Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Genre

Jun
09
2017

Spy on History, Enigma Alberti and Tony Cliff

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9780761187394.jpg (1760×2475)I just read a book called Spy on History, the authors are Enigma Alberti and Tony Cliff. This book takes place in Washington D.C. around the time of the Civil War. I don’t think this book is part of a series. This book a historical fiction. This book is about a woman named Mary Bowser. She is a spy who work in the White House. She tries to crack cases. She gets information that President Davis gets from the Union. Davis is the president of the U.S.A

 

Mary is Brave, smart, and sneaky. She is brave because she keeps going into president Davis is office to find information even though she’s not allowed to. She is smart because she couldn’t read or write but Mary had world knowledge. That means that she came get information from the thing a round her. She was sneaky because she mostly got away with things like going into President Davis’s office without anybody knowing.

 

Mary has a friend who’s also a spy that works at a clothing shop. Her name was Bet. Bet is an important part of the story because she found a way to solve a very complex code. The code gave Bet and Mary lots and lots of information about the Union. I’m sure Mary and Bet work for the Confederacy and cracking that case gave the confederacy lots of information about the Union. The Union and the Confederacy are to organizations that don’t like each other. Another person who is a big part of the book is the baker. The baker helped Mary with some codes because the baker passed on information from the Union so she could have a better knowing of the Union. In the book Mary accidentally gave the president’s wife a flower called Rhododendron. That’s the flower for danger. A maid called O’Melia scolded Mary forgiving the president’s wife the wrong flower.

“I didn’t know, I didn’t know.” said Mary. This helped me realize that Mary doesn’t really know what is what even though she had world knowledge.

I really liked Spy on History. I liked the book because I could really  imagine the Mary doing secret stuff. I would recommend this book for people who like spy work. If you do, this book is just right for you. This book reminds me of James Bond. It reminds me of it because James Bond is a spy who cracks code just like Mary. This book also reminds me of Sherlock Holmes because Sherlock Holmes is a detective and Mary is also like a detective in her own way. I give this book 5 stars because I would totally read this book again and again. And I bet each time I read it I will still love it.

Jun
09
2017

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The book I read is called Stella By Starlight by Sharon M. Draper. The main characters in this book are Stella, Mom, Dad, her little brother, her neighbors (I would say the neighbors names but that would take up too much space) and her teacher. This book is about an African American girl named Stella who lives in a segregated town called Bumblebee in North Carolina. One night her little brother wakes her up and takes her outside. The Ku Klux Klan is burning a cross very close to her house. Throughout the book they must face the KKK and other segregation. Stella also figures out who one of the Klan members is. Stella’s father and neighbors register to vote and in the end are able to vote. This book takes place in the early 1900’s.

 

WARNING – SPOILER ALERT THESE PARAGRAPHS GIVE AWAY IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THE BOOK

 

Stella is brave, quick to act, and smart. She is brave because she has to deal with all kinds of awful stuff but she gets through it. She is quick to act because when her mom is bitten by a venomous snake Stella acts fast and makes her a bandage. She is smart because she recited a long important quote easily and she is a good writer even though she thinks she is not. Every night she practices writing.

 

At one point in the book Stella gets a typewriter. She uses it to write newsletters to herself about stuff that has happened. One time her friend who really likes track gets beat up by these really mean and racist people. Then Stella writes a newsletter about that. She also writes a newsletter about when her neighbors, the Spencers get their house burned down by the KKK. A really important part of the book is when the KKK is burning a cross near Stella’s house because that starts the story off with a bang and Stella sees one of their horses and recognizes it. Another important event is when Stella’s mom is bitten by a rattlesnake and the white doctor will not help. That is important because it proves the guy is super cruel and cannot be changed. I think the last really important part is when Stella saves the white doctor/ KKK members daughter from drowning. Then Stella finds out that the girl’s father really is part of the KKK and Stella finds out that he is abusive. A quote that describes Stella is “The roosters don’t go far from the pen. I wonder if they ever think about flying. I do.”  This describes Stella because she is wondering about stuff bigger than Bumblebee and if there was no segregation.

 

I really like this book. I like it because it is a mystery when Stella is trying to figure out who is in the KKK. It is really suspenseful because you never know when the KKK is going to strike next.

