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rknuttel's review against another edition
3.0
LOVED the history of this. The story of Ona Judge is outstanding, and one I wish more people knew!
The way this is told is a bit dry. Such an exciting life should be a bit easier to read. I worry that the storytelling might make kids loose interest. Also, there is a lot of positing from the author about what One would have done, which seemed a little odd.
Overall definitely work a read though.
The way this is told is a bit dry. Such an exciting life should be a bit easier to read. I worry that the storytelling might make kids loose interest. Also, there is a lot of positing from the author about what One would have done, which seemed a little odd.
Overall definitely work a read though.
thedizzyreader's review against another edition
4.0
"The bitter fact that she was enslaved did not change the better fact that her mind was free to think as she chose."
Whoah that was AMAZING! I'm really impressed by how accessible and how human Dunbar made this history for young readers. Dunbar does a great job weaving reasonable conjecture with historical record into a compelling nonfiction narrative. I just wish there had been more visual supports included to help young readers visualize the time period!
Whoah that was AMAZING! I'm really impressed by how accessible and how human Dunbar made this history for young readers. Dunbar does a great job weaving reasonable conjecture with historical record into a compelling nonfiction narrative. I just wish there had been more visual supports included to help young readers visualize the time period!
jtm908's review against another edition
5.0
This a great read for younger readers to understand how even as a new country was being formed, moral issues and differences were already apparent in the newly formed United States. Ona Judge’s story brings some humanity to how even the most important person in the union could not avoid losing his slaves to the call of freedom. Our founding fathers were complicated humans and faced moral questions in their quest for freedom for Britain, and this book does not shy away from exposing some of the less perfect sides of their stories while telling the compelling life story of Ona Judge.
atl_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Picked this book up while visiting Mt. Vernon and read aloud with my 10 year old. We learned SO MUCH from it.
lauralynnwalsh's review against another edition
4.0
I am currently in the middle of this book and I am finding it interesting and compelling, but I am finding some of the writing a bit over the top. In the attempt to be completely factual, the author all too often (for me) writes that Ona "would have" seen this; "would have" done that. This kind of speculation is probably necessary, but after a while, it seems a bit condescending to the reader. Like saying: Reader, take note, any smart person could tell this was important, so pay attention, this is important.
_____________
Finished now. I am thinking now that this style of writing is more: "Reader, remember, I am making a lot of this up, but we know that Ona was brave and smart, so we can assume that these things would be true. I just want to remind you over and over again that I am making a lot of this up from as many sources as I could find."
The book is enlightening, especially about the white privilege of the upper classes. George and Martha's attitudes, especially, are illuminating. I am a little bit sad, though, that I didn't feel as emotionally close to Ona herself. I am wondering now, if that is because I am white and have never been enslaved or because the speculation mentioned above in the discussion of style conveys a certain distance. Rather than "Ona felt", we read (over and over) "Ona would have felt".
Still, I recommend the book. It is readable and accessible for young teens.
_____________
Finished now. I am thinking now that this style of writing is more: "Reader, remember, I am making a lot of this up, but we know that Ona was brave and smart, so we can assume that these things would be true. I just want to remind you over and over again that I am making a lot of this up from as many sources as I could find."
The book is enlightening, especially about the white privilege of the upper classes. George and Martha's attitudes, especially, are illuminating. I am a little bit sad, though, that I didn't feel as emotionally close to Ona herself. I am wondering now, if that is because I am white and have never been enslaved or because the speculation mentioned above in the discussion of style conveys a certain distance. Rather than "Ona felt", we read (over and over) "Ona would have felt".
Still, I recommend the book. It is readable and accessible for young teens.
librarylandlisa's review against another edition
2.0
I understand this is a young readers edition... but phew I hard a hard time getting through that one and cannot imagine some kids enjoying it. It was a bit dry and over-explaining for the age it is targeted at. I am sure a 10-year-old kid understands that they did not have Uber in the late 1700's and that you couldn't just text George Washington. I am not sure why they edited it like that to repeat the fact that tech was different 300+ years ago...
lolalongstraw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
mommamel's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
We read this as a family, as part of our United States History for homeschooling. Each time I ended a chapter and asked the kids for feedback they would report that it is amazingly written. It is engaging and full of information. It tied together so many other stories and people whom we had learned about and gave us a lot to think about and discuss. I would absolutely reccommend.