Search Results for: blog soldiers heart gary paulsen

Soldier’s Heart – Gary Paulsen

I’ve always been fascinated by the Civil War, and so was very excited to read “Soldier’s Heart” by Gary Paulsen. This is the true story of Charley Goddard who joined up with the First Minnesota Volunteers when he was just fifteen years old, after walking a distance from his hometown so no one would know him and then lying about his age. Charley was the oldest in his family. His father died some years before, leaving Charley, his mother, and his little brother to fend for themselves. There had been rumors of war for some time, but they didn’t think … Continue reading →

Beneath a Marble Sky – John Shors

“Beneath a Marble Sky” is the first novel for John Shors, but I would not have guessed it. His imagery is stunning, his word choice nearly flawless – I would have credited this book to a much more seasoned novelist. The book is a historical fiction set around the building of the Taj Mahal. We have all heard the story of the king who loved his wife dearly and was heartbroken when she died, and so he created a mausoleum in her memory and caused it to be the most beautiful building on earth. Shors took that kernel of information, … Continue reading →

Yarrow

Yarrow is a perennial herb with fernlike foliage. The foliage is covered with silky or wooly hairs; this herb produces white flowers in clusters. Yarrow is native to Europe but was brought to North America where it flourishes. Yarrow pollen fossils have been found in Neanderthal burial caves, suggesting that this herb has a VERY long history. Dried yarrow stalks are the traditional choice for casting the I-Ching, the Chinese divination practice. During the Trojan War, Achilles is thought to have packed yarrow into wounds to stop bleeding. Some botanists think that yarrow’s scientific name — achillea millefolium — comes … Continue reading →

Fever 1793 – Laurie Halse Anderson

In the year 1793, the town of Philadelphia was hit with a horrible epidemic of yellow fever. Thousands fled the city as friends and neighbors began to die left and right. “Fever 1793” is a young adult historical fiction novel that tells the story of this bleak time in our nation’s history. Mattie Cook is the only daughter of a woman who owns a coffee house in Philadelphia. Every day is spent preparing meals for their customers, cleaning up after the meals, and getting ready for the next day. Mattie has always had a hard time getting out of bed … Continue reading →

Girl in Blue – Ann Rinaldi

Young adult historical fiction novelist Ann Rinaldi brings us “Girl in Blue,” the story of Sarah Louisa Wheelock. She is about to be married off to a mean-spirited man who lives on a nearby farm, a new widower and the father of two small girls. Sarah Louisa knows that if she were to marry this man, her life would be full of hard work, no love, and an occasional beating, if the man’s first wife’s appearance was any indication. She makes up her mind that she will not go through with it, even though her father has commanded her to … Continue reading →

Pure Gold – Warren Wassom

This adventure novel is definitely for you, men. In “Pure Gold,” we meet Clyde McFadden, a former aerospace engineer who has moved to Black Pine, Idaho, to farm. He has a cow, some chickens, and a dog, and lives a quiet and unhurried life. One day he leaves his farm for several hours and is surprised to find that his hens have stopped laying. They return to normal after a day off, but the next time he leaves, they stop laying again. What on earth is upsetting his chickens? Clyde starts to notice other strange things happening. A ditch running … Continue reading →

Multiple Choice – Janet Tashjian

“Multiple Choice” is the story of Monica Devon, a teenage girl with an obsessive compulsive disorder that has not yet been diagnosed. She lives her life in a perpetual state of fear, worried that she’s going to say or do the wrong thing, rehashing everything that has happened and wondering what she could have done to make the outcome different, and blaming herself when things do go wrong. Her friends and family know that she is a little bit obsessive, but none of them realize to what extent she’s struggling. Monica is also somewhat of a genius when it comes … Continue reading →

Author Interview — James Rada Jr: On Historical Fiction

Yesterday we began a fascinating conversation with award-winning columnist and author, James Rada. Thanks for joining us for part two. Jim, what are the names of your novels, and can you give us a brief synopsis of each? “Logan’s Fire” (1996) – Logan Hanson is an out-of-control teenager. His belief that he was responsible for his mother’s death in a fire has caused him to lose his faith in God. When he begins to lead others away from their faith, the Three Nephites are sent to help Logan. They find that Logan’s work has done his work well, perhaps too … Continue reading →