Elizabeth Yates (1) (1905–2001)

I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Yates’ writing for years now, and somewhere along the line, when buying what I could find of her books, this one made it onto the list. I’ve loved fictional writing for years, and intend to develop that skill in the future as I can—although my writing has been more or less restricted to the nonfiction world for the past few years. This year, I decided to read some books on writing—even if I didn’t manage to make time for putting words to paper myself, show more perhaps I’d be inspired by what other people had to say on the subject. This was my fifth “writing” book that I’ve read for the year, and it’s got to be among my favorites—and not just because I love Yates’ style!

One of my favorite things about this book is that it’s aimed at middle-grade readers, those who want to become authors someday, but for now are just playing around with words and stories, concepts and ideas. There’s nothing presumptuous about Elizabeth’s presentation style; she just shares what works for her, gives practical advice for little things wanna-be writers can do now to grow their style and strengthen their work, and piles on the encouragement that not only is this something that should be done, but it’s a gift—to yourself and to the world.

One of my favorite themes of this book is that as writers, we are to see and transmit something of wonder, beauty, and truth to our readers—that gave me a lot to think about, but was also greatly encouraging!

Although aimed at middle graders, I think just about anyone who wants to write (or is already writing!) would find this book encouraging. I read it in just a couple of days—it’s a short, easy read. It’s definitely one I’m planning to keep on the shelf, and I’m also planning on sharing it with younger writers in my life when I have the chance. show less

I have/had fond memories of this book, which I first encountered in middle school. I found it in one of the many book bins in one of my classrooms. I kept thinking about it through the years, and was glad when I was able to get a copy later. However, after rereading the book in college, I find that I have some serious issues with it, much of which has been mentioned in earlier reviews. Handled the proper way, the story of Amos Fortune, a figure who no doubt had a fascinating and complex show more life, could have made for a satisfying historical read, one that generations of children could benefit from. As it stands now, the book supports paternalism, assimilation, the misuse of Christianity, and the system of slavery in general. Overall, it actually defends racism, which it doesn't see as having a largely negative effect on Africans and African-Americans. This viewpoint reveals much about the author's intentions (she was white), the racial atmosphere of the time (1951) and the myths surrounding slavery, which still lingered in the public consciousness.
In the text, slavery is not viewed as innately evil and cruel to those forced into it. Rather, the institution is just viewed as an obstacle or inconvenience that people have to overcome. The author disturbingly suggests that slavery actually makes individuals, Black individuals, better people because they learn to work through the hardships and adapt to different situations. Amos himself supports this view. Furthermore, the author paints slavery as an honest institution, one that others like Amos can free themselves from if they simply work hard and accept their fate as God's will. When Amos finally does get his freedom, the book implies that Amos can now appreciate it better because of his years of working towards it, ignoring the fact that he was already free before he was stolen from his homeland.
None of the white people who own Amos are cruel or even indifferent to him. Throughout the book, they treat him with respect and kindness. Despite this, they never see Amos as their equal, even though they praise his acceptance of Christianity as a step towards his becoming "civilized". Ironically, the first people who owned Amos were Quakers, a group that has strongly been identified with the antislavery movement in the United States, even though some of them did practice slaveholding. They are the ones who "rename" him and instill in him Biblical tenets that he carries with him throughout his life. All slaveowners may not have been Simon Legree, but this doesn't mean that the Simon Legrees were nonexistent, even in the early days of the United States.
Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that in spite of a few early protests, Amos accepts his fate willingly, and shows no desire to see the rest of his family again. He wants to be free, but turns down a number of opportunities that would have afforded him freedom, and he doesn't attempt to run away. In regards to his past, there is no real description of African culture or societal structure. The reader's main introduction to Amos (or rather, Ath-mun's) pre-American home is through a jungle celebration with eating and dancing, as well as a "barbaric" custom that Amos saves his sister from. Not once is their culture viewed as being equal in status to that of the Europeans.
This book still has relevance as an historical document that presents a distorted view of an important historical event. It does seem disturbing that this won an award as one of the best examples of children's literature. I can't help but think about the schoolchildren who read this book and enjoyed it as fact, and the effect that it may have had on them. show less

I loved this book! I got it more than two years ago, and picked it up at one time wanting to read it, but didn’t actually sit down to properly read it until just lately. I wish I had taken the time earlier! Though this is a middle-grade book, it’s one that all ages could enjoy.

I think one of the parts I enjoyed the most was the historical portion of the story. There isn’t a lot, but the author did an excellent job capturing a picture of what it was like to live in rural America during show more the early-mid 1800s. I feel like that’s a part of history that is often missed—usually, it seems like we skip from the American Revolution to the Civil War pretty quick—but this book is set in a part of that gap. I enjoyed that aspect!

The other part of the story I appreciated is that a deaf character is the main character in the story. I find it fascinating to try to see things through other people’s eyes, and this book was great that way. It’s also a good Christian story, showing how love and care and a little bit of hard work can go a long way. An enjoyable book, recommended, and would be great for any readers between the ages of 8-14! I know I would have loved it when I was that age! show less

Little Sarah wanders away from her family's cabin into the New Hampshire forest, and settlers come from all across the countryside to help find her. As the long days pass, the searchers grow desperate, but Sarah's father's trust in God holds firm. Based on a true incident.