Love Thy Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson

This Revolutionary War era novel is quite interesting, enthralling and raises many questions and feelings about loyalties to friends, family and country in a time of war. Tories were American colonists who remained loyal to King George and England despite the fact that the Thirteen Colonies were on a course of independence from the monarchy. The story is about a teenage girl whose family are Tories living in a rural community. Her best friend is from a family who is in favor of independence. Events threaten their friendship and the life of her family causing difficult choices to be made. I really enjoyed this thought-provoking book.

Throughout books based on American history, we have seen numerous Young Adult books about the Patriot side. Finally, Ann Turner has written a book about what it was like to be a Tory. Love Thy Neighbor catches you from page one. Centering around Prudence Emerson, a teenager living in Massachusetts, this fictional diary talks about daily life and the problems of being a Tory. Not only is she perscuted by Patriot neighbors, but forced out of her home with her family. Read as you learn about the Revolutionary War and the "other side". Great! Dont forget to read other Dear Americas and Royal Diaries.

Thirteen-year-old Prudence(Pru for short) Emerson lives in the small town of Green Marsh, Massachusetts, in 1774. The Revolutionary War is about to break out and Pru's family are Loyalist to King George of England, unlike Pru's friend Abigail who is a Patriot. At this time in history Green Marsh is a very dangerous place for Loyalists for many support George Washington and the Patriots. As each day passes Pru fears for her family's safety and each day adds sadness because she and Abigail are no longer close because of political differences. Soon it becomes clear that Pru's family must leave their beloved home and flee to Boston for safety...I had always wished to read a book from the view of a Tory, instead of from a Patriot. I must say that this book was excently written and gave a good perspective of the other side of the Revolutionary War. The Patriots were not the only side that suffered, the Tories did too.

Love Thy Nieghbor is by far one of the best Dear America books that have been puclished in the last few months! The story of the daughter of a Tory couple, Prudence Emerson, is told through Pru's diary-a small book given to her by her aunt, also called Madam Pinprick, in which Pru must imporve her handwriting. through vivid diary entries, we meet the world that is sadly nowadays seen as treacherous and evil--the world of the Tories. However, the Tories were just as normal as the Patriots, however, they were treated horribly. Pru tells of the divided classrooms, the denounciation of Tories in school, the loss of her best friend, the dangers of Tories around her, and the escape from her little town of Green Marsh to live in the safety of Boston. Pru tells of the Battles of Bunker Hill & Breed's Hill and the beginnings of the Revolutionary War. This diary was excellent, the better of the latest releases in the Dear America series. An untold story unfolds in this diary and will hopefully leave Americans with the truth of what the Tories really were.

Prudence Emerson is a thirteen-year-old girl living in the small town of Green Marsh, Massachusetts, in 1774. Her family had always been welcome there, but now, with whispers of a possible revolution against the rule of the British king, things are changing. The Emersons are Loyalists, while most of the townspeople, including the family of Prudence's best friend Abigail, are Patriots. Their troubles start when business at the Emersons' store begins to dwindle, and things become steadily worse. The children of the Loyalists are persecuted at school. Prudence finds that Abigail has been forbidden to speak with her. As the persecution of the Loyalists becomes violent, Prudence begins to wonder if her family will have to leave the only home she has ever known. I really enjoyed this new Dear America book. It gave a unique perspective on life at the beginning of the American Revolution by using the point of view of a young Loyalist girl. Readers interested in a look at the "other side" of the American Revolution are sure to enjoy this book.