Scan barcode
heathercottledillon's review against another edition
4.0
Abilene is feeling lonely. Her mama is long gone, her father sent her off to live with an old friend in his hometown for a few months while he works on the railroad. This puts Abilene alone in Manifest, Kansas, a worn-out old town that was suffering even before the Great Depression hit. It looks like it's going to be boring summer...that is, until Abilene discovers a hidden cigar box full of 18-year-old mementos, including some old letters that mention a spy known as the Rattler. These mysterious letters send Abilene and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, on a real-life spy hunt. In the process, with the help of a so-called diviner named Miss Sadie, Abilene digs into the Manifest's past--which, as she comes to find out, brings her closer to understanding her father's childhood and how it shaped the person he grew up to be.
This book sort of reminds me of "Walk Two Moons," "Savvy," and "A Long Way from Chicago." Those titles cover a variety of settings and situations, but they all have a similar tone and just give me the warm fuzzies. Even when bad things are happening, you feel the love between the characters. I also enjoyed the mysterious aspect and the way that the two stories--what happened in Manifest in 1918, and what's happening in the present--weave together. Abilene is a totally charming little girl, and her curiosity reminded me of myself when I was young (but, admittedly, I think I was more annoying and less charming about it!). There are a few interesting twists at the end, too. In one word: fantastic!
This book sort of reminds me of "Walk Two Moons," "Savvy," and "A Long Way from Chicago." Those titles cover a variety of settings and situations, but they all have a similar tone and just give me the warm fuzzies. Even when bad things are happening, you feel the love between the characters. I also enjoyed the mysterious aspect and the way that the two stories--what happened in Manifest in 1918, and what's happening in the present--weave together. Abilene is a totally charming little girl, and her curiosity reminded me of myself when I was young (but, admittedly, I think I was more annoying and less charming about it!). There are a few interesting twists at the end, too. In one word: fantastic!
chapita4's review against another edition
5.0
The Boo (age 7) says..Definitely a 5 star book...plus 100 if I could. The ending was a bit sudden, but I love that a kid gets to be a reporter. The whole book was so good that I don't have a favorite part. This book made me think that being a reporter would be a good job...but my handwriting is kinda messy so I better use a typewriter. Kids who want to read this book should know that there is a mystery and there is a surprising part where a guy loses his boot with his foot still in it.
Parent note: Good book for parents to read with kids since there may be questions such as "Why did those people wear sheets and burn crosses" and "How did half the town die from the flu and is it the same flu we get now?" Topics covered: KKK, mining and union organization, war, death, and the Great Depression.
Parent note: Good book for parents to read with kids since there may be questions such as "Why did those people wear sheets and burn crosses" and "How did half the town die from the flu and is it the same flu we get now?" Topics covered: KKK, mining and union organization, war, death, and the Great Depression.
readingsensei's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
itsme703's review against another edition
5.0
i first read this book when i was younger, around Abilene's (the main character) age. for a book with a younger target audience, it has definitely aged very well for me. many years after my first time reading it, i've made it a tradition to reread it every year after that... this book is that good.
i don't want this review to contain spoilers, so i'm going to try to keep it simple and talk about some of my favorite aspects of this story-
i love the way everything in this book connects. the story of Manifest's past (1917-1918, i think) and Manifest's present (1936) intertwine perfectly. nothing is randomly "just there", you know? and i love the way you start to realize all these connections slowly as you keep reading.
the characters are developed very well. both the cast of 1917-1918 and 1936 are very fleshed out and feel very real. you feel genuine emotions for these characters.
also, writing style is absolutely amazing.
anyway, i give this book 5 stars. even if you aren't a 12-year-old anymore, it's a decent read. this review may be a bit biased though, since this book is one of my comfort books, haha
i don't want this review to contain spoilers, so i'm going to try to keep it simple and talk about some of my favorite aspects of this story-
i love the way everything in this book connects. the story of Manifest's past (1917-1918, i think) and Manifest's present (1936) intertwine perfectly. nothing is randomly "just there", you know? and i love the way you start to realize all these connections slowly as you keep reading.
the characters are developed very well. both the cast of 1917-1918 and 1936 are very fleshed out and feel very real. you feel genuine emotions for these characters.
also, writing style is absolutely amazing.
anyway, i give this book 5 stars. even if you aren't a 12-year-old anymore, it's a decent read. this review may be a bit biased though, since this book is one of my comfort books, haha
ktmp2112's review against another edition
5.0
I read this to my class every year, and I will never get tired of seeing their reaction when we finish the book. This is one of my all time favorites, and I highly highly recommend it!
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
There were times when this book drug on, but overall it was a well crafted story with a lot of heart. I'm not always a fan of books that jump back and forth between two separate storylines, and it did make this novel a bit hard to follow at the beginning, but once you get to know both sets of characters it flows more smoothly. The last third of the book tied everything together brilliantly leaving the reader satisfied and with very warm thoughts about the novel.
gmamartha's review against another edition
4.0
historical fiction. Set in 1930's, but learning about her father in the same town in 1918. I really like the tone of the setting, and I read it straight through to find out exactly how it would all tie together. Although I could guess who was who early, it was interesting to see it dawn on her.
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
4.0
Read for family book club. I liked the way the story jumped back and forth between 1918 and 1936, and I loved the little gems stuck into Hattie Mae's newspaper articles. But, I didn't feel like the ending quite paid off.
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
4 & 1/2 stars
I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good story! You can even hand this one to your kids to read--after all, it is a Newbery Award winner!
I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good story! You can even hand this one to your kids to read--after all, it is a Newbery Award winner!