Awards

• Short-listed for William Allen White Childens Book Award (Grades 6-8) 2011

Overview

Riveting historical fiction from a debut novelist about the friendship that grows between two young indentured servants, one of them Irish, as they struggle to survive their harsh master in nineteenth century New England. It is 1839, Nine-year-old Ethan does not want to work for Mr. Lyman, the wealthy shopkeeper in their small Massachusetts' town. But Ethan has no choice--it is the only way to pay off his family's debt to the man. Ethan tries to befriend the Lymans' other indentured servant, but Daniel, as everyone says, is a difficult boy. Sixteen years old, Irish, and moody, Daniel brushes off Ethan as if he were a pesky gnat. Ethan resolves to ignore the brusque older boy, but is then shocked to see how cruelly Mr. Lyman's blows, and the two boys have only each other. Will Ethan be able to save his friend? And will others finally have the courage to do what is right for this not-so-difficult boy?

Full Product Details

9780823420865

Table of Contents

Reviews

Historical detail illuminate...absorbing. Readers will cheer.

Historical detail illuminate...absorbing.

Readers will cheer. Historical detail illuminate...absorbing.

Author Information

For nearly ten years, M. P. Barker worked as a costumed historical interpreter at Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. She got a firsthand taste of nineteenth century New England rural life by milking cows, mucking out barns, and doing other tasks which helped her bring realism and immediacy to ""A Difficult Boy's setting and characters."" For nine years, M. P. Barker has been an archivist at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum. She has more than two decades of experience as a historian, archivist, and writer.

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