Historical Fiction: "Nightjohn"

Bibliography

Paulsen, Gary. Nightjohn. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young

     Readers, 1995.

Plot Summary

Sarny, a twelve year old slave girl narrates this story of bravery and hardship.  It takes place on a plantation in the 1850’s.  Sarny’s life changes course when the slave master brings home a new slave, Nightjohn.  He quickly befriends the young Sarny and begins to teach her how to read, even though it is strictly forbidden.  Sarny learns that Nightjohn had once escaped to freedom.  After learning the value of literacy and education, he gives it all up to share with other slaves what he has learned.  The reader is left with a hopeful glimpse of Sarny’s future.

Critical Analysis

The style of this book is consistent with the nineteenth century historical perspective.  The language is written as if an uneducated southern slave girl wrote it.  The reader gets a full-scale view of the abuse and the horrors that slaves faced from plantation owners.  While the story reveals Sarny’s child like nature, it is also apparent the ways she was forced to grow up quickly in this horrific environment.  Sarny becomes a heroine and the reader cannot help but to get behind her effort to learn.  “Nightjohn” is well researched and authentic to the mid-nineteenth century. 

Review Excerpts

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Convincingly written in dialect, this graphic depiction of slavery evokes shame for this country's forefathers and sorrow for the victims of their inhumanity. Ages 12-up.”

BOOKLIST: “What gives the story transcendence is the character Nightjohn, who fires Sarny with hope.”

Connections

Students can read slave biographies and compare their experiences with Sarny and Nightjohn’s. 

Students can read James Lincoln Collier’s “Jump Ship to Freedom” and discuss the horrors and triumphs of the characters portrayed. 

Historical Fiction: "Catherine, Called Birdy"

Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Harper Trophy, 1994.

Plot Summary

“Catherine, Called Birdy” takes place in the thirteenth century.  Catherine, is thirteen years old, which means it is time to begin thinking about marriage.  Her father is anxious to come into some wealth and begins to negotiate with local well-off bachelors for his daughter’s hand in marriage, no matter what their looks or their age.  Catherine does not take this lying down and instead does everything she can to drive off her perspective suitors.  This all takes place in the midst of her daily life and chores. 

Critical Analysis

Cushman writes this story as stylized entries from Catherine’s diary.   While Catherine’s English, as the narrator, is easy to understand, the book is full of different phrases that are realistic to the time period.  For example, “God’s ears!”, “Corpus Bones” and using the word “mayhap” instead of “maybe”.  This historical fiction novel allows the reader to better understand daily life in the thirteen century.  Cushman describes the lack of bathing, arranged marriages, chores and meals eaten throughout a year, starting in September.   Beginning with October 13^th, each diary entry describes the Saint’s feast day associated with each date.  The reader learns about the strange customs, ointments and foods popular in the 13^th Century while simultaneously reading about Catherine’s fight for independence in a world where young women had little to no rights. 

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

Newberry Honor Book

1995 Notable Children’s Book (ALA)

1995 Best Book for Young Adults (ALA)

Quick Picks for Young Adults 1995 (ALA)

Starred Review in THE HORN BOOK- “Fascinating and thought-provoking.”

Starred Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL- “A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and loveable.”

Connections

Students could research medieval women’s rights and compare them to what they find in “Catherine, Called Birdy” and to what women have today. 

Students can read other books by Karen Cushman: “The Midwife’s Apprentice”, “The Loud Silence of Francine Green” and “Matilda Bone” for further insight into life in the middle ages. 

Historical Fiction: "The River Between Us"

Bibliography

Peck, Richard. The River Between Us. New York: Puffin, 2005.

Plot Summary

Tilly Pruitt, the teenage daughter of a somewhat poor family from Illinois, lives with her mother, sister and twin brother.  They take in two mysterious female borders in 1861, the fancy Delphine and the silent, darker Calinda.    There is much speculation as to who these two women are, but they quickly find a place with this rural family.  As the Civil War draws closer, tensions rise threatening to test everyone’s allegiances.  Noah, Tilly’s brother is sent off to war and from that point on, everything changes.

Critical Analysis

Peck writes a compelling story with the U.S. Civil War as the backdrop that is obviously well researched.  It is authentic, with actual Civil War battles, towns and dates listed.  The reader gets a glimpse of the agony and pain the Civil War caused, not just for soldiers, but for the families they left behind.  A lesser told women’s perspective is given of the U.S. Civil War as Tilly and Delphine experience it first hand on their adventure to save Noah.

The style of the book is written as Howard Leland Hutchings recalls a childhood story of visiting his Dad’s childhood home and learning the stories about his grandparents.  Starting in chapter two, Tilly’s character is the narrator.  The two stories come together in the last chapter.  As the story unfolds, new revelations are made about his family that reveal the issue of race and what implications being white or black held.  This story is realistic to the Civil War era. There was even a distinct dialect difference between northern Tilly and southern Delphine.

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”


BOOKLIST: “It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”

Connections

The students can follow up with “The War Within: a Novel of the Civil War” by Carol Mathis and compare the experiences of the two families.

Students can choose a specific battle listed within “A River Between Us” and research the battle to find parallels from the book.