Idgie Says:
I will start off by saying that I argue the age group for this book. Sentences such as this - "He had to uncross his legs thinking about how she excited him with intimate delights so soon after he showed interest in her." - lead me to feel that the age should be more toward the older end of the spectrum. This book has a lot of sexual tension wrapped around the story of the Revolutionary War.
This is the type of book that I do think grabs a young reader - it subversively educates while wrapping the education in a fictional story the keeps a younger reader interested. I enjoy books that sneak knowledge into their lives. :)
There is the conundrum of whether the story itself is too adult for younger readers, but combined with the fact that the younger reader is the one generally learning about this time in history and should have a interesting book to help educate them - what to do?
I suggest parents read through it first and make their own decisions.
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Inspired by the 21 graves of unknown Continental soldiers who died at the site of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River, TWENTY-ONE HEROES pays tribute to these anonymous heroes by capturing the essence of their experiences during the Revolutionary War.
Outspoken Katherine is the rebellious, impassioned, beautiful daughter of a shopkeeper who supports the patriot cause with conviction, intelligence, and poise. She inspires the respect of many and the affections of two college students—Ezra, a quiet and studious young man who plans to become a doctor; and the charming, jovial, carefree Joshua. A mutual attraction ignites between Katherine and Ezra, but when war separates them, Katherine and Joshua grow closer. Torn between the two men, she struggles to appease her desires and realize her true feelings.
Blending historical facts with personal intimacies and modern sensibilities, Forman creates an engaging tale of young Americans becoming adults during a time of revolution and war. Readers take a front seat to history as the Battles of Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Quebec, and Trenton unfold on these pages. Legendary figures, such as George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Samuel Adams, and Joseph Warren, frame the story in a historical context, while giving insight into the thoughts and minds of the coming-of-age Americans they inspired.
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An historian, educator, and frequent lecturer, Sam A. Forman is the president of Oak and Ivy Health Systems, Inc. and a visiting scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. He is the author of the definitive biography, Dr. Joseph Warren: The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty. TWENTY-ONE HEROES is Forman’s first work of fiction and his first writing intended for a young adult readership.
Please visit http://www.drjosephwarren.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/