I would recommend this book because it is a good length. Also it is educational and teaches about segregation and that kind of stuff. It is a good book and it makes you want to keep reading. This book reminds me of Turning Fifteen On the Road to Freedom. It reminds me of that because they are both about segregation and take place in the South. I would rate this book four stars.

Jun
09
2017

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

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I read Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is the second book in the Little House series. Farmer Boy tells the story of the childhood of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s husband, Almanzo Wilder. This book describes a year in nine-year-old Almanzo’s life, including the many chores (feeding livestock, milking cows, and cleaning out the barns) involved in running his parents successful farm. Almanzo grew up alongside his elder siblings Royal, Eliza Jane, and Alice, and they had a happy rambunctious childhood on the farm, where there was always plenty to eat and plenty to do. The book details the work required on the farm in the different seasons, like picking ice from the river for the ice house in the winter and helping with summer harvesting. Almanzo’s parents taught their children the importance of honesty, patience, and the value of hard work. The setting of this book is upstate New York, near the town of Malone, in the 1860s.

 

Almanzo is hardworking, dedicated, and extremely hungry. He is hardworking because he wakes up everyday before 5am to feed the livestock, milk the cows, and clean the barns. In winter, Almanzo hauls logs, helps fill the ice house, and trains a team of oxen. In the spring and summer, he plants and tends crops. When his father does not need him to help on the farm, Almanzo occasionally goes to school. After school, Almanzo and his brother Royal have more chores, making sure the animals are fed, warm, and clean. Almanzo is dedicated because he spends most of the book trying to prove to his father that he is responsible enough to train his father’s colts. Almanzo first has to learn how to train his own calves, Star and Bright, before he is even allowed to go into the stable with his father’s horses. He is eventually rewarded for his perseverance and patience by receiving a colt of his own. Almanzo is also extremely hungry. There is a description of at least one meal in every chapter of Farmer Boy.  The amount of food Almanzo eats is amazing! Almanzo consumes a full dinner, three slices of pie for dessert, and (very soon after) apples, apple cider, and popcorn by the fire for a snack.

 

One of the most interesting parts of the book is when Almanzo’s parents go away and leave Eliza Jane in charge of the other children. It was enjoyable because the children spend almost all the time their parents are away eating desserts and candy (they manage to use an entire barrel of sugar in a week). Another interesting part of the book is when Almanzo is trying to teach his calves Star and Bright to haul lumber. It is amusing because Almanzo’s father rode past him when he saw that Almanzo had fallen into a ditch with his calves. After the accident, Almanzo “had to sit down and rest a minute. But he got up, and he petted Star and Bright and spoke to them encouragingly… That was one trouble Almanzo had got out of, all by himself.” His father refused to help him because he believed Almanzo needed to learn to be independent, and to solve his own problems if he was going to become a good farmer. Almanzo does not seem angry with his father, and respects his way of teaching.

 

I enjoyed this book because it thoroughly describes what life was like on a farm more than one hundred years ago. I also liked the book because Almanzo and his siblings were likable and relatable characters, even in 2017. They fought with each other, were sometimes annoyed about helping around the house, and complained about going to school. I would recommend this book because it is entertaining and educational. Farmer Boy  is almost like listening to a parent or grandparent tell stories from their childhood. This book is obviously similar to the other Little House books and television show. This book does not remind me of many books I have read because I usually do not read books with a boy as the main character. I would rate this book 4.5 stars.

Jun
06
2017

Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry By Mildred D. Taylor

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Roll Of thunder Hear My Cry is a sad, and emotional book! The main character is Cassie Logan, and the story follows her and her family through a year. Cassie has different reactions to different experiences and takes on an adventure through her mind, even though it is just her life.

 

Cassie is a very tricky and curious girl, but still has a big heart and lots of trust for her family. In one part Cassie and her siblings dig a ditch in the road and it rained so it became a lake and the white school bus got stuck when they came to splash the Logans. Another time she tricked a white girl who had been mean to her into thinking she was her friend and servant but then when it was to much she betrayed her. One time Cassie was so curious she snuck out of the house with two of her brothers to see what was going on in the woods. She always had a reason to cry or be scared but she would act harshly in these ways, which is what makes the book so interesting.

Spoiler warning, go to next paragraph to skip spoilers!!!!!

