<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Silent Thunder , A review by Lisa C.
Review: This book tells of an exciting adventure about a 12-year-old slave, Summer, and her 13-year-old brother, Roscoe. They find out from a wise old slave named Thea, that everyone has a "silent thunder." Summer wants to learn how to read,which is forbidden, but Roscoe is still teaching her. Roscoe, along with his friend Clem, wants to run off to war. When their slave master becomes sick, they all have to come together to keep everything running. Then, when Missy Claire, the slave master's wife, has her brother come, Roscoe and Clem run away. The women are at a party, serving, and they don't find out until later. This book tells of an exciting adventure, even though I thought some parts moved along slow.
Rating: 
Summary: A novel about slavery during the Civil War
Review: A beautifully written book which is flawed by poor fact checking. Written in diary form, the diary entries are dated 1862 and mention battles (Vicksburg,1863, for instance) that did not happen until after the Emancipation Proclamation, which is the final scene in the book. Everything about the story is engaging. The characters are complex and the setting is beautifully described. But the chronology of the war is totally skewed. I am surprised that an award-winning writer and a large publishing house like Hyperion would not have caught such glaring factual errors. There is a wonderful bibliography at the end; unfortunately no civil war history sources are cited.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Historical Fiction
Review: Although this historical novel has engaging characters, the whole premise of the book is historically inaccurate. If the story had taken place in 1863 instead of 1862, then the desire of Rosco to become a Union soldier might have been more credible. How could editors not check basic facts such as when Black solders were recruited for the Union Army and the date of the Battle of Vicksburg? I am mystified by the necessity of Rosco to travel by the Underground Railroad when Northern Virginia was full of Union troops. In 1862, American Americans who escaped from their masters fled to the protection of the Union Army where they became Contraband of War. Some of the contrabands subsequently became Union soldiers. Why would a slave go to Pennsylvania when it was a short trip to Union lines? I question the branding of the the Parnell slaves. Parnell is not portrayed as inhuman and at the time of the Civil War, branding was considered an atrocity. Felons, escaped slaves, or army deserters might be branded, but it seems unlikely in the story as presented. I also wondered about the geography of the book. From the map, bodies for a medical college at Winchester would have to be transported a long distance during wartime. It is upsetting that the book could receive good reviews from a number of prominent reviewers when it is so inaccurate. I am concerned that a story like this does more harm for children than good. In Virginia, we have Standards of Learning tests where children must know accurate history. They will not learn it from Silent Thunder.
Rating: 
Summary: Still a powerful novel
Review: As the editor of SILENT THUNDER, I thank the careful reader who posted the comment below. I am of course very unhappy about the chronological error in this novel, especially since Andrea Pinkney is a meticulous researcher who double-checked the accuracy of even the smallest details. Alas, editors, fact-checkers, and authors are human, and although we do our best, on rare occasion errors do slip by.The novel is being fact-checked and vetted again, and we will correct the error in future printings. As for the lack of Civil War history sources the reader mentions, this puzzles me. There are several cited in Ms. Pinkney's bibliography, including LIKE MEN OF WAR: Black Troops in the Civil War by Noah Andre Trudeau. I hope that readers will seek out this powerful, beautifully written book about the triumph of the spirit in the most inhumane of circumstances. The novel's excellent reviews, its presence on the New York Public Library's Best Books list, and its citation as a American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists" are all a testament to the strength and appeal of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Silent Thunder
Review: I read Silent Thunder. I thought it was a great book. Because you can learn about war and how most slaves got free. I think everyone who wants to learn about slaves and how to people got free. This book is based on a real story about a boy that is around 13 and an unidentified girl. I recommend it to kids around the age of 10 to 14.I think others that like civil war stories then take a peek or you should read it if you want a great and interesting book about action, thrill and sadness. If you want all of that stuff then you should read this great book.
Rating: 
Summary: A book I couldn't put down
Review: Searching for a book in my school's library. I did what anyone kid would do randomly picked a book of the shelf. It wasn't like what I thought it would be. I felt like I was in the book. I love how Andrea Davis portrays the characters, it really does make them seem real. The author really did her job on researching the facts for this book. She gave the characters such vivid description I felt like I knew them. It was creatively written. It was definetely a book I couldn't put down!
Rating:
Summary: Compelling and uplifting
Review: This book compellingly and convincingly creates the experienceof living under slavery and will deepen the ability of readers toimagine and understand some of the implications of that experience. The story is suspensefully told, and its turns and surprises will touch and move the reader. While the plot is borne by a backdrop of historic events, it is the humanity and the individual characters that are most important--the book shines with compassion, toward white characters as well as black. A complex and rewarding novel that fills the reader both with terrible sadness at the inhumanity that is part of our country's history and deep respect and admiration for those who were able to survive and transcend it.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorites
Review: This is one of my favorite books. I enjoy reading stories written from the perspective of children slaves. I liked the fact that she kept learning to read. She did what she knew she had the right to do and didn't let other people hold her down. This is a good book on the strength of the human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Civil Silence
Review: This story tells about a brother and sister growing up during the time of the civil war. Read this book to see life from a slave childs perspective during war.
Rating:
Summary: My Thoughts of Silent Thunder
Review: Well...what all of those other people are saying isn't true...if you are a 14 year old girl like me...i was assigned to chose any civil war book to do a book report on...looking at how short this one was and how big the words were...i started reading and it seemed every time i read, i hated the book more and more...now i am a procrastinator so when it was two days before the due date and i had only read about 70 out of 208 pgs, i knew i had better get reading...i really thought this book was a good explanation of what slave children went through (if they had kind owners)...but when i read it i realized that certain facts were only brought up a few times and you never heard anything else about them, like the fact that Rosco wanted to enlist in the army...all in all, if i had to read a civil war story again...i'd choose this one!!! Certain people have badmouthed this book and i think that should not be allowed. From what I have learned about the Civil War, all this information seems pretty accurate so shut people...you have no right to say such things. If there were mistakes, then I'm sure it was an accident... GOD, please forgive those horrid people for being so incentive toward this book...you created all men/women and their faults for a purpose.
<< 1 >>
|
