Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes: A Novel

Title: Johnny Tremain
Author: Ester Forbes
Date Finished: December 21, 2007
Pages: 256
Rating: 3.5/5

This is my desperate move to finish the Decades Challenge since I obviously was not going to finish All The King's Men (and probably never will--urg!). It could also qualify for the Book Awards Challenge since it won the Newbery quite some time ago, but I still have a few months to finish that one. Ohh, challenges challenges.

Johnny Tremain is the story of a fourteen year-0ld silversmith apprentice in pre-revolutionary New England. He is bossy and proud, but also very talented; one day, though, he disfigures his hand after another apprentice purposely gives him faulty equipment. He cannot craft silver anymore, but he finds another job as a rider for the Boston Observer. During this time he meets many of the key revolutionary figures in Boston, including Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams; Johnny is key in keeping these figures abreast of the revolutionary situation in Boston--especially as the fighting begins.

I liked this book, but I didn't think it was anything spectacular. I would recommend it--as I tried doing to my 11 year-old brother--but the plot isn't very exciting. I think perhaps its just the style of writing because of the history of what was happening at the time is very exciting. Easy and light--a story of forbidden love, fighting for what one believes in, discovering one's heritage, and growing into the responsibilities of adulthood.