Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Grief gathered kindling. Fear struck the flint. Anger fans the flames."
I really enjoyed this book in verse told from the perspectives of Anikwa and James, two boys (who are also friends) living in 1812. One a member of the Miami Nation, the other living as a settler in what is now Fort Wayne, Indiana. Would be an excellent mentor text for looking at perspective-talking as well as a supplemental text for social studies.
I really enjoyed this book in verse told from the perspectives of Anikwa and James, two boys (who are also friends) living in 1812. One a member of the Miami Nation, the other living as a settler in what is now Fort Wayne, Indiana. Would be an excellent mentor text for looking at perspective-talking as well as a supplemental text for social studies.
This is the first book I’ve ever read about the War of 1812! I love how human the characters were, and the fact that James and Anikwa had a 50/50 telling of the story. I also loved seeing how the characters changed from the beginning to end of the book. So much complexity! I wonder if James and Anikwa would continue to be friends. Although the Gray family considered themselves allies, some of their actions were harmful. So realistic. I loved it so much, and hope I get the chance to read it to my class this year.
Set in 1812, Fort Wayne, Indiana, this book is written from a kid's perspective about daily life, disagreements on war, and also friendships when there is more than one language spoken in the community. I read this book as part of our Shelby County Reads program. A good book on coexisting as well as a history lesson.
I just grabbed this one off the shelf - it was thin, prose, and historical fiction, so it was a good one to fill a few "gaps" I have in my reading. I liked it - mostly because it told the story of the War of 1812 from two points of view, and I found myself rooting for both sides to win.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Amazingly well-written (in verse) historical fiction about the war of 1812. Told from the two perspectives of a settler boy whose parents run the trading post at Fort Wayne and a native boy the same age. They are friends even though they don't speak the same language and we see how their families are also connected. But the war confuses things and changes how people act, especially all the people who come to fight either with the American army or the British. So far, my absolute favorite pick for the DCF winner this year.
One Sentence Review: Top notch work from a master of the form, researched within an inch of its life, and compelling from start to finish - I'm a fan.
Helen Frost is a terrific writer of novels in verse - this one is excellent though it didn't grab me like some of her others have
I love [a:Helen Frost|49193|Helen Frost|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1248153328p2/49193.jpg]'s novels in verse. The forms she uses always have more meaning than just the rhythm or structure of the words, and I love trying to figure them out. This story of the friendship between an American boy and a Miami boy directly before the outbreak of the War of 1812 is fascinating. This is a time period often glossed over in history classes, yet it had such an effect on the people who lived through it. I was glad to be able to learn more about the history and the relations between the two groups of people at that time. Overall, the ending is bittersweet because, while it ended on a mostly positive note, I know that what came after was likely quite awful. But that is a story for another time.