Cassie has so much emotion she almost ran into a fire to save her mom and dad. She ran into  the woods with a angry white mob, and she almost came back after she left to get her older brother back. She can be so angry or sad that the last lines of the book are “I cried for T.J. I cried for T.J. and the land.”

 

Spoiler clear now!

So I rate this book  4 ½ stars. It is action packed, yet a break from full on adventure like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or books like The War that saved my Life, but also anyone who has read Percy Jackson.  I loved Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry!!!!!!

 

Roll Of Thunder

Hear My Cry

Over the water

Bye and bye

Ole man comin’

Down the line

Whip in hand to

Beat me down

But I ain’t

Gonna let him

Turn me round

 

May
04
2017

Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell

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I  read a book called Island of the Blue Dolphins. The book takes place island off the coast of California 200 years ago.The author’s name is Scott O’Dell. There is not a series of the book but you can find more books written by him.The book is about a girl who lived on an island called the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Her name was the Girl With The Long Back Hair (Karana.) She is Left behind from her family because they don’t think the island is safe. Her brother went back to the village to grab a spear and the ship was starting to sail away. Afraid that the ship would not return to rescue her brother she jumped into the water and swim back to shore.

Karana is fearless, crafty, and loving. She is fearless because she was stranded on the island by herself with wild dogs. She is crafty because she made herself weapons to defend herself. Karana is loving because when her brother was left on the island she jumped into the water to be with him.

The plot of the book is that this girl she lives on an island by herself with her brother, and animals. She and her brother wait everyday to see if the boat will come back. It’s interesting that Karana is on the island with nobody else besides her brother and wild dogs. If I was by myself with a friend and wild dogs I would be scared out of my mind. Quote from the book: “More than anything it was the blue dolphins that took me back home.” This is interesting to me because not all animals are bad. Some are kind and helpful. And in this case the dolphins helped her find her way home. One of the most interesting thing in the book is when Karana shoots the leader of the wild dogs with an arrow then helps the dog. This is interesting because she has a heart and she doesn’t want animals to be tortured so she helped.

I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins. I loved it because it was drama and there and love. I love those kind of books. I recommend this book for kids ages 7 and up. I say this because there is death and I don’t want this book to scare people. This book reminds me of Julie of the Wolves and Home Alone. It’s similar to Julie of the Wolves because there’s this girl named Julie and she’s left alone and she makes friends with wolves. Also reminds me of Home Alone because Kevin is left alone at home nobody to comfort him. I give this book 4 stars because it’s not the best book I’ve read. But if you like drama and love this book is just right for you.

May
04
2017

Holes, by Louis Sachar

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I read a book called Holes, by Louis Sachar. It is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats who goes to an illegal camp called Camp Green Lake for being falsely accused of stealing  Clyde ‘Sweet Feet’ Livingston’s shoes. I won’t spoil who takes the shoes, but, it is someone at camp Green Lake. It is set in Texas in modern times but part of the story is in the recent and not as recent past. The other kids at CGL are Rex, “X-ray”, Hector, “Zero”, Theodore, “Armpit”, Ricky, “Zigzag”Magnet, Squid, and Twitch. The counselors are Mr. Sir, The Warden, Mr. Pendanski, and a whole lot of other unnamed counselors.

 

Stanley is nice, smart, and brave. He is nice because he taught Zero how to read and write. Stanley is smart because he remembered the story of Kissin’ Kate Barlow from many years ago. He is brave because he took the blame for stealing Mr. Sir’s sunflower seeds even though he really didn’t.

 

One interesting part of the book was when Stanley went to The Warden’s office for “stealing” Mr. Sir’s sunflower seeds. This was interesting because it kept me on my heels wondering if he would get severely punished, or just merely punished. Every Kid there got the same stuff. A canteen, a hole, a shower, same punishments.For example, a mere punishment is, no shower. A severe punishment is, extra holes to dig. A second part was when Zero and Stanley get stranded in the middle of the desert. This was interesting because they almost died a bunch of times. One important quote was when Stanley said “The forty-fifth hole is the hardest.” This is important because it tells you how hard it was to dig holes.

 

I really enjoyed the book because it has lots of action and suspense that makes you want to read more. I would recommend this book because it has action, adventure, and suspense. This book reminds me of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler because there are two friends out alone and they are solving a mystery. I still think Holes is way deeper because Stanley and Zero are fighting for their lives. I would give this book a five star rating.

