...rude and bossy.
I do love the cover of this book! It's very beautiful. And it's the cover that attracted me to it. ...more
I'm finding it hard to review this book for some reason. Maybe because it's so dark and at the same time not a traditional horror novel. Instead thingI'm finding it hard to review this book for some reason. Maybe because it's so dark and at the same time not a traditional horror novel. Instead things that are described in this story probably have actually happened and that makes it even darker. Because it's based on fact. There's a lot of abuse and horrid bearings in here. Even worse is the fact the main character, Elwood, didn't deserve any of it at all. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got mixed up in stuff. You should never accept rides from strangers. Look at what had happened to him because he did.
Elwood is a sturdy "goody-goody" and he doesn't really belong in the awful "school" he was sent to. He should be going to college. But he ends up there and discovered a whole different side of life. Conditions are dreadful. He has a strong justice streak in him and he wants to get involved, to help, but it gets him into trouble.
The book also describes lots of other injustice that's going on in the regular world: if your skin is a certain color you can't eat in the restaurant or go to other places. It's very unfair.
I found the story very interesting, especially the beginning and the middle. But once the parts set in the later time period started popping up I was losing interest. My mind started to wonder to other things. I think I found this time switch annoying! I wanted the story to continue in a logical order...in chronological order! I didn't want it suddenly skipping forward to the future in New York!! I wanted instead to find out what had happened to Elwood, in the proper order. But the book doesn't do that and I don't know why. I really don't care about some writing gimmick or some big reveal or twist ending...I wanted it to go in chronological order. So that's why I have given this book only 4 stars. ...more
I had really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. The main character, Fabiola, was absolutely wonderful but I just couldn't stand her cousinsI had really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. The main character, Fabiola, was absolutely wonderful but I just couldn't stand her cousins at all! Their behavior and attitude just kept grating on my nerves and I wanted to pull my hair out at their antics. Fabiola is such a nice, caring girl who was raised properly & respects people but they were treating her so horribly! They were dragging her to clubs and handing her cups of alcohol when she was underage. They made her dress like a tramp in tight, too short dresses and change her hairstyle with those fake wigs (weaves). And the profanity!! The stuff the cousins were doing (and they were up to something very shocking!) was worse than reading a horror novel! I realize people live under poor conditions but these cousins were just so bad it just ruined the entire story for me. They didn't seem to care for her at all. If they did they wouldn't be trying to change a decent young woman into something she's not.
This book is about a teenage girl named Fabiola who arrives in Detroit from Haiti. Her mother got held back at Customs and taken to New Jersey. So Fabiola finds herself living with cousins and it's a big culture shock from what she's used to. From the story description it seems they are living in the inner city but Fabiola doesn't realize that. She thinks all of America is great. But her cousins don't give her the warm welcome she was expecting: no meal is prepared and she isn't introduced to any neighbors. She goes to bed hungry and confused. And that's the beginning of the story. The Haiti religious customs are a big part of the story which is wonderful and the main plot revolved around her trying to fit into her new life in Detroit.
I found the overall story very sad and depressing. Later I grew very annoyed and infuriated with those cousins. I couldn't stand what they were doing to her at all and it was worse because she had no where else to go. They were clearly taking advantage of her even though she was staying with them for free.
There are some big shocks in this story. The one in particular caught me off guard.
The cover is pretty but I wouldn't read this again. I can't remember the last time that a book had annoyed me so much! ...more
This was a delightful but sad book to read. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and I was hooked. I could relate very well to the struggleThis was a delightful but sad book to read. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and I was hooked. I could relate very well to the struggles that Jerome went through as I too was bullied in school and was alone. The book makes all the things he goes through very clear and easy to understand. I think this would be a great book for children to read so they can see his viewpoint and hopefully they'll learn something.
The story is about a young black boy who is shot by cops because he's playing with a toy gun outside, just being a kid and running about being goofy as kids do during play. He's shot in the back while running away once he sees them (the cops). The story is about what happens afterwards to his family and the family of the policeman who shot him. There's a trial too. The book alternates between scenes when he's alive and when he's a ghost. And as you read you slowly learn how it all happened and where he got the toy gun from. The children never thought the toy gun would lead to anyone's death.
One thing that was very sad in here was how he could see his family but they couldn't see him. And although he could go into his bedroom he couldn't rest on his bed because of his ghostly status. But his ghostly status also allowed him to see huge parts of the city he had never seen before - green parks, big houses and skyscrapers - and he could see the injustice to living environments.
I had never heard of Emmett Till before, a black boy who was killed for saying the wrong thing to white people. While reading this I had paused a moment to google him. He looked like such a nice, sweet boy. It's awful what had happened to him as stuff like that isn't right at all. Not only him but the injustice that has happened to countless others. It shouldn't happen to anyone.
The questions at the end of the book are great for discussion. It helps to make people think about what they have red.
