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b_dav1s's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
my_sweet_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
tigermomnc's review
3.0
This is historical fiction about the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac during the Civil War. It tells the story of a preteen boy whose father has died in the war. The boy, Tom, gets a job to help support the family. He is working on the Monitor. There are lots of details about the development of the ship and the attempts of spies to gain information. Good story.
claudiaswisher's review
4.0
At first I was put off by the narrator's voice...Tom Carroll's diction is much more advanced than his schooling in Brooklyn NY, in the middle of the Civil War. But he grew on me as I watched him struggle, and I ended up liking this book a lot.
1862 -- Tom and his mother and sister are trying to make ends meet after the death of Mr. Carroll on the battlefield. Tom's paper route after school can't contribute enough so he must quit school and go to work in the Navy Yards. He expects to work in the conventional ships of the day, but he is sidelined to work on Ericcson't Folly -- the ironclad Monitor. The Monitor is a completely new design and no one in the Yards really believes the thing will float. How could a metal ship float?
Tom gets to know the major players and watch the ship be constructed. The turret, the innards...everything is completely revolutionary. Amazing. Ridiculous.
There's a subplot about Confederate spys who are trying to learn the designs...Copperheads, they were called. Tom's street smarts and his street smart friends are more than a match for a bunch of puny spies.
Tom not only helps build the Monitor, he sails it, he participates in the definitive battle with the Confederate 'ironside', the Merrimac.
Avi's research is clear but not intrusive. Pictures and illustrations help the reader visualize the action. The battle was thrilling.
In the author's notes, Avi quotes Paula Fox, who said of writing historical fiction, "Imagine the truth." This book would be a good introduction to Ironclad fighters.
1862 -- Tom and his mother and sister are trying to make ends meet after the death of Mr. Carroll on the battlefield. Tom's paper route after school can't contribute enough so he must quit school and go to work in the Navy Yards. He expects to work in the conventional ships of the day, but he is sidelined to work on Ericcson't Folly -- the ironclad Monitor. The Monitor is a completely new design and no one in the Yards really believes the thing will float. How could a metal ship float?
Tom gets to know the major players and watch the ship be constructed. The turret, the innards...everything is completely revolutionary. Amazing. Ridiculous.
There's a subplot about Confederate spys who are trying to learn the designs...Copperheads, they were called. Tom's street smarts and his street smart friends are more than a match for a bunch of puny spies.
Tom not only helps build the Monitor, he sails it, he participates in the definitive battle with the Confederate 'ironside', the Merrimac.
Avi's research is clear but not intrusive. Pictures and illustrations help the reader visualize the action. The battle was thrilling.
In the author's notes, Avi quotes Paula Fox, who said of writing historical fiction, "Imagine the truth." This book would be a good introduction to Ironclad fighters.
noelles's review
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
librarianryan's review
4.0
Today’s generation rarely has their first job at age 13. But during the American Civil War all hands were needed. When Tom’s father dies fighting for his county, Tom must go to work to help support the family. He will get a ring side seat in history as he helps build, launch, and fight on the Monitor. The Monitor was one of the first two ironclads in american history. Its opponent was the Merrimac, who was larger, longer, and deeper. This story follows Tom as he becomes a helpmate to the designer of the ship. But spies bound, and Tom needs to feed his family. Avi is always about his best when he puts a younger reader in the middle of history. He writes with authority, but also heart as you go through the trials and tribulations. You feel the difficulty of life. The motor shells wiz by your head, and the engine smoke makes you cough. Only a great author can put you in the middle of history, and Avi deserves his place at this table.
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