Rating: 
Summary: A Bland American Classic
Review: Esther Forbes' Johnny Tremain is a rather bland book. The novel failed to keep me interested. I was simply not compelled to read on. The several minor conflicts throughout the story were not exciting enough to keep the reader on the edge. As an avid reader of historical fiction based on the Revolutionary War, I must say I was very disappointed by the dullness of this American classic.
Rating: 
Summary: outstanding and wonderful!
Review: I have read this book twice and both times found it outstanding. It is not that i can't put this book down it is just that every time i pick it up i become totally involved in the book. Unlike some books it is very believeable and the characters seem true to life. Esther Forbes has a great talent for making you fell part of the scene and making characters you can relate to. I can't wait to see the movie and read her other book, Paul Revere. It may just be me but i think everyone will love this book.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: it was a great book i liked it ok proably because he was standding up for what he belived in.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, if...
Review: Every once in a while, an author publishes a really good book that actually has something to learn from it. Inevitably, teachers seize the oppurtunity and force kids to read it.I just came out of the 8th grade exhausted. My English class had spent over 6 months on Johnny Tremain! My teacher practically ripped the book apart, so that every single one of her students could recite the 47 themes in Chapter 5 (such as a routine to to the well actually being a lifelong journey of hope). This teacher had been using Johnny Tremain so long, she could actually RECITE THE FIRST CHAPTER! And the chapters are not very small at all. Anyway, after school was over, I picked up my copy again. I was hooked. It was actually fun reading the book when I didn't have to note the conflicts between Johnny and Rab in Chapter 9. The story is very well written, and it teaches important lessons about life today as well as in the 18th century. My only gripe is that it seems that Esther Forbes tried to write a book that was pretty much a compilation of every other coming of age story. People don't have "growing up realizations", girl troubles, freindship disputes, family trouble, a burnt hand, and a national revolution all in the same week!
Rating:
Summary: A Book With a Soul
Review: How anyone could rate this book under five stars is a mystery to me! It had a soul--when I read it I was transported back to the 18th century with Johnny and Rab. I could feel the thrill of fighting for such a noble cause as freedom, a new country about to be born... I loved this book! After a terrible accident, Jonathan Lyte Tremain can never do the handiwork required of a silversmith again, so he sets off in search of a new place for himself. He finds it at a printers shop along with adventure and excitement. Johnny uncovers some interesting information of his mysterious past, learns that pride comes before the fall and about friendship, and plays a huge roll in the patriotic movement. I definately recomend this book--after reading it I was tempted to start right over again!
Rating:
Summary: Gives intersting look at the Revolution and apprentices
Review: I read this book later in life than most, having not been required to read it in grammar school, and found it an interesting read. The book does an good job of portraying 18th century Boston and the lives of apprentices. The book is also interesting for its ability to cast the hero as one who is disabled for a large portion of the story and his struggles to deal with his new found limitations. Of course the highlight of the book must be the description of the British march on Lexington in Concord that began a Revolution that would eventually result in a new nation being born. I recommend this book to those who enjoy historically based fiction based on the events surrounding the American Revolution.
Rating:
Summary: Often Maligned But A Good Read!
Review: This book is often viewed with contempt by younger readers who happen to have it as assigned reading for school. Read for pleasure though and the book is not too bad. I really enjoyed the book's descriptions of Boston and the activities of the Whigs. The story of the lead character also gives an interesting glimpse into the life of apprentice workers during the pre-Revolution. This novel also does well with historical accuracy considering that it is written for younger readers and that much of the best research on the American Revolution wasn't available on a wide scale till after 1975. The historical backdrop for the story contributes greatly to the reader's interest as well. I recommend this book as an interesting read and for good entertainment value.
Rating:
Summary: JOHNNY TREMAIN
Review: I read this book aloud to my eleven year old daughter, because I knew she would never read it on her own (not her type of book). After about half way through she didn't want me stop reading. She became involved in the characters, their emotions, their conflicts. She also became aware of the different treatment of people - men vs boys, men vs women, rich vs poor, free vs slave. Having started to read this around the 4th of July, she also became much more aware of the real meaning of patriotism. It was a wonderful book!
Rating:
Summary: One of My Favorites!
Review: I use this book as a novel study with my fifth grade students, and every year it is a favorite. The kids get so emotionally involved in Johnny's world, and they come to see the important figures of the Revolution (Paul Revere, Sam Adams, James Otis, etc.) as their personal friends, not just names in a Social Studies book. This year I took my class on a trip to Boston, and they were thrilled to see the places Johnny saw. The book is challenging reading, but it is worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: Almost as good as a Charles Dickens novel!
Review: I'm fifteen and I love books that have plenty of lose strings along the way and then get all tied up in the end! Well that is just the kind of book Johnny Tremain is. I loved it! It is written in such a way that keeps you from geting bored! So many twists and turns in the story, its just a wonderful book! I will say one thing, that I would have had a different ending, but otherwise it's a book I'll never regret buying! I really recommend it.
| 
