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laughing_penguin's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent book that follows Marguerite (Maggie), a "Bound-Out" girl from France, through 2 years with the Sargent's (the family she's serving). The book starts with the family's journey from the settled port of Marblehead to wild lands along the northern coast of Maine. The experiences of Marguerite are described so well it almost seems that you are there. An excellent read for children and adults alike.
[b:Calico Bush|402127|Calico Bush|Rachel Field|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174447595s/402127.jpg|324279][b:Calico Bush|402127|Calico Bush|Rachel Field|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174447595s/402127.jpg|324279] was a Newbery Honor Book, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and was listed as one of "Thirty Twentieth-Century Children's Books Every Adult Should Know" by The Horn Book Magazine in 1968.
[b:Calico Bush|402127|Calico Bush|Rachel Field|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174447595s/402127.jpg|324279][b:Calico Bush|402127|Calico Bush|Rachel Field|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174447595s/402127.jpg|324279] was a Newbery Honor Book, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and was listed as one of "Thirty Twentieth-Century Children's Books Every Adult Should Know" by The Horn Book Magazine in 1968.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
5.0
In 1743, Marguerite is an indentured servant to a colonial family settling in the middle of Indian territory on the coast of Maine. Because she is French, she is scorned and ridiculed by her English employers, and is expected to work hard to tend to the children of the family. During their first winter on the small farm, Marguerite and the family struggle to survive in the harsh conditions, and face the threat of an attack from local tribes.
I was so enchanted with this book! The plot is interesting, the history is fascinating, and the characters feel wonderfully real and honest. It's no wonder that this book won a Newbery Honor Award!
Marguerite is an excellent main character. Even though she is a simple servant girl, she has her own little dreams. She is incredibly brave and intelligent, proving her worth to her employers and winning the hearts of the children she cares for. And yet, she is quite humble and sweet.
The most heart-wrenching moments are when she is mocked for her French ways by the English people she serves. They are sometimes inclusive with her and praise her for her good deeds, but at other times, they ridicule her for having different manners and ways than they do. I have experienced this cultural difference for most of my life, feeling out of place among people from another culture. Marguerite's experiences with culture shock felt real and true, and added a lot of depth to her story.
I loved the plot, which reminded me strongly on the Little House on the Prairie books, with hunting, fishing, building a log cabin, making maple syrup candy, spinning wool, and making quilts. For much of the book, they are just trying to survive each day, and then there are also bigger moments of action with threats from wildlife, storms, and the Indians. It definitely kept my interest through every page!
Trigger Warning: There is a scene where a baby is injured and dies. It's heart-breaking, and might be too emotional for young readers.
I was so enchanted with this book! The plot is interesting, the history is fascinating, and the characters feel wonderfully real and honest. It's no wonder that this book won a Newbery Honor Award!
Marguerite is an excellent main character. Even though she is a simple servant girl, she has her own little dreams. She is incredibly brave and intelligent, proving her worth to her employers and winning the hearts of the children she cares for. And yet, she is quite humble and sweet.
The most heart-wrenching moments are when she is mocked for her French ways by the English people she serves. They are sometimes inclusive with her and praise her for her good deeds, but at other times, they ridicule her for having different manners and ways than they do. I have experienced this cultural difference for most of my life, feeling out of place among people from another culture. Marguerite's experiences with culture shock felt real and true, and added a lot of depth to her story.
I loved the plot, which reminded me strongly on the Little House on the Prairie books, with hunting, fishing, building a log cabin, making maple syrup candy, spinning wool, and making quilts. For much of the book, they are just trying to survive each day, and then there are also bigger moments of action with threats from wildlife, storms, and the Indians. It definitely kept my interest through every page!
Trigger Warning: There is a scene where a baby is injured and dies. It's heart-breaking, and might be too emotional for young readers.
tealmango's review against another edition
3.0
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-review-calico-bush/
The main character of this book, Maggie, gives the reader a window into early colonial life, complete with all its hardships. You’ll read about indentured servants, harsh weather, illness, death, and conflict with Native Americans (remember that this book was written in 1932, and thus has all the insensitivity you would expect from a book of that time). Although I don’t remember being traumatized by this book as a child, it is definitely for a middle grades audience.
Books like these are why I still count myself a fan of historical fiction, even though I find most adult historical fiction novels a bit dry. I would love to read this book again someday and refresh my memories of it.
