Reviews (26)

Rich and readable-- a lovely book.
I was a little bit unsure about this book. Magical realism often does not work for me-- I find the effect is often to distance me, or to gain unearned emotional credits. I was also nervous about the length. I was reading this for my book club, and it clocks in at 580 pages.
Great Story Telling
I just finished this story today.It is amazing; an incredible story revealing itself in many layers.There is a lot of character introduction and infrastructure for the story in the first 50 pages of the book.Once I got a grasp on the characters and an understanding for their lives in rural Mexico I had a wonderful time as the story unfolded.This is now on my list of favorite books.
A nice read, but lacks structure
Urrea's novel presents an interesting story of Teresita, the "Humming Bird's Daughter."Inter-twining charcters and generations, tidbits of Spanish phrases and words spice up the sometimes dry passages. Regardless, the writing is very descriptive, and I could actually picture myself in late 1800s rural Mexico. While I enjoyed turning the pages to find out about Teresita and the curandera, Huila, the sentence structure and grammar at times were hard to follow. OVerall, a nice way to open up your imagination during a weekend. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Historical Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Historical    4. Historical - General    5. Illegitimate children    6. Latin American Novel And Short Story    7. Literary    8. Near-death experiences    9. Teenage girls    10. Women healers    11. Fiction / Historical    12. Historical fiction    13. South America    14. Spanish   

Reviews (26)

The Teacher's Funeral A Comedy in Three Prts
Author: Richard Peck Publisher: Dial Books Tiffany Robinson
Excellent Read!
I absolutley loved this book. Richard Peck blends hummor so well into his stories and this one is no different. Very vivid characters allow us to follow as though we were in the story. I love some of the teaching strategies that the "new teacher" uses, and I love the glimpse that Richard Peck shows us of how school was very different not tooo long ago.

The Book Review To Remember
Book ReviewMike Lande
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Country life    5. Education    6. Family - Siblings    7. Fiction    8. Historical - United States - 20th Century    9. Humorous Stories    10. Indiana    11. Juvenile Fiction    12. Juvenile Historical Fiction    13. Lifestyles - Country Life    14. Peck, Richard    15. School & Education    16. Teachers    17. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Editorial Review

Sounder is no beauty. But as a coon dog, this loyal mongrel with his cavernous bark is unmatched. When the African American sharecropper who has raised Sounder from a pup is hauled off to jail for stealing a hog, his family must suffer their humiliation and crushing loss with no recourse. To make matters worse, in the fracas, Sounder is shot and disappears. The eventual return of a tattered and emaciated Sounder doesn't change the fact that the sharecropper's oldest son is forced to take on man's work to help support the family. His transition to adulthood is paved by the rocks and taunts hurled at him by convicts and guards as he searches for his father. But along this rough road he ultimately finds salvation as well.Read more

Reviews (207)

D'ONT READ THIS
Hi my name is John and I really liked this book.It is 'bout a boy and a dog.There was a sad.....part....I guess.....anyway the boy's dad anddog died in the end, but in the middle the dad stole a ham to feed the family ,and was caught, and put in prison to work in a mine.When the dad came home he had only one leg.I'll stop right there and let you find out the rest on your own.

How can people possibley like this book?!?
I was looking forward to reading this book. It's supposed to be really good, and I'm only read a few books that I don't like. I can read almost anything, but this is the exception. Sounder was horrible and boring. It just dragged on and on and on, with no excitement. Yes, I know what the point is of writing the book, and I think, if it was better written with a better story, it would be a fine book. But it's not, so don't read it. It's a waste of time.

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!
This book is really touching.Through all the hardships the family goes through they still survive.I love this book because it teaches me about an aspect of life that you can never give up no matter what.I think this book is good for all ages.It shows true love for an animal and shows that they are human beings too eventhough dogs are an animal they are your own which is why I cried when he ran away ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Animals - Dogs    3. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. Dogs    8. Family life    9. Fiction    10. Historical - United States - 19th Century    11. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Dogs   

Reviews (14)

Another Great Book from Hanley
Light of the Oracle is the third book Hanley has set in the same fantasy universe - and aside from that, the three books could hardly be more different, and all are excellent. The Seer and the Sword is a political-military novel, with relatively little magic and a lot of action. Healer's Keep is a save-the-world novel almost entirely about magical warfare between the protagonists and Ultimate Evil. And this one is an "academy" story about relationships among students and faculty at an institute organized to control prophecy. Others have summarized the plot; I'll just say that I've loved all three books, and that based on her start Hanley is fully worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as Tamora Pierce, Jane Yolen, Sherwood Smith, and Diana Wynne Jones. She doesn't have anything like their body of work produced yet, so I can't say if she'll sustain it as well, but so far so good.

