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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Really enjoyed this book. Use of language was excellent. Good diversity. Characters had complex relationships. I think it would be good for any type of elementary reader.
Sugar was born a slave on a sugar plantation in Louisiana. Now 10 years old and free, she has no one to go North with. Her mother died and her father was sold South right after she was born. She is stuck on the plantation with the rest of the freed slaves who are too old to travel, and she is resentful of her situation. She hates everything about sugar, including that it is her name. She begins a forbidden friendship with Billy, the son of the plantation owner, and together they navigate the uncharted waters of the south after the Civil War, including the hiring of Chinese workers to help with the crops. My only complaint about this book is that everything works out a little too perfectly, and difficult situations are overcome with very little trouble. Otherwise an interesting book with a strong main character. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
Bahni Turpin's narration definitely elevated the story.
I think my disconnect with this book comes from Sugar's personality and the setting. Sugar's a determined, spunky orphan, just delighted to make new Chinese friends and defend them. But the setting of the story - the backbreaking work on a sugar plantation, the self-defeat that Sugar's elders feel about the possibility of seeking out a new situation... they just don't go. Sugar felt incredibly naive to me, even for a girl just ten years old.
I think my disconnect with this book comes from Sugar's personality and the setting. Sugar's a determined, spunky orphan, just delighted to make new Chinese friends and defend them. But the setting of the story - the backbreaking work on a sugar plantation, the self-defeat that Sugar's elders feel about the possibility of seeking out a new situation... they just don't go. Sugar felt incredibly naive to me, even for a girl just ten years old.
This was a really beautiful story. It fit with the time period and had very mature moments, but nothing that would scare a child or discourage them from reading more post-slavery stories. It was a perfect introduction into this heavy historical time, and the introduction of the Chinamen brought a new historical side that I hadn't heard about before, so that was really fascinating and emotional. This had serious emotional depth, which I didn't expect from a children's novel, which really illustrates my own naivety in regards to childrens' books rather than a failing of the genre itself.
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I don't think this ever quite lives up to it's promise and potential, but it has interesting bits and appealing characters.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
You will be hard pressed to find a juvenile fiction book that takes place during the reconstruction period in the United States. Especially a great one. Sugar is a great read for anyone who loves stories about strong young protagonists, friendship, or history.
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes