Give Me Liberty

As an author of 6 books on the Revolution, 2 of them YA novels, I am usually too critical of Young Adult novels on this subject. For example, I don't agree with middle school teachers assigning April Morning; it is too intellectual, more suitable for high school. Johnny Tremain was a good movie, but the book was too descriptive and slow. And I was depressed after reading My Brother Sam is Dead. Instead, I recommend L. M. Elliott's Give Me Liberty, which shows how the political crisis impacted a teenager on the eve of Revolution. Also, The Fifth of March, by Ann Rinaldi, is a good depiction of life in British occupied Boston around the time of the Boston Massacre. I also liked how Ms. Elliott developed her main characters, and how they interacted with the adult historical figures in the story.

As a regular visitor to Williamsburg, I didn't really FEEL much Williamsburg flavor to the book. But that may be just a personal thing... More importantly, in her efforts to educate the young readers along with Nathaniel about the politics of the times, Basil often goes into long lectures that didn't hold my attention, and I doubt if they will hold the younger readers either. They are likely to skip onwards to get back to the plot! And I hate, hate, hate corny bits such as the one she does here with the "who's that tall guy?.."Oh, that's just George Washington". Clever, clever, hah-hah. I will allow her the bit with Jefferson and his violin--that does fit both Jefferson's life and the story. It was pretty easy to predict the identity of the "mystery man" who helps care for Nathaniel's wounds. Predictable, predictable. But don't get me wrong. This is well written, the characterizations are well done, and the details are there. This stands head and shoulders over old chestnuts like "Johnny Tremaine"--it's a lot more fun to read, and readers will learn a good deal along the way.

The book, Give Me Liberty, is full of adventure and suspense. The story starts when a young indentured servant named Nathaniel is sent over from England. He is sold to a plantation where he is unhappy. One day, a cruel-hearted man named Owen comes to buy his time. Soon after Owen buys him, Nathaniel is spotted by a kind-hearted school-teacher named Basil. Basil saves him from Owen's harsh treatment and he and Nathaniel become friends. Together, they move to the household of Edan Maguire, a carriage maker. Trouble soon broils in the colonies. The leaders are calling for rebellion against the British, and for the citizens to take action! Edan, a known loyalist, is shamed in public and Nathaniel and Basil's lives take a dramatic turn! Soon, they are partaking in the rebel's actions and join the 2nd Virginia Regiment. They are forced to fight through the perils of the Revolutionary War. Join them as the battle moves on, and experience the hardships! One of the cruelest things Nathaniel must face comes at the end of the book, when he has to square off with his best friend, Moses, a slave, the one soul who cared about him when he was on the plantation. Moses' only way to freedom is to run away and join not the Americans but the British. There are several reasons why I like this book. One reason is that the author makes you feel like you are in the action. Her compelling writing draws you in, and makes you feel like you are sneaking into the Gunpowder Magazine with Nathaniel and his friends, trying to take a musket for yourselves! The accomplice of Nathaniel in this scene, Ben, is a troublemaker who stirs up bravery in Nathaniel. Despite his sometimes careless behavior, Ben is a wonderful friend for Nathaniel. Another reason why I like it was the character development. Through the story, Nathaniel grows from being a timid boy to a self-confident, brave patriot. Again, with the writer's descriptive text, you can see Nathaniel blossom before your eyes. In my opinion, Basil, the old schoolmaster, is my favorite character. He is loveable and bumbling. His excitement about the Revolution teaches you a lot but is funny and enjoyable to read. An additional reason I like this book is that I like how the author twists the ending to make Moses and Nathaniel have to face off at the end. It symbolizes the Revolutionary War in that it shows that some people would win their freedom, while others, like Moses, would have to deal with more years of anguish through slavery. Thinking about that saddened me. This book coincided with my school curriculum really well, because as I was reading this, we were learning about the Revolutionary War in History class. It made the time period really come alive and be much more interesting. The author has lots of details about everyday life, like how people wore wigs made of yak hair, how they protested in their songs and writing, how they printed newspapers and made carriages by hand. I thought it wa

this is really a fantastic novel full of relevant information about the revolutionary war and the moral philosophy of the time, the complications of a new government seeking independence, and the energies of the people.. but all this information is woven seamlessly into an ultimately sophisticated story about a boy who had lost his trust in people and ultimately finds himself in the framework of this history. The characters are rich and well-developed, the protagonist is sympathetic and intelligent, and the story ultimately evokes deep thought on many subjects in the reader. I highly recommend it for any fan of historical fiction.