The light of the oracle
" A child born to such a calling is often called dreamer" Bryn is a poor humble stonecutters daughter. She is disturbed by visons that no one else can see she is teased because she talks to the wind and sky. One day Bryn runs across a path and meets her destiny, the first preist of the oracle. Bryn is offered to join the temple of the oracle as a handmaid and mabey become a priestess someday.Bryn enters the temple of the oracle with Clea, a rich snob who looks down on Bryn and becomes her enemy.Bryn meets friends such as Dawn ans Kiran (a boy who she loves. The day comes of the ceremony of birds, if you are chosen by a bird you are able to study as a preist or preistess, very few are normally chosen. Unfortunatly angainst Bryns hopes Clea gets chosen by a vulture, a powerful bird representing the god of death. Kiran gets chosen by the extreamly rare black swan, wich means he can comunicate with animals. Byrn however is not chosen by a bird, but the wind, wich makes her the first one to be wind chosen in ages, its the most powerfull roll. One day Bryn is cursed by jelous Clea, who weakens Bryns powers. Byrn and Kiran try to find a way to break the curse and keep the secret of the whereabouts of Selid a handmaid put to death for reasons that are unfair. But if someone finds out that Bryn and Kiran know they could be put to death as well.
One of the best books of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Light of the Oracle, a fantasy by Victoria Handley, is about a young adult growing up with a special talent; she can see the future. Thought by the town, and mainly her mother, a wild and crazy child, Bryn has always felt singled out, separate from the rest. Separate, that is until one day she runs in front of the Master Priest's horse while following a strange piece of floating thistledown. The Master Priest, instead of seeing her as "the silly dreamer", he realizes her talent and asks her to join the Temple of the Oracle. Eager to leave the village, she quickly accepts; not knowing the challenges she is yet to face. But as she enters the Temple, so does the wicked, power-hungry Clea. Almost immediately, rivalry swarms between the two girls. As time passes, it soon becomes time for the bird-choosing festival, were a twist of fate leads Bryn to be chosen, not by a bird, but by the wind. One of the highest, and most sacred power, wind chosen receive the power to control the wind, only to be crippled by a curse. Consequently enough, Clea is chosen by one of the most feared birds, a vulture. Controlled by Keldes, the God of death; vulture chosen were given the gift of casting curses. Seeing her advantage, Clea quickly curses Bryn, forces the wind to leave her. Distraught and empty inside, Bryn is forced to standby and watch as the Temple's powers crumbles, powerless to stop it...
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fantasy    5. Historical - Medieval    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    8. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Medieval   

Reviews (185)

Lives up to its reputation
Many books have had the word "classic" hung upon them for many reasons.Few though deliver the goods on as many levels as does this novel.This book is funny, alarming, exciting, sad, and thought-provoking.The three buddies are sort of seventeenth-century drunken brats with swords whose hearts are nevertheless in the right place and win through at the end to save an empire. There are places in the book that are simply funny, something that Hollywood has keyed on.There is a ridiculous aspect to the whole thing that is veiled only thinly in the book.The book has some really sad twists and the ending will make anyone think.At the end, though, most readers will agree that this book stands by itself and richly deserves the appellation "classic."The only reason I gave it four stars is because of the outdated language.

