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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I very much enjoyed this book. I adore Historical Fiction, and this one was amazing. I haven't quite looked very closely at the beginning of the revolutionary war before, and especially not in this light.
Johnny Tremain, the main character, showed extraordinary growth from page one to the last page. From a childish boy to a man. A real man. It was all written very well, and it was one of those books that you could truly loose yourself into. I loved how non-stereotypical this book was. Defently not what I expected in the least. The subplots of Johnny's heritage added such a rich little swirl to this ice cream. Also, I really enjoyed that he was a silver smith apprentice (in the beginning) something I know nothing about.
I love Goblin, and how Goblin is basically Johnny in horse form.
I really love Cilla. And the story with Isannah and Lavinia was interestingly odd and disgusting and I actually am glad that was in the book.
Also, initially, the way it ended bothered me. But thinking on the idea some more, it ended as it started. He starts of,might off the bat, a child. You can see that. It ends as he really becomes a man. He has gotten over his burned hand. We are left with him preparing to have a quick surgery on his hand-- something he decided to do.
The only thing that bothers me.
WHAT ABOUT JOHHNY AND CILLIA.
Johnny Tremain, the main character, showed extraordinary growth from page one to the last page. From a childish boy to a man. A real man. It was all written very well, and it was one of those books that you could truly loose yourself into. I loved how non-stereotypical this book was. Defently not what I expected in the least. The subplots of Johnny's heritage added such a rich little swirl to this ice cream. Also, I really enjoyed that he was a silver smith apprentice (in the beginning) something I know nothing about.
I love Goblin, and how Goblin is basically Johnny in horse form.
I really love Cilla. And the story with Isannah and Lavinia was interestingly odd and disgusting and I actually am glad that was in the book.
Also, initially, the way it ended bothered me. But thinking on the idea some more, it ended as it started. He starts of,might off the bat, a child. You can see that. It ends as he really becomes a man. He has gotten over his burned hand. We are left with him preparing to have a quick surgery on his hand-- something he decided to do.
The only thing that bothers me.
WHAT ABOUT JOHHNY AND CILLIA.
I love 18th century Boston: the bustling streets, restless colonists, and iconic sites. Perhaps this book feels like a portal.
The characters are far from perfect, and at times quite annoying, but that is vital to a well-written novel.
We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skill...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up. -Esther Forbes
Patriotism, friendship, craftsmanship, cunning.. Historical fiction = ✅
The characters are far from perfect, and at times quite annoying, but that is vital to a well-written novel.
We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skill...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up. -Esther Forbes
Patriotism, friendship, craftsmanship, cunning.. Historical fiction = ✅
I read this for an essay assignment in my Children's Lit class, and I really loved it. On the surface, this appears to be a book about the beginning of the American Revolution, but it's really an intimate portrait of an adolescent boy's struggle to discover his worth in a world he feels has forsaken him. Johnny is such a well-developed character. He comes across as a thoroughly authentic teenage boy: one minute you want to throttle him, and the next you want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be okay. Not just for kids; anyone who likes historical fiction (or just a good coming of age story) will probably enjoy this book.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Age Rating: 10+
2 stars
I’m not sure if I didn’t like it b/c it was school reading or I just didn’t like it. It just wasn’t my type of book. It didn’t pull me in.
2 stars
I’m not sure if I didn’t like it b/c it was school reading or I just didn’t like it. It just wasn’t my type of book. It didn’t pull me in.
1944 Newbery
This was a re-read. I know that it moves too slowly for many readers, but I have always appreciated the way Forbes gives us a character with some pretty huge flaws and still makes me care about what happens to him. It is a bit like Artemis Fowl that way. I want good things to happen for Johnny even while I want to smack him upside the head.
This was a re-read. I know that it moves too slowly for many readers, but I have always appreciated the way Forbes gives us a character with some pretty huge flaws and still makes me care about what happens to him. It is a bit like Artemis Fowl that way. I want good things to happen for Johnny even while I want to smack him upside the head.
I read this in grammar school and then again some 35+ years later. I still love it for the historical fiction set during the early days of the Revolution, but I am newly intrigued by the high level of vocabulary and literary effort that we used to put into "YA" books.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
As far as children's classics go, Johnny Tremain holds up fairly well in terms of being readable and having interesting events. Johnny does have some character development, going from a prideful boy who thinks he knows everything, can't keep from mouthing off and has no loyalty that can outlast boredom to a young man with principles and some amount of self-control. Their protests against the British would be interesting discussion for tweens who have seen a whole lot of protests in our era.
It has several dated aspects that would be worth talking over with a kid who is reading it. The representation of slaves isn't great--they're often happy to be slaves, several are shifty or hysterical. The rebels dress like Native Americans and talk in grunts that they call "Indian speak". Johnny slaps a little girl for being dressed inappropriately.
It has several dated aspects that would be worth talking over with a kid who is reading it. The representation of slaves isn't great--they're often happy to be slaves, several are shifty or hysterical. The rebels dress like Native Americans and talk in grunts that they call "Indian speak". Johnny slaps a little girl for being dressed inappropriately.
I read this book with a student this summer. While I have always known the basic gist of the book, I had never actually read it. As a history/English person, I loved the fact that this book had tons of facts about the American Revolution, particularly what life was like at that time. Also, the use of real characters made the story much more interesting to me. I was sucked into reading about the personalities of people like Paul Revere and John Hancock. The book actually made me want to read more about their lives (and the American Revolution). I took an American Revolution class in college, so I might just have to pull some of those old books off the shelf. :)