The main character of this book, Maggie, gives the reader a window into early colonial life, complete with all its hardships. You’ll read about indentured servants, harsh weather, illness, death, and conflict with Native Americans (remember that this book was written in 1932, and thus has all the insensitivity you would expect from a book of that time). Although I don’t remember being traumatized by this book as a child, it is definitely for a middle grades audience.
Books like these are why I still count myself a fan of historical fiction, even though I find most adult historical fiction novels a bit dry. I would love to read this book again someday and refresh my memories of it.
triscuit807's review against another edition
5.0
This an historical novel set in 1743 Maine. Marguerit Ledoux is a 12-13 yr old bound-out girl, ie. an indentured servant to be freed at 18, who was "bought" from a poor house by the Sargent family to help them as they move from Marblehead to a homestead in the forests of Maine. It's a largish family, Dolly and Joel and his brother Ira, their children Caleb (13-14), the twins Becky and Susan (6), Patty (4), Jacob (3), and the baby Debbie. She has a dress and a pair of shoes, and mementos of her uncle and grandmother both of whom died on arrival in the New World. Being French and Catholic is an additional hurdle for her to overcome. Written in 1931 this is a very even-handed account of colonial life over the course of one year. It touches on British colonization and conflict with the French and Indians. I read this for my Newbery challenge and for my 2017 Reading Challenge "a title that doesn't contain the letter 'e'" (Read 52).
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
3.0
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
Calico Bush is the story of Marguerite, a French immigrant to the United States who is orphaned soon after her arrival. With no family to look after her, she becomes a bound out girl, contracted to the Sargent family for six years. As the Sargents work to settle their homestead in the Maine wilderness, under threat of violence from local American Indians, Marguerite, called Maggie, does her best to blend into the family and be of use to them, while also trying to remain true to her heritage.
I had a very frustrating time reading this book. My husband loved it and insisted that I read it, but I kept pausing every 30 pages or so and asking when something was going to happen. Lots of things almost happen, but then the author backs away from them, which made me feel like I was being strung along but never rewarded. When something finally does happen, it's a terrible tragedy involving a young baby that is so unspeakably sad, it feels like a punishment. I had a really hard time connecting with Marguerite, and I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who among the other characters. Only Aunt Hepsa, the wise, elderly neighbor who takes a special liking to Maggie stands out, and that is really only because of her quirkiness.
This book reminded a lot of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which I also didn't enjoy that much, so this may just be a matter of personal preference regarding stories set in colonial New England. I can't say there was anything wrong with the writing, or the storytelling, or even the characterizations. This book just did not click with me, no matter how hard I tried.
Calico Bush is the story of Marguerite, a French immigrant to the United States who is orphaned soon after her arrival. With no family to look after her, she becomes a bound out girl, contracted to the Sargent family for six years. As the Sargents work to settle their homestead in the Maine wilderness, under threat of violence from local American Indians, Marguerite, called Maggie, does her best to blend into the family and be of use to them, while also trying to remain true to her heritage.
I had a very frustrating time reading this book. My husband loved it and insisted that I read it, but I kept pausing every 30 pages or so and asking when something was going to happen. Lots of things almost happen, but then the author backs away from them, which made me feel like I was being strung along but never rewarded. When something finally does happen, it's a terrible tragedy involving a young baby that is so unspeakably sad, it feels like a punishment. I had a really hard time connecting with Marguerite, and I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who among the other characters. Only Aunt Hepsa, the wise, elderly neighbor who takes a special liking to Maggie stands out, and that is really only because of her quirkiness.
This book reminded a lot of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which I also didn't enjoy that much, so this may just be a matter of personal preference regarding stories set in colonial New England. I can't say there was anything wrong with the writing, or the storytelling, or even the characterizations. This book just did not click with me, no matter how hard I tried.
luann's review
4.0
This book was a favorite when I was growing up, yet I eventually forgot the title. I always associated it with "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" since the storylines are similar - and I probably first read them around the same time. I tried several times to search for it online, but couldn't remember the author or title. I finally found it a few weeks ago by searching online lists of "If you liked The Witch of Blackbird Pond" and then reading a synopsis of any title I didn't recognize. The title "Calico Bush" didn't ring a bell, but when I read the synopsis, I knew I had found it. I just reread it and enjoyed it a lot! A wonderful work of historical fiction - although I think Field could have chosen a more memorable title. :)
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