Prelude to the Saga
It's difficult to write a review for this book having read the rest of the Musketeer Saga, not because I need to be careful about divulging information, but because the characters are so different from what they become.This book is set before Porthos becomes rich, before D'artagnan becomes disgruntled, and before Athos becomes sober.Having said that, I'll give it a shot.
A great classic story of adventure
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas is a classic story of adventure, friendship, and bravery set in 17th century France.The tale follows the exploits of the young nobleman d'Artagnan as he travels to Paris and tries to join the king's musketeers.Soon after he arrives he accidentally offends three of these musketeers and arranges to duel all of them in the same day.Circumstance leads the swordsmen to refrain from killing d'Artagnan, and they quickly become friends.The young man's fighting spirit and almost foolish bravery lead the four into a series of adventures that test their friendship and make them into enemies of Cardinal Richelieu and his minions.I truly enjoyed this book, but more because of Dumas' unique and sometimes almost comedic voice than the storyline.The character dialogue is also wonderful, and the relationships and the ways the characters respond to one another is very realistic.While I think it is primarily a book for older children, it can be enjoyed by adults too.Younger children would have a harder time and would not comprehend, appreciate, or fully understand some of the parts.A deservedly well-known and loved example of classic adventure literature. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Classics    5. Fiction    6. France    7. History    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Louis XIII, 1610-1643    10. Adventure stories    11. Historical fiction    12. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Editorial Review

The boy magician Anand, his sassy partner Nisha, and their beloved teacher Abhaydatta reunite for a new adventure in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's second installment of her folkloric Indian fantasy series, Read more

Reviews (3)

Magical!
This book, the sequel to The Conch Bearer, mixes the sense of excitement that every book needs, a wonderful use of magic realism (which is illustrated by the fact that Anand, the main character, travels from the present day India to the ancient India, who'se realistic features are marred by the fact that Anand is a magician) , an overhanging gloom and really, really, really great writing.
The right blend of fantasy and reality
Anand is the Keeper of the Conch. He gave up his family and his home so that he can help the world, as a Healer in Silver Valley. His friend Nisha comes with him, the first ever female healer, and the master healer Abhaydatta is one of his instructors. As Anand struggles with his studies, he hears a warning from the wind and views an alarming scene on a wall. The Healers must take action; they know it is their duty to protect the world from the "evil that stirs." Abhaydatta and a young healer called Raj-bahnu embark upon a quest to find this evil, leaving a heart-broken Anand behind. However, just before he leaves, Abhaydatta gives Anand a pearl necklace that will change color if he is in danger. In yet another alarming scene, Anand views Abhaydatta beside a lake with an unconscious Raj-bhanu at his side. He knows they are in danger, but the pearls are nowhere to be found. The Healer's Council will decide upon a course of action in the morning, but Anand knows that by then it will be to late. The Conch agrees to transport Nisha and Anand to the lake, but something goes slightly awry. Can Anand find the Conch, Abhaydatta, and Nisha before evil destroys the world?
A series to treasure
With rich, sumptuous detail and admirable clarity Chitra Divakaruni draws us into the Conch Bearer Anand's journey for a second time. The difficulties faced and lessons learned by the Brotherhood of the Conch in this newest book combine to create an enchanting story.Both The Conch Bearer and The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming provide vibrant descriptions, especially concerning culture and food.These books are delightful adventures wholesome enough for any age group to enjoy.Happy Reading ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/All Ages    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Healers    6. Historical - Asia    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile Historical Fiction    9. Juvenile Science Fiction / Fantasy    10. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Other    11. Magic    12. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    13. Shells    14. Time travel    15. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / Other   

Reviews (11)

An unusualbook
47 is a strange, interesting book. It's part history of slavery in America, and part science fiction with a mysterious ET.What's even stranger is that the odd combination works.47 is a 14 year old slave back in 1832.He's always out in the cotton fields picking cotton, feeling sorry for himself. Along come a mysterious stranger named Tall John.47 thinks Tall John is a slave too, until he finds out that the stranger is really an alien from another world, with unusual powers. At first 47 assumes that Tall John is there to free him and the other slaves, but Tall John is really there to help 47 fight against the Calash, enemies of Tall John's race from his home planet.Capable of making themselves look exactly like humans, they are controlling real humans and must be defeated.47 turns out to be brave and bold (as Tall John knew all along) and he and other slaves rise up against the Calash and save our world.By living up to his potential and full abilities, 47 shows that no matter who you are, adversity can be overcome with courage and conviction. Another book I read with a similar theme is An Audience for Einstein, a story about a 12 year old who is also helped to overcome great odds.

