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summervl's review
5.0
A beautiful and very sad story based on a shameful chapter of American history. It has echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird.
megmccuis's review
4.0
I have so much love for everything Gary Schmidt writes. In each of his books there are passages that make me hold my breath (the whales!). He always manages to turn tragedy into something beautiful. His tragedy grips you. This one was no exception.
This book covers a story of a piece of history I’d never known. It’s a bit heavy for a kid’s book, but also so important.
This book covers a story of a piece of history I’d never known. It’s a bit heavy for a kid’s book, but also so important.
mary00's review
4.0
Another awesome book by Gary Schmidt. A sad, but hopeful, coming of age novel, set in the early 20th century in a seaside town dealing with race and economic issues. Gary Schmidt is one of the the best, if not THE best, writers for young adults today. I will read anything he writes.
lifebetweenwords's review
4.0
Oh boy. Gary Schmidt. I thought maybe Orbiting Jupiter was his most tragic book...but no. In terms of sadness and tragedy, this one throws that one out of the water. And I was not expecting that. I thought going in that it was going to be a sweet story of a summertime friendship taking place at the turn of the century - and it is in part, but if that's how I were to actually describe the book to someone...well, I'd be lying. That description hardly says *anything* about the book. Because it's not actually very sweet. Lizzie and Turner do have a sweet friendship, but it's one where everything swirling around it is full of pain and strife and hardship and turmoil. I don't have any idea why I thought that this book would be without any of those harder themes; Gary Schmidt always deals with turmoil of some sort in his books. They always feel real. But this one was *especially* frought. Not that that's a bad thing. It was brilliant in every respect. The book isn't long but it packs a huge punch and it is so beautifully written - as I've come to expect from Gary. I loved it. Of course, there's always a silver lining, so I don't want to give the impression that it's all sadness. But ultimately, I was left broken-hearted.
mrskatiefitz's review
3.0
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
It is 1912, and Turner Buckminster and his parents have come to Phippsburg, Maine, so that his father, Reverend Buckminster, can begin to serve as the town's minister. Turner instantly hates Phippsburg, especially compared with his former home of Boston, and he resents the very high and unreasonable expectations the townspeople have for the behavior of a minister's son. When he meets Lizzie, a young girl living on nearby Malaga Island, he feels that he has found a kindred spirit, even though Lizzie is black and Turner is white. Unfortunately, the people of Phippsburg feel that the interracial community on Malaga Island is an undue burden on their town, and they want Reverend Buckminster to help them drive its residents out. Caught between loyalty to his father and his convictions about right and wrong, Turner struggles to do all he can to save his friend and her community.
This fascinating novel, which received Printz and Newbery Honors in 2005, explores the true story of a real time and place, in which the ugliness of prejudice and hatred served to destroy an entire community. Though author Gary Schmidt has taken some liberties with the timeline to suit his story (all of which are pointed out and explained in the author's note), he has remained true to the emotions of the situation and has done a wonderful job of conveying Turner's feelings of frustration and profound sadness. Turner himself is the main reason to read this book, as he is utterly believable and sympathetic and keeps the reader in suspense with his willingness to flout what is expected of him and put himself in danger repeatedly.
Unfortunately, the friendship which is meant to be the heart of this story does not ring true. The interactions between Lizzie and Turner feel forced and contrived, and their friendship itself really only becomes interesting when others begin to react to it. Turner is such a well-developed character that Lizzie falls flat by comparison, and it feels, at times, that she is being used merely as a storytelling tool and not developed as a character in her own right. I also had a hard time remembering that Turner has a mother. Often, it is annoying when novels conveniently kill off parents to give their child characters more freedom, but this is one situation where the mother character seemed completely superfluous. I wish the author had given her something more to do besides occasionally suggest that Turner disobey his father.
This book reminds me a lot of two other historical Newbery novels. Because Turner spends much of his time playing the organ for an elderly woman obsessed with what her last words will be, and who will be there to hear them, I was constantly reminded of Dead End in Norvelt, wherein a young fictionalized Jack Gantos must assist an obituary writer. Turner and Jack are very similar main characters in general, as they are frequently at odds with their fathers and always under the scrutiny of their neighbors. The other book I kept thinking about was book 25 on my reading list for this project: The Witch of Blackbird Pond. There are many parallels between the way suspected witches are treated in Connecticut in Blackbird Pond and the way the Phippsburg natives view the island of Malaga. The abuse of religion is also a common theme in both novels.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is a worthwhile read, if only because it makes the reader aware of an historical event they might otherwise overlook, but because of its narrow focus on one specific place, it would be hard to tie into a larger unit of study. Therefore, it probably won't be much use to me as a homeschooler for anything other than supplemental or recreational reading.
