Walter, Jon. My Name is Not Friday.

Walter, Jon. My Name is Not Friday.  Scholastic  2016  368p.  $18.99  ISBN 978-0-5458-5522-8  ms/hs  Historical fiction VG     

Samuel, thirteen years old, is freeborn, but he is sold into slavery at the height of the Civil War. He and his younger brother Joshua are freeborn blacks who live in a boys’ home run by a priest. Samuel tries to cover for his mischievous brother’s actions and finds himself sold into slavery at the height of the Civil War. He must learn how to hide the fact that he can read and write and navigate the complex world of plantation life into which he is suddenly thrust. Samuel is convinced that God sent him to the plantation to help the other slaves, and his religious faith gives him strength. Some slaves have similar religious views, while others shun religion entirely, seeking other ways to find resilience in their daily struggles. Realizing that he cannot escape the plantation, Samuel works hard and earns the trust of the white owners and his fellow slaves alike. There is a large cast of characters, and most are well developed. The story is at times violent, but is ultimately a thought-provoking piece on a difficult time in American history.

Summary: Samuel, thirteen years old, is freeborn, but he is sold into slavery at the height of the Civil War. As a slave, he tries to carry out God’s plan by working for the cause of abolition.   

Slavery-Fiction, American Civil War-Fiction          

--Stephanie Pennucci

Walter, Jon. My Name Is Not Friday.

Walter, Jon.  My Name Is Not Friday.      Scholastic Press  2016  368   18.99 978-0-545-85522-8 ms/hs  Historical fiction      E-BN

Samuel is a 12-year-old African-American free-born boy living in an orphanage with his little brother. Suddenly one day he is accused of a crime he did not commit and is sold at auction into slavery. He quickly learns that even on a plantation run by a kind and compassionate woman and her son, life can be very unfair and cruel. His one goal in life is to free himself from the plantation so that he can get back to his younger brother and look after him. But before he is able to even think about how this might come about, he becomes embroiled in the lives of the other slaves on the plantation, learning from them the necessities of coping with his new position. The story is very well written, and the reader becomes involved in Samuel’s life as he encounters one shocking event after another. Secondary characters are also very well drawn and appealing. The afterwards, a piece by the author on how he came to write the novel, and a note on the historical setting, add to the appeal of the novel. This one is long and involved, and will appeal to young readers who are genuinely interested in reading a picaresque novel set in the Civil-War South. It is interesting that the author is not American, but the voices in the novel ring true nonetheless. Recommended for older teens who like historical fiction.

Summary: During the Civil War, a free-born Black boy living in an orphanage, is sold into slavery and must find his way to freedom and his brother.           

Civil War-Fiction, Slavery-Fiction                                --Carol Kennedy

The Winner’s Curse. (The Winner’s Trilogy Bk1)

Rutkoski, Marie.  The Winner’s Curse. (The Winner’s Trilogy Bk1)  Farrar Strauss Giroux   2014  355  $18.00  ISBN 978-0-3743-8467-8 jr/sr   Science fiction   E-BN     

Krestel is a feisty heroine skilled in the military arts and weaponry but not yet a warrior.  She is a girl who would prefer to play the piano as her mother did; however, her father has other ideas.  Brought up in a military home with a general for a father, she is expected to join him in a military career, although she would prefer to have the freedom to choose her own life.

Then one day she passes by the slave auction house, and she finds herself the owner of a young man whose tribe her country has conquered.  His entry into her life and home marks the beginning of an intrigue that will leave her wondering about her choices and the direction her life should take.

This is the fast-paced first book in a series that will change things around as it moves forward into a future unknown to both hero and heroine, who hail from different stations in life, creating a clash that is sure to present itself when both will have to choose their futures.       

Summary: Krestel is the general’s daughter, and she has been groomed to take her place in the palace guards.  Her father is hoping she will serve with his guards. 

Love-Fiction, Slavery-Fiction                         --Magna Diaz

Stiles, Martha Bennett. Sailing to Freedom.

Stiles, Martha Bennett. Sailing to Freedom.     Macmillan/Henry Holt    245p $16.99 978-0-8050-9238-7   elm/ms    E-BN      Historical fiction

     
Escaping from mean Uncle Slye to sign on as a hand on Uncle Thad’s ship, Ray doesn’t fully understand what he is getting into.  He learns about the ship, his duties, and the background stories of the crew.  He knows that the cook to whom he is the assistant was once a slave but is now free.  What he does not know involves something that is hidden in the pantry.  After his discovery, he has a better idea of his position on slavery.

The detailed in-depth research by the author is readily evident in this historical novel, especially concerning all things nautical, Capuchin monkeys, and the Underground Railroad.  These three elements are expertly interwoven into the tale.  The descriptions of the antics of Allie the monkey are priceless and ring true.  The action of the Ogun (an escaping slave) episodes heighten the suspense throughout the novel but also move the story forward.  The brief meeting between the two boys is especially poignant.

This historical fiction gives readers a peek into different aspects of the Underground Railroad and the issue of slavery.  It is very highly recommended for grades 4-7 to present an unusual view of the Underground Railroad. 

Slavery-Fiction, Underground Railroad-Fiction, Ships-Fiction   -– Joan Theal