I wanted to like it
Walter Mosley gets an 'A' for originality and a 'C' for execution on this one.If he had pared back the sci-fi a little bit, it would have been outstanding, but when Tall John begins naming all the beings in his world, the story gets bogged down in the minutia.I wanted less of the Quesziastril, Calash, and Talam.I wanted more of the legend of John the Conqueror.I wanted to be bound up in the tale, as a Mosley offering will usually do, but when I had to stop to decipher which extraterrestrial was which, I lost the flow of 47's narrative.

Timeless...
Walter Mosley is likely to capture a new generation of readers and fans with his first book for young adult readers, 47.The story is a mix of history, mythology (particularly the story of Tall John the Conqueror), and science fiction that is sure to become a timeless classic.The book title is derived from the name and number of its main character, 47.He opens the book by explaining that he has been the same age for the last 170 years, and as the story unfolds, he sets about explaining how.
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. African Americans    4. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Fiction    7. Freedom    8. Historical - United States - 19th Century    9. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. People & Places - United States - African-American    12. Plantation life    13. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    14. Slavery    15. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic    16. USA   

Reviews (4)

Annie Educator's Choice - The Loud Silence
Francine Green, rule-following, trouble-phobic, nearly invisible good girl meets Sophie Bowman, anarchistic, vocal, free speech advocate, and... they become best friends. Karen Cushman places these girls in a Catholic School setting, in Hollywood, California, from 1949-1950. It's a time of paranoia filled with blacklisting and accusations of spying for the Russians. With her typical humor and grace, Cushman helps readers see both girls thinking about who they are and what they believe. Francine, for one, learns that you speak as loudly by remaining silent in the face of bullying/injustice as you do by taking a stand. This book presents a nasty, embarassing time in America's history with great insight and wit. I loved the characters, the dialogue, and the writing of this book.

Richie's Picks: THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN
"One push of the button
"DevastatingShadowsofPoliticalIroniesConfrontTeens&TheirParents . . .*
Author Karen Cushmangently guides readers of"The Loud Silence . . . "through the 1949-1950school yearof affronts to youthful idealism,and a teacher who is border-line frightful.Even more scary, though,is the situation of parents who fear loss of jobs & neighborhood approval ratings when the shadow of the Cold War & its terminal ironies invaded their Peace. When ration coupons were no longer being counted, people settled into more 'normal' lives - WHY were those lives made wretched by politicians hoping to piggy-back their way to power via blacklisiting & innuendo?
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Subjects:  1. Catholic schools    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Conformity    6. Fiction    7. Historical - United States - 20th Century    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. School & Education    10. Schools    11. Social Issues - Friendship    12. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / United States / 20th Century   

Reviews (161)

WWII Japanese-American INTERNMENT through the eyes of a child.
2000+ American Sailors, Soldiers, and Marines (MILITARY PERSONNEL) died during the Japanese Air Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, and as a direct result, President Roosevelt issued Presidential Executive Order 9066, forcing 110,000+ Japanese-Americans into 10 Military Internment Camps (Concentration Camps -- complete with Armed Soldiers, Machine Guns, Barbed Wire Fences, Spotlights, and Guard Towers).Each person subject to EO-9066 could only take what they could carry with their own two hands (and nothing more), leaving eveything else behind.Oh yes, the Federal Government also froze ALL BANK ACCOUNTS of Japanese-Americans through to the end of the war, so they could not get any cash out of the bank nor pay any bills.As a direct result, Japanese-Americans lost her homes due to nonpayment of Property Taxes.In Jeanne's Dad's case, someone stole their fishing boat while they were incarcerated.Her dad was a fisherman, and the boat had been the primary means of support for their family.
Japanese Americans Internment Camps-WWII
This story delves into the culture of the Japanese and applies it to their life in the Manzanar interment camps during World War II. An insightful must-read.

