Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbesby Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger 04 Apr 2007 11:11 PM If "Johnny Tremain" is not already included on every recommended reading list to be found in every public, private and homeschool in the nation, it ought to be. That's how good this book is.
Feeling as though Fate itself is against him, Johnny strikes out on his own, trying to find a way to support himself without having to rely on charity. But none of the other masters in Boston want to take on a crippled apprentice. He's about to give up altogether when he meets Rab, a printer's boy, and learns the art of setting type. Rab is making pamphlets about the Revolution, and invites Johnny to join in as they support The Sons of Liberty, a secret organization determined to overthrow the King's rule. Together, they organize and participate in the Boston Tea Party, giving us a close-up look at the events that led up to it and the emotions surrounding it. Johnny eventually participates in the midnight ride of Paul Revere, a fictional character in a historical setting, but isn't that what's so cool about historical fiction? As you go along with Johnny, you become part of the Revolutionary War. There are a lot of misconceptions about the Tea Party and the midnight ride, and this book helps bring a lot of that into focus. Read it for school, read it for entertainment, read it for excitement. This is a phenomenal book and you will flip the pages eagerly, waiting to see what happens next. (This book was first published in 1943 by Houghton Mifflin.) Related Blogs: Learn more about Tristi Pinkston  I've been a blogger for Families.com since August of 2006. Relevantmedia tags User Comments Community Tags Historical Fiction, Patriotism, Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War Discuss this article
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Johnny Tremain is an apprentice in a silversmith's shop. In his early teens, he's already mastered much of the craft and is told by his teacher that he has a great skill for the trade. But an order comes in that is too large to fill by the appointed time, and the master will not work on Sunday. Determined to help his master meet his obligation, Johnny fires up the forge and begins work after Sunday services. While pouring the hot silver into the mold, some of the liquid oozes out through a crack and splatters all over Johnny's hand, burning it terribly and ruining his chances at ever becoming a silversmith. His master says it's God's punishment for working on Sunday, and Johnny becomes a servant in the household, no longer a favored apprentice.
