From 1846 to 1857, Dred Scott tried to get courts to recognize his right to freedom. His lawyers argued that since he had spent considerable time in free states he ought to be free, according to the Missouri Compromise. Lower courts went back and forth in a series of cases and appeals, and in 1857, in Scott v. Sanford, Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney read a 50-page, two-hour decision stating that African-Americans were not citizens and had no rights. Dred Scott remained a slave until a new owner granted him his freedom shortly thereafter. Moses’s fictional slave narrative is an important work that gives voice to a pivotal American, whose case edged the nation closer to war. However, Scott’s narrative voice seems disembodied; there’s too little character development and historical context to make Dred Scott seem like a real person. Much is told, but there’s no drama in the telling. Christensen’s illustrations aptly complement the text, and the foreword by the great-grandson of Dred Scott will remind readers of Dred Scott’s legacy. (author’s note, the impact of the decision, chronology, bibliography) (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-689-85975-9
Page Count: 112
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2004
An outstanding new edition of this popular modern classic (Newbery Award, 1961), with an introduction by Zena Sutherland and...
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1990
ISBN: 0-395-53680-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Navigating this stunning novel requires thought and concentration, but it’s well worth the effort.
Returning to themes she explored so affectingly in Moon Over Manifest (2011), Newbery Medalist Vanderpool delivers another winning picaresque about memories, personal journeys, interconnectedness—and the power of stories.
Thirteen-year-old Jack enters boarding school in Maine after his mother’s death at the end of World War II. He quickly befriends Early Auden, a savant whose extraordinary facility with numbers allows him to “read” a story about “Pi” from the infinite series of digits that follow 3.14. Jack accompanies Early in one of the school crew team’s rowing boats on what Jack believes is his friend’s fruitless quest to find a great bear allegedly roaming the wilderness—and Early’s brother, a legendary figure reportedly killed in battle. En route, Early spins out Pi’s evolving saga, and the boys encounter memorable individuals and adventures that uncannily parallel those in the stories. Vanderpool ties all these details, characters, and Jack’s growing maturity and self-awareness together masterfully and poignantly, though humor and excitement leaven the weighty issues the author and Jack frequently pose. Some exploits may strain credulity; Jack’s self-awareness often seems beyond his years, and there are coincidences that may seem too convenient. It’s all of a piece with Vanderpool’s craftsmanship. Her tapestry is woven and finished off seamlessly. The ending is very moving, and there’s a lovely, last-page surprise that Jack doesn’t know but that readers will have been tipped off about.
Navigating this stunning novel requires thought and concentration, but it’s well worth the effort. (author’s note, with questions and answers, list of resources) (Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-385-74209-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
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