YUCK!
No offense to the author or anything but this book was really boring!!! It just doesn't seem to stick with one situation. Jeanne's family leaves there home, goes to Manzanar, then kicked out of Manzanar, etc. It was just really boring and I was going to be put to sleep, this book couldn't keep my attention on it for long. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography - General    2. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    3. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945    7. History - Military & Wars    8. History - United States/20th Century    9. Japanese Americans    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. People & Places - United States - Asian American    12. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / Asian American   

Features

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Reviews (1)

The world of Kit Kittredge
Kit's stories center around America during the Great Depression.Kit Kittredge is a nine-year-old with a nose for news, but she has a hard time finding interesting stories--everything in the papers during her time is about the hard times of the Depression.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Historical    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Girls & Women    5. Historical - United States - 20th Century    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Social Issues - General    8. Social Situations - General   

Reviews (33)

A photo memoir of Anne Franks' life
A nice little book about the life of a 16 year old girl killed by the Nazis.Despite the fact that Anne was persecuted and made to live in horrible conditions, she still maintained her humanity.Her killers however lost their humanity.This was a sad tale of a teenage girl living a life she should not have had to live.
A Great Resource For Learning A bout The Holocaust
I am in Sixth Grade and when my teacher started talking about some day in March and when she asked us "does anybody know what today is" only the war-historian in our class knew. It was holocaust remberance day...and I had no idea! We started this book and I started learning all these new things about the holocaust, what it was and how horribile it was. If you have the guts to read a 100% true book about the holocaust, then this is A GREAT BUY! BUY THIS FOR YOURSELF OR AS A TEACHING RESOURCE...IT'S GREAT!!!

Anne Frank the Diary of a Young Girl
I rated this book a five because while you read it makes you relize that you are so lucky you weren't born in those very tragic times.It made me think about how easy I, and others have it.I love this book because it teaches me about other peoples lives and how hard it was for them.I also think that it was well written and easy to understand.I'm not positive that you will like this book because of how sad and frightning the tale is, but if you are anything like me you will have your face stuck in a book 'till your done. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amsterdam    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    6. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    7. Jews    8. Juvenile literature    9. Netherlands    10. Pictorial works    11. Europe    12. Historical figures    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Historical    14. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (188)

This book deserves BETTER than what most review claims
I read this book when I was still learning how to speak English and I honestly could not put it down. This is one of the books my teacher made us read and was actually my third choice but read it anyway. The book takes you back to Civil War era in a Southern IL farm through the eyes of a nine year old boy, Jethro. He has brothers fighting for the Union Army but one chose to fight for the Confederate so his family was harassed by neighbors and people from other towns. The book is very accurate on historical facts and invites the reader to think and contemplate the views and beliefs of the North and South through the eyes of an innocent child. A reader who do not care to stop and reflect on the feelings and emotions of different characters will obviously find the book boring. But this is the opposite when you know how to appreciate a writer's creativity of bringing the story into your mind. The book also used spellings to closely portray how people in the setting speaks which actually caught my interest as I was still learning American English. Very interesting and entertaining at the same time. A must read for every American child who needs to learn his/her country's history and appreciate that he/she can actually read contrary to slaves in Civil War era who were denied that skill.

Boring as hell
Reading this book (until chapter six, where the book picks up somewhat), I thought to myself, "Why does my teacher hate me so? Does he find interest in learning about someone getting a bad headache from lack of coffee (which takes up an entire chapter)?" This book offers a different look at the Civil War. A boring one. Written 100 years after the Civil War ended (1968), this book set the precedent of "don't write about the Civil War if you aren't going to talk about battles, because it's boring." Read something interesting with your ever-disappearing life.