It is 1912, and Turner Buckminster and his parents have come to Phippsburg, Maine, so that his father, Reverend Buckminster, can begin to serve as the town's minister. Turner instantly hates Phippsburg, especially compared with his former home of Boston, and he resents the very high and unreasonable expectations the townspeople have for the behavior of a minister's son. When he meets Lizzie, a young girl living on nearby Malaga Island, he feels that he has found a kindred spirit, even though Lizzie is black and Turner is white. Unfortunately, the people of Phippsburg feel that the interracial community on Malaga Island is an undue burden on their town, and they want Reverend Buckminster to help them drive its residents out. Caught between loyalty to his father and his convictions about right and wrong, Turner struggles to do all he can to save his friend and her community.
This fascinating novel, which received Printz and Newbery Honors in 2005, explores the true story of a real time and place, in which the ugliness of prejudice and hatred served to destroy an entire community. Though author Gary Schmidt has taken some liberties with the timeline to suit his story (all of which are pointed out and explained in the author's note), he has remained true to the emotions of the situation and has done a wonderful job of conveying Turner's feelings of frustration and profound sadness. Turner himself is the main reason to read this book, as he is utterly believable and sympathetic and keeps the reader in suspense with his willingness to flout what is expected of him and put himself in danger repeatedly.
Unfortunately, the friendship which is meant to be the heart of this story does not ring true. The interactions between Lizzie and Turner feel forced and contrived, and their friendship itself really only becomes interesting when others begin to react to it. Turner is such a well-developed character that Lizzie falls flat by comparison, and it feels, at times, that she is being used merely as a storytelling tool and not developed as a character in her own right. I also had a hard time remembering that Turner has a mother. Often, it is annoying when novels conveniently kill off parents to give their child characters more freedom, but this is one situation where the mother character seemed completely superfluous. I wish the author had given her something more to do besides occasionally suggest that Turner disobey his father.
This book reminds me a lot of two other historical Newbery novels. Because Turner spends much of his time playing the organ for an elderly woman obsessed with what her last words will be, and who will be there to hear them, I was constantly reminded of Dead End in Norvelt, wherein a young fictionalized Jack Gantos must assist an obituary writer. Turner and Jack are very similar main characters in general, as they are frequently at odds with their fathers and always under the scrutiny of their neighbors. The other book I kept thinking about was book 25 on my reading list for this project: The Witch of Blackbird Pond. There are many parallels between the way suspected witches are treated in Connecticut in Blackbird Pond and the way the Phippsburg natives view the island of Malaga. The abuse of religion is also a common theme in both novels.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is a worthwhile read, if only because it makes the reader aware of an historical event they might otherwise overlook, but because of its narrow focus on one specific place, it would be hard to tie into a larger unit of study. Therefore, it probably won't be much use to me as a homeschooler for anything other than supplemental or recreational reading.
kylita's review
5.0
A book so beautifully heart wrenching, written so lyrically you could scream! This book outlines a true event through the eyes of fictional characters, but you never would have known if you didn't read the author's note.
The setting of Maine is so palpable through Schmidt's writing, especially because the Maine breeze and fog often set the mood for the events happening in the book.
I would recommend this book to nearly everyone, as it is simply remarkable.
Oh hell, it's warm here. Get me a ginger ale.
The setting of Maine is so palpable through Schmidt's writing, especially because the Maine breeze and fog often set the mood for the events happening in the book.
I would recommend this book to nearly everyone, as it is simply remarkable.
Oh hell, it's warm here. Get me a ginger ale.
libscote's review
3.0
This book gave me...feelings. Rather strong ones. I thought it was depressing. Why do all these people have to die? I suppose it is historically accurate, but wow. I'm not sure I would have chosen to stay in Phippsburg. Also, it made me wonder, after having read some of this other books, if Schmidt isn't writing some version of the same thing over and over (which is not to say it is bad; quite the opposite: Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now are two of my favorites). However, all three seem to feature a dad that is kind of a jerk who somewhat reforms at the end, with a stoically sweet mom. There are crazy (in a good way) adults in the male children's lives who make them feel better, and a female sidekick turned potential love interest. Although this book did make me want to drive down the coast to Phippsburg, I was quite horrified by what actually happened on Malaga Island--bad Maine! This book wasn't as strong for me as his later works. Too depressing.