Charlie Bobo's father works as a share-cropper in the deep south in the early 1800's. When his father dies in a freak accident, Charlie is pressed into service to help the slave catcher from a nearby plantation hunt down three slaves that escaped North ten years earlier. Charlie is big for his age, but is terrified of Cap'n Buck and goes along at first. When he is faced with the reality of what Buck wants to do, he has to make a decision about who he is and what he wants for his future.This book is set in the same story line as Elijah of Buxton and the Madman of Piney Wood, but works just fine as a stand-alone as well. I liked Elijah of Buxton a lot, and I liked The Madman of Piney Wood pretty well. This one was harder to get through. I almost gave up half way through because the character of Cap'n Buck is so despicable. I just didn't want to spend that much time reading about how nasty he is. I stuck it out, and the ending helped me feel better about the book as a whole. This book already has five starred reviews and is sure to be on all the Newbery lists come Fall. One reason, I believe, is because of Curtis' mastery both the southern and northern cultures and dialects. The reader feels like he/she totally understands what life is like for Charlie and the people he meets. I listened to the book on CD, and the reader also does a fantastic job with both the characterizations and the language. (234 p. 2018)
No comments:
Post a Comment