Another thing I liked in here was how Jerome and later his sister was friends with Carlos who was of a different ethnic group. It must be awful though to be in Carlo's shoes after what had happened...he never meant any harm at all.. it's also good that the book points out that playing with a realistic looking toy gun can be dangerous as others don't always realize it's a toy (especially in today's society).
The ghosts in this book never move on. The story doesn't explain why they don't; perhaps it was because they were killed. But each ghost has the ability to communicate with one person and they can use that to teach the other person to spread the word against racism.
I read this book in one sitting as it was that engaging. Excellent writing and story telling....more
Wow...it really surprised me how much I loved this book! And the reason why I loved it so much was because I could really relate to the main characterWow...it really surprised me how much I loved this book! And the reason why I loved it so much was because I could really relate to the main character so much! The fact that she was of a different race didn't matter; I still understood her so clearly and the way she saw things. The fact that I'm an adult now didn't matter either (although I know many adults have problems relating to characters in YA books I had absolutely no problems with this one - it was like I was back in school). In here Shayla is in seventh grade.
Shayla almost seems to be on the spectrum in here. I don't know if this was intended by the author or if she was written this way by accident...but it's because of this and how she sees the world that I can relate so well to her. She doesn't seem to understand the social stuff around her very well. It clearly confuses her. A lot. Things that the other students somehow instinctively know she doesn't. A good example is with her attempt to wear make-up: she doesn't understand she should sneak it out of the house to put on at school and instead comes down into the kitchen at home to get caught wearing it by her mother! And later in the story when she first heard about people walking on the highway during a peaceful protest, she asks "did their car break down?" - and she asks this because she knows one isn't supposed to walk on the highway, so she can't imagine any other reason why someone would be doing that. She also does a nervous thing with her hands throughout the book which could possibly be some form of stimming. She worries about getting in trouble by breaking rules so she's very careful not to break any rules. That also sounds like the spectrum to me, as people on the spectrum have a thing about rules. Lots of situations make her nervous or fearful.
In here readers can learn about the Black Lives Matter protests and what it is all about. There's a trial mentioned through little snips, armbands and Shay attends a few peaceful protests with her parents. The armbands causes a few problems at school and she has to decide how to deal with that: should she stand up for herself and what she thinks is right? Things are also discussed a bit in class and different people have different ideas about it all...but the book does answer many questions relating to the subject and they are explained in simple terms.
The majority of the story is in the home and school setting. She has to deal with various classmates. There's a scary bully she has to work with in science lab, there's a cute boy who she likes but he likes her friend, she joins the track team but she's not very coordinated with movement so those hurdles she has to jump over are a problem! She also learns to deal with an annoying boy who won't leave her alone! There's also a few problems with her best friends as they are getting older and trying new things, learning who they are.
More interesting is the fact she doesn't really seem to understand her other black classmates very well and they also don't understand her. They think she's stuck up (she's all that) but it's just because she has to best friends from elementary school: one Japanese- American and one Puerto Rican. There were very few blacks at her grade school so there really wasn't the opportunity to get close to another girl of her own race. She sees things simply: she wants to spend lunch with her two friends and what's wrong with that? I think her outlook on this also seems to fit the spectrum.
This is just a wonderful book! I really loved it. And I pretty much read in it one sitting even though that took several hours. I just was totally hooked and drawn into the world that the author created here.
This true story really captured my imagination. It's about a boy nicknamed Tall T (Uton) as he tries to figure out how to earn money after his father This true story really captured my imagination. It's about a boy nicknamed Tall T (Uton) as he tries to figure out how to earn money after his father decides one day to leave the family. This story takes place in Oracabessa Jamaica and the island really comes to life in the pages of this book. Most people may think of Jamaica as sabdy beaches and palm trees but it's a lot more: obeah (witches) and the spells they cast, unique foods, schools you can attend barefoot, a one room library, bats hanging in your bedroom, cooking and eating outside under a little roof and a very unique vocabulary..
And of course there's junkonnu, which is a traveling dance they do at Christmas. Their Christmas is so very different than ours! In fact there's no real similarities at all. This book is so special because it tells us all about their customs and how they actually live. And since it's someone's actual story we know it's accurate. And I'm very glad they had a glossary at the back of the book too..that was very helpful!
Tall T is inspiring. He tried his best and was successful, although things didn't always turn out the way he had hoped. When one option didn't work out he looked for an alternative instead of just giving up. He also faces his fear of climbing the fifty feet tall Jacob's ladder at the end: steps carved out of a clay cliff. It's so steep you cling to vines as you climb it.
The story could also serve as a lesson about gambling - when you gamble you never have any money.
When I started reading this book I didn't know what it was about but I quickly learned it's about slavery. It tells the story of several different slaWhen I started reading this book I didn't know what it was about but I quickly learned it's about slavery. It tells the story of several different slaves and the things that happened to them as they traveled: a few ran away trying to reach freedom in Canada and others were sold to new masters. As the story progresses we meet many other slaves and masters under many different conditions. This gives us a very broad view of how they lived back then and the things they faced.
