Our teen book spotlight this week is all about going back to some of my New England roots. On the third Monday of April every year, there is a regional holiday called Patriots’ Day--it is to mark the occasions of the Battles of Lexington and Concord which are seen to be the start of the Revolutionary War. It is also when the Boston Marathon is traditionally run (which is one of the hardest 26.2 mile courses to run in the world) and the Boston Red Sox always play a late morning home game at Fenway Park so as the Marathon runners are going by, they can hear the amazing sounds of baseball. So, in honor of this day, our theme for this week is all about the Revolutionary War!!! We have a great mixture of historical fiction and nonfiction; some exploring the causes while others focus on specific people and events (and maybe some you have never heard about before). These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #ya1776 as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new teen book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer--Presents a historical account of the assassination attempt against George Washington, orchestrated by New York Governor William Tryon with the backing of the British in the months leading up to the July 4 declaration of independence. Discusses the creation of Life Guards--soldiers hired to protect Washington--some of whom were in on the plot and a counter intelligence agency that eventually uncovered the plot.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson--Upon their mistress' death, Isabel and her sister, Ruth, are supposed to be freed. A willfully misguided handling of the will sends Isabel and Ruth to the Locktons, a Loyalist couple in New York City who have vital information about British forces. Encouraged by a fellow slave, Isabel spies for the rebels -- providing the Patriot army with British secrets in exchange for her and her sister's freedom.
Give Me Liberty by L.M. Elliott--Follows the life of thirteen-year-old Nathaniel Dunn, from May 1774 to December 1775, as he serves his indentureship with a music teacher in Williamsburg, Virginia, and witnesses the growing rift between patriots and loyalists, culminating in the American Revolution.
Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen--During the American Revolution, Sam, a 13-year-old skilled hunter and "woods runner," must use his knowledge of the Pennsylvania forest when British soldiers -- with the help of Iroquois -- ransack his colony and take his parents as prisoners. When Sam sets out to find and rescue them, he encounters peril at every turn, from Hessian soldiers to a native with a tomahawk. Though he fully realizes the brutality of the war, Sam finds comfort in knowing that he and other men and women are supporting the patriot cause.
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin--Hero or traitor? Although most know Benedict Arnold as America’s first traitor, he also was the new country's greatest war hero. This biography filled with action and adventure describes Arnold's illustrious battle career, his formation of America's first naval fleet and finally his failed plot with British Major John Andre that resulted in Arnold's dishonor.
The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson--This Revolution-era novel tells the story of Octavian, a young black youth raised in a Boston household of radical philosophers and scientists. As Octavian gets older he realizes that he and his mother, an African princess, are actually slaves kept as part of an experiment to determine the intelligence of Africans. When Octavian's mother dies of smallpox, he runs away, joins the Revolutionary Army, is recaptured by his masters, and eventually escapes once again with help from one of his teachers.