May
04
2017

The Courage Test By James Preller

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This book is called The Courage Test by: James Preller. It is about a boy named “William Meriwether Miller” and his father going camping trip to spend some “father and son time” alone. This trip was inspired by the explorers William Clark and his partner Meriwether. On this trip he has a rare and frightening experience with a grizzly bear. He also meets a girl who was in the country illegally. This book takes time and place around the time we are in now because they had fast food places and iPhones.

William is brave because he once was face to face with a bear and didn’t run away He was a little more cautious after encounter. He is also lazy because when it comes to something like hiking he  would rather sit down and have a bag of doritos. He is smart because when it comes to almost drowning he knows how to react by just staying still and not struggling.

One part of the plot that I liked was when Will was left behind and his father left him with a stranger.I liked that because when you read the book you will think that the characters will stay together because it’s a father son camping trip. I also liked that because most books don’t just lose their characters by killing then or something. One of the book/Will’s quotes is “Often the test of courage is to not die but to live.

I really liked this book because it has a few cliffhangers. Another reason this book is good is because it has lots of new characters joining the adventure. I would recommend this book if you like a fast paced book with a lot of characters. Also it would be good for you if you like lazy couch potatoes. This book is one of my favorite adventure books because it has a lot of characters and each is different than the next. Another reason it is good for this type of book is because it’s kind of like a diary or a journal.  I would give it a five because it has a lot of characters and some are lazy(like me)and it has historical facts that teach me about The first people who came to america and trails they took.

 

 

May
04
2017

One Crazy Summer By Rita Williams Garcia

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I read One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. This is a historical fiction novel about three sisters, Delphine (11), Vonetta (9), and Fern (7) who live with their father and grandmother in Brooklyn, New York. The girls’ father sends them to Oakland, California one summer to stay with their mother, Cecile, who abandoned them seven years before. Cecile is a Black Panther, and spends most of her time in her kitchen writing poems and printing flyers. The Black Panthers were a political party whose  purpose was to patrol African American neighborhoods to protect residents from acts of police brutality. Cecile repeatedly tells the girls that she never asked them to visit her. She sends them out of the house everyday to The People’s Center, run by the Black Panther Party, for breakfast and day camp.The setting of the book is Oakland, California in 1968.

 

Delphine is mature, loyal, and cautious. She is mature because she is responsible for her two younger sisters the whole time they are in Oakland. Delphine makes sure the girls have been fed and bathed, and encourages them to behave properly. Delphine is also loyal to her father and grandmother. Delphine knows that her father and grandmother would not approve of the girls eating takeout every night, so Delphine decides to go grocery shopping to make a dinner similar to one they would eat at home. Lastly Delphine is cautious. She is nervous about possible violence at the Black Panther rally and tells her sisters they will not attend.

 

One of the most interesting parts of the book is when Delphine rides her friend  Hirohito’s go-kart for the first time. This is the first time in the book that Delphine acts like a child having fun, not like a parent to Vonetta and Fern. “As the go-kart went faster, I felt the rumbling of the wheels hitting the concrete underneath me. I screamed. So loud I startled myself. I had never heard myself scream. Screamed from the top of my lungs, the pit of my heart. Screamed like I was snaking and falling. Screamed and hiccupped and laughed like my sisters. Like I was having the time of my life, flying down that glorious hill.” This is the first glimpse of Delphine enjoying herself, without concern for her sisters. Another part of the book I enjoyed was when Fern spoke at the Black Panther rally, and announced that one of their members, Crazy Kelvin, was friendly with the police. It was exciting that Fern had made the discovery, and was praised by the Black Panthers at the rally.

I enjoyed the book because I learned more about the Civil Rights Movement and was introduced to the Black Panthers. I also liked the relationships between the three sisters, who were all very different but loved each other deeply. I would recommend this book because it teaches about the Civil Rights movement in an interesting and exciting way. I would also recommend the book because, although it addresses serious topics, can be funny. This book is similar to “Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom”. Both books have young women as the main characters and are about the Civil Rights Movement. I would rate my book four stars.

Apr
19
2017

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko

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Is the plague really here?

