A wonderful and heartbreaking story. ( )

Until I read this book, I had thought it was about some 1950 or 1960 youth gang's confrontration with the police. I had always heard the title and that is just what I managed to conjure up in my mind. Sooooo, I was a little surprised to learn it was about young Shaker boy. But I wasn't disappointed - NOT AT ALL. I couldn't stop reading and I plan on giving this book to several people I know. Yes, it's a young adult coming-of-age story, but it's one of those that's often best appreciated by adults. The opening scene of the birthing cow is exciting and amazing. The characters are strong and genuine. I am so glad I finally took the time to read this one. ( )

I found this book to be an entertaining and realistic portrayal of life on a farm for an adolescent. The book does an excellent job of showing how the cold realities of poverty and death can force children to become adults. I would recommend this book to MS students seeking a realistic YA fiction book. ( )

My seventh grade class read this book, and I wish we wouldn't have because it seemed like a lot of the students didn't understand the deep emotions in it. I personally enjoyed it very much. The main character, Robert Peck, is a boy who has to become a man too soon when his father, a pig butcher, dies. I cried my eyes out. ( )

2 The book was somewhat effective for the Teen Problem Book project.
5 The book was excellent . I enjoyed it.
This book was great to read and is one of my favorites, but it is a horrible choice for this project. The problems were not that serious. ( )