Jack Hamilton
Jethro Creighton is living in the time of the Civil war.It is just about to start and he is excited.Jethro and his family live in southern Illinois.So they live in a union state and have a union family.All of Jethro's brothers go into the war, and also his cousin.His brother John and Tom, and also his cousin Eb, go to fight for the union.However, his brother Bill makes a decision to fight with the confederacy.Jethro respects his decision and still loves him.While a lot of his family is out at war, Jethro is still at home and expected to work even harder out on the farm.All day he works in the heat, but he doesn't mind it so much.But things start going wrong.His brother Tom is killed in battle, it is very sad.While that happened, some of the men in the down are very angry that Bill went to the confederacy.They call him a traitor and said he deserted the union.Then they start taking action for it and start tormenting the Creighton's.After countless things they end up burning the Creighton's house down.Then Jethro finds Eb, he had deserted the union army.Jethro wrote a letter to President Lincoln to see what he needs to do.Jethro doesn't tell the family cause he doesn't want anyone to get in trouble.Later the war ends and Jethro gets his education.This book was ok, not the greatest I have ever read.There were things about it that I liked and there were things that I didn't like so much.I liked how it showed what war is really like. It showed that enemies aren't always your enemies. What I didn't like is that it was sort of boring.
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Subjects:  1. 1861-1865, Civil War    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Historical    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Civil War, 1861-1865    6. Fiction    7. Historical - United States - Civil War    8. Historical - United States - Civil War Period (1850-1877)    9. History    10. Illinois    11. United States    12. Fiction / General   

Reviews (61)

Loved it, shared it
I bought this book based on my previous experience with the writing of Patricia Wrede.If you have daughters in the tween age, (or even older),I recommend her dragon series.
A "Romp"
"Sorcery and Cecelia" is not a technically perfect story: the plot is not extremely coherent, the ending strikes me as more of a stopping point than a resolution, and the psuedo-1800s manner of speaking resembles the real thing just enough for you to be able to percieve that it is fake. However...
Not exactly awesome, but pretty good
At the end of this book it is revealed that it was written in a series of letters between the two authors. As much as I like this idea, I can't help but wonder why they didn't revise the manuscript before publishing it. Several parts of the plot seemed to be left hanging because the two authors weren't sure where the other was going.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Cousins    4. Fiction    5. Historical - Europe    6. Historical - General    7. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Love & Romance    10. Science Fiction / Fantasy (Young Adult)    11. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    12. Supernatural    13. Wizards    14. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (94)

Profound Look into One Boy's Search For Identity
"When the Legends Die" is a well-written novel by Hal Borland which covers how one young Indian attempts to find balance between the "white man's world" and the world of his native ancestors. As he struggles to keep old traditions in the modern world, his life becomes montony, an endless circle that leads nowhere but is always changing the young man's character. He must decide whether the "new way" or the "old way" is the way for him.
Awesome!
This was a wonderful tale of a young boy's struggle for survival in a new world and his search for his past one.

Hmmm....how to describe
This book, I have a hard time even describing.I picked it up for the first time in high school, for a book report.I was completely mesmerized by the story.Maybe not even the story, but the feeling the book gives off.Intense sadness, isolation by choice, integration by force....then there's the way it's brought into the beautiful, painful scenery. It's been a couple of years since I've read this, so I'm not going to quote exact details.However, it's a rare book that I can look back on, and set myself into, because I remembered the way scenes felt.That's not just good writing.That's fantastic writing, in my opinion.If you want a book that will stick with you, long after you've finished it, try this one.I don't think you'll be dissapointed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Historical - United States - 20th Century    4. People & Places - United States - Native American    5. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / Native American   

Reviews (31)

Not so boring.
Quite contrary to other peoples opinions on this book I found it engaging rather than boring.The main character (Amos) is an example good of patience.It is well written and an excellent book.

Amos Fortune Free Man
This book was a bit slow starting but then picked up towards the middle and end (so much that I wish it hadn't of stopped.)Even though the print and layout of book seemed kind of juvenile it's content and vocabulary was fitting for up to a 14 or 15 year old.
Rewrite!
This terrific story deserves a rewrite.This books is so good, and yet so bad.The middle is so dull I can't find a word dull enough to describe it.The amazing thing is that despite the horror of the dull bits you still feel compelled to finish the story.You still feel awed by the triumph of Amos Fortune.I've even reread it because the story and the characters are so strong.I recommend reading this book despite it's faults.Hang in there.It really is worth it, though you won't believe me until the end. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1709 or 10-1801    2. African Americans    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    5. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    6. Biography & Autobiography - People of Color    7. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    8. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    9. Children: Grades 3-4    10. Fortune, Amos,    11. Juvenile literature    12. Massachusetts    13. Slaves    14. Fortune, Amos    15. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / African American   

Editorial Review