By Jade Young

A girl was seen trying to get into Chinatown while it was being quarantined. She was trying to find Jing a really important person in her life and the book. The girl’s name was Elizabeth but everyone called her Lizzie, except when older people in her family got mad at her. Except Billy her older brother. This book takes place in Chinatown, San Francisco in 1904 to 05. The name of this book is Chasing Secrets: A deadly surprise in a city of lies. The author of this book is Gennifer Choldenko.

The characters in this book are very different but sometimes they are the same or have the same thoughts. The majority of the characters in this book are related somehow. Not always family but they know each other friend or foe sometimes. Here are some of the characters: Lizzie, she doesn’t much like her life when her dad goes away for work and she can’t go. She wants to be like her dad. A doctor. She helps her dad sometimes when he gets called away. Lizzie goes to a school called Miss Barstows and she doesn’t like it until she meets a girl named Gemma and a boy named Gus who are brother and sister. Lizzie had no friends before, so she was thankful. Lizzie also cares so much about everybody, even Maggie the maid.

Noah is Jing’s son. He is Chinese like Jing. He calls Jing “Baba.” Only Lizzie knows about Noah and is good about keeping him a secret. Noah’s Chinese name is Choy.

Papa, as Lizzie calls him, is the dad to Billy and Elizabeth. He is a doctor who goes to patients to treat them for very little money or even none sometimes.

Uncle Karl: Uncle Karl is married to Aunt Hortense and their last name is Sweeting. Uncle Karl knows more than he is telling Lizzie about the plague and what she wants to know.

I loved this book so much. The book is historical fiction and it has a very adventurous part too. I recommend this book to people who like reading a nice mix of sad, delightful, and mystery. A lot of parts make you wonder what’s going to happen next and think, “I hope no one dies.” That’s the mystery. Delightful because of turns of events, and sad because of the plague and the quarantine. I give this book a five star rating. It has a lot of sudden turn of events. It’s a really amazing book! I really recommend this book.

Apr
19
2017

Zane And The Hurricane By Rodman Philbrick

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Have you ever wondered about hurricane Katrina? You should read Zane And The Hurricane, it is by Rodman Philbrick. The book takes place in New Orleans in 2007 when hurricane Katrina happened. The book is historical fiction. It is about how rescue dogs saved people when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans . Zane is the owner of Bandit, a mutt who saves people by choice in New Orleans from hurricane Katrina. Zane is always along for the ride with his dog. It is like Zane is on the leash not Bandit.

 

Zane is brave, curious and determined. Zane is brave because he follows his dog around to do things that are too dangerous for him to do but he does it anyway. One time his dog went into the water to save a person and Zane followed him, that makes him brave. Zane is curious because he tried to find his dog when he thought the dog was lost because he was away doing work for a very long time. Zane is determined when his dog was lost. That was the same time he was curious. He would not give up until he  got bandit back.

 

My three favorite parts of the book are when Bandit got lost, when Bandit got Zane in trouble with the police and when Zane followed Bandit to a creek. The part where Bandit got lost was on of my favorite parts because I liked how Zane wanted to find Bandit so badly. It shows the love between them. Zane went everywhere to find his dog and finally he found him near a broken down house. The part where Bandit got Zane in trouble with the police was one of my favorite parts because I loved how much the police officer cared about Bandit. This situation shows how much care was put into hurricane Katrina and the people who survived it. Another one of my favorite parts was when Zane followed Bandit to the creek. This was one of my favorite parts because it was very action packed and it felt real. To me it almost felt like I was actually in the moment. Throughout the book Zane and Bandit’s relationship gets stronger. One time a civilian was worried about the two of them but Zane and Bandit stuck together.

 

I enjoyed Zane And The Hurricane. I enjoyed it because I liked how realistic it was. I loved how I felt like I was actually in hurricane Katrina. I also really enjoyed how Zane was easy to relate to. I felt like I could connect with the character and by being able to connect it really helped me understand the book. I would recommend this book because it is action packed and very fast historical. I like action packed books that keep on moving and follow a strict storyline and this book did this for me. If you are like me and like this then I recommend the book. Another reason to read the book is because it teaches you a lot. It almost feels like you are in the book when you are reading it. One book that is similar to Zane And The Hurricane is I Survived Hurricane Katrina. It is similar because it is historical fiction and it is about hurricane Katrina. I would give this book four stars.