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A Difficult Boy (2008)

by M.P. Barker(Favorite Author)

3.89 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0823420868 (ISBN13: 9780823420865)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Holiday House

review 1: Ethan, a nine year old boy, gets sent off to be an indentured servant for Mr. Lyman due to his father’s bulky debt to him. This book takes place in1839 in Massachusetts, where the abusive Mr. Lyman has not one, but now two indentured servants. In addition to Ethan, there is Daniel who is a young teenage boy. He has grown to be grumpy and dreadful to be around after years of Mr. Lyman’s abuse. However, themes of friendship and unity characterize this book as the two young boys begin to get along, and depend on each other to survive in their merciless environment. Prejudice is also integrated into this book as the Puritans of the 19th century held a strong prejudice against the Catholic Irish church at the time, illustrating the different cultures of religion that were ... morepresent hundreds of years ago. One of my favorite parts of this book is the example of two young boys that were culturally polarized, yet did not physically look culturally diverse based off of their skins color. This book symbolizes that culture is based off of one’s traditions, the way they were raised, and what is important to them, and it is not based off of skin color or ethnicity.
review 2: Gr 5-8-When nine-year-old Ethan leaves his family to be bound out to Mr. Lyman, his father tries to make it sound like an adventure and an opportunity to learn a trade. But Ethan knows that it is a necessity: his father has no other way to pay off his debts to the wealthy shopkeeper. The Lymans' other indentured servant is a surly teenager who rebuffs Ethan's attempts at friendship. Mr. Lyman is initially affectionate and gracious to Ethan and warns him against spending too much time with Daniel, a "difficult boy" whom the Lymans call Paddy to underscore his Irish inferiority. But when Ethan accidentally breaks a plate, he witnesses how quickly the man's benevolent demeanor can transform into violent rage, and, after a vicious beating, he and Daniel begin to form a bond. But to the town, and even to Ethan's parents, the man is a shining example of virtue, teaching these boys a trade and "disciplining" them only when their misdeeds warrant it. As the boys' friendship grows stronger, Ethan learns more of Daniel's tragic past and the circumstances that have bound him to the Lymans. How Ethan and Daniel bolster each other and escape Mr. Lyman's tyranny makes for a memorable tale of friendship and a fascinating glimpse into mid-19th-century Massachusetts. Like L. M. Elliott's Give Me Liberty (HarperCollins, 2006), this is an eye-opening look at indentured servitude in American history.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. less

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