This is not a happy book. Much of it is about abuse, families getting torn apart, people getting whipped or beat or threatened. There's violence and alcohol. Still it's written in such a way that it didn't make me upset..it's not too graphic. Thankfully. If it were it would be too horrible to read.
Still the book has many good things in it too. There's faith and hope, both in God and that things will turn out ok somehow. Tom himself is a shining light in this book. No matter what happens to him he sticks to his beliefs. He has integrity and doesn't allow cruel masters to change what he believes to be right. He's kind and helps others. He's a wonderful role model. He also stands up for himself, he self advocates but without being pushy. He's polite and a real gentleman even though he's a slave.
The other character I really loved was little Eva. She is so kind and loving. She was truly worried about all of the slaves, including their souls. She truly is a little angel.
I had some difficulty with the accents in the story, as many of the words are spelled the way they sound. After awhile I grew used to it but it may cause problems for some people. Further into the book I didn't even notice the odd spellings anymore really. But I never did figure out one particular word: 'pears. No idea on that one!
My favorite parts of the book were the bits with the ghosts and the other parts at little Eva's house. The bits with the ghosts was just so clever and I think the story really woke up during that sequence! It was just so bold! I couldn't believe they did that!
Someone once described this as an adventure story but I really don't see it as one. I would more describe it as a drama, a drama with lots of trauma. But it's easy to read if you are ok with the spellings of the accented words (because I know some people struggle with words spelled that way). In case you don't know what I mean, I will give you an example:
"Don'no nothing 'bout that - only it's got to be done".
And
"O, no, I an't a grain afraid,"
And
"That ar's lucky," said Loker; "fork over."
Now I can read it pretty easily but I know many can't so someone might find this helpful.
All in all I think it's a good story and it has made me think. It contains a lot of ideas and themes about freedom. Also just because a lot of people are doing a thing it doesn't mean that thing is right. Sometimes the majority can be wrong. This book is a classic that has survived the test of time. And throughout the entire story - over 600 pages - I was never bored. I actually read this entire book inside of three days. I guess that alone should tell you how good it is?
Reading this book reminds me of Cold Sassy Tree, as it's very similar in many ways. I believe it's even the same time period and the family situation Reading this book reminds me of Cold Sassy Tree, as it's very similar in many ways. I believe it's even the same time period and the family situation is also similar with a multi generation family under the same roof. And once again you have the main character who is a child and the events are seen through his eyes.
Sandy (whose real name is James) lives with his mother and grandmother, plus one of his aunts. His father is away traveling and one never knows when he might show up. The story follows the events in the life of this family, the trials and errors. One of the biggest themes in the book is the clash between generations: the grandmother wants them to grow up decent but some of them are attracted to the more modern, wild things that are sweeping the country - things like jazz, drinking, pool, dancing, etc. The family is poor so getting enough money is always an issue. And Sandy doesn't always remember exactly what he's been sent out to do or get because there are numerous distractions around.
All in all I did enjoy the story. I found the trip to the past and the many details included really brought the decade of the 1910s to life. The character I liked the most was the grandmother, as she seemed to have a very good head on her shoulders, she cared about her family, she was honest and she also had a fascinating back story. For awhile I didn't like Harriet as she was so bitter but later in the book she had changed, so that was good.
Of course I liked Sandy. He's very innocent. He's lived a very sheltered life, mainly in part to his grandmother. Of course there can be both good and bad things about that. And at first I had no idea that his real name was James.
One thing I really disliked about this book is the constant use of the "N" word throughout the book. It's everywhere. I really don't understand why it's used so much. Otherwise it's a great story, a family drama that's very random and unpredictable. I was unable to guess anything in the plot. ...more
This well written YA novel is about a high school girl named Jade. She's the only one from her neighborhood going to a rich private school on scholarsThis well written YA novel is about a high school girl named Jade. She's the only one from her neighborhood going to a rich private school on scholarship and she doesn't really think she fits in. She can't relate to the things the other students talk about as it's out of her experience and her family doesn't have the money for those sort of things. Jade gets herself a mentor through a school program, a lady named Maxine.
At first I really didn't like Maxine at all. I didn't like how she was treating Jade. But I think I also understand it in a way too, because the book is about speaking up. Jade has to learn through the course of the story how to advocate for herself, to tell others the things that are bothering her. Once she starts doing that then things improve. But it can be a hard thing to do, especially for people who are naturally quite. Jade learns to tell others what she wants or needs.
The plot is also about race relations and how friendship between different ethnic groups is not always easy. It requires a little work because everyone comes from different backgrounds. People may not understand how one sees things, like events in the news.
I like how Jade is an artist and how she keeps busy working on her art. She doesn't give up, both with her art and with her relationship with her mentor, although at times she feels like quitting. She learns to stick through the rough times. This also applied to her friendship with a white girl named Sam. It's not easy but worth working things out....more
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