Journey to Jamestown

Have you ever wondered about the other side of the story? Have you ever wondered about how a secondary character feels and thinks? If you have, Journey to Jamestown is the book for you! When Elias Ridpath leaves his home in England for Jamestown, Virginia, he is hardly excited. He will be an apprentice to a barber surgeon, and the sight of blood makes him faint. Not only that, but he finds out Jamestown is in the middle of the starving time. Elias finds his strength when a young indian girl from the village through the woods tells him that he "sees through the third eye." Sacahocan is a half-indian, half-english. She doesn't fit in in her mother's community or her father's, but all that changes when she meets Elias, one of the enemy settlers who have stolen indian land. When King James of England wants to crown Sacahocan's leader a prince of England, the indian chief is not amused. When battles separate their people, Elias and Sacahocan find ways to make their voices heard. My favorite event was when one of the two women of Jamestown found a way to make food without having to fish, hunt wild animals, or farm. The only small problem is when one of the men of the village finds that his prized horse is "missing." Another memorable event was when Elias first met Quangartask and befriended the young and friendless boy. The first story you'll read revolves around Elias Ridpath, a thirteen year old settler. He is an apprentice to the settlement's barber surgeon, and helps to save many lies. Elias is clever, honest, and he quickly becomes a brother to Quangartask, a developmentally delayed and sickly indian boy who comes to the settlement by accident one day. Elias is my favorite character because of his good sense of humor and his honesty. The next story you'll read is about Sacahocan, a half-indian girl who feels that she doesn't fit in. Sacahocan is a knowledgeable medicine girl who knows all the plants of the forest and their healing properties. In the midst of a fight with the white boy she meets named Elias, she finds out that her young brother with an unknown illness, Quangartask, is to be sacrificed to the gods. The gods require a boy who is `unblemished' or who has never had stitches. Can Sacahocan find a way to forgive Elias, make her people understand that the white men mean no harm, and save her brother at the same time? All in all, Journey to Jamestown was a very good book. I liked this historical fiction story because of its exciting plot and well-developed characters. I would rate this book about an eight on a scale of one to ten because at some points it was hard to follow but it was exciting. When I picked up this book, I entered Elias's and Sacahocan's completely different worlds. This book draws the reader in and makes them choose which side of the story they like. If you're looking for an exciting read, read Journey to Jamestown!

Highly recommended for readers from age 9-12, as this book gives young people a clear sense that history has at least two sides. I found the protagonists (Elias and Sacahocan) delightfully drawn characters, and their relationship encouraging against the backdrop of the violence between their two peoples. The book is well-researched and the language fresh and engaging. To fit the format of this "My Side of the Story" series, both halves of this story are brief. I'd like to have seen more.