Skip to main content

The journey of little Charlie


By: Christopher Paul Curtis
New York : Scholastic Press, 2018. Fiction, p. 234

The journey of little Charlie was indeed a journey of epic proportions. You as the reader catch a small glimpse into our history and what it would be like to be a slave in 1850 America. Little Charlie, the son of a poor white sharecropper, is forced to accompany one of the meanest overseers in South Carolina on a journey, in order to pay off his father's debt.  For all intents and purposes he and Cap'n Buck are going to travel to Detroit Michigan to retrieve three run away slaves who escaped 10 years ago and bring them back. But once little Charlie meets them he learns how much they are like him, except for the color of their skin, and he knows he would be responsible for their enslavement. He is faced with a choice: survival, or a guilty conscience. 

I really enjoyed this book and the character of Charlie Bobo was very real and easy to relate to. The dialect in the book did make it a little challenging at times but it also is what added to the character's voice. It's a book that faces some difficult cruelties but does so in true Christopher Paul Curtis style.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 

From Story Time: The Letter "B"

From Monday Book Babies Bird, Balloon, Bear By Il Sung Na Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.  Picture Book. Bird is new to the forest, and he’s looking for a friend. Bear could use a friend, too. But Bird is too shy to introduce himself. Just as he musters the courage to say hello . . . it’s too late! Bear has already found a friend: a bright, shiny red balloon. Has Bird missed his chance?  From the acclaimed Il Sung Na comes a charming and beautifully illustrated story about courage, kindness, and friendship.  --Publisher From Monday Cuentos El primer dĆ­a de un colegio Texto de Adam Rex Ilustraciones de Christian Robinson Traducción de Teresa Mlawer Editorial Corimbo, 2017.  Spanish Picture Book. Aquel verano, cuando terminaron de construir la escuela Frederick Douglass, el edificio comenzó a hacerse muchas preguntas: ¿CuĆ”l serĆ” mi destino? ¿QuiĆ©n vivirĆ” entre mis paredes? ¿Para quĆ© me utilizarĆ”n? AtravĆ©s de sus conversaciones con el conserje y t...

If You Like...Dungeons and Dragons

Great news for adventurous, imaginative tweens: we are starting a Dungeons & Dragons program! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are invited to join a tabletop role playing quest in the Story Room on Monday September 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. All experience levels are welcome. Registration opens on September 1 at 9:00AM. In the meantime, here are some books to inspire your upcoming campaign!  The Lionharts Written and Illustrated by Mike Lawrence New York : Abrams Fanfare, 2026. J Comic. 233 pages. The Lionhart family is in the business of adventuring. Alder and Flynt are desperate to be included in the dragon-fighting and monster-slaying quests. When their parents Lenna and Gerard go missing after accepting a mysterious job, the boys set out to save them, soon followed by their famous questing Grammy and Baba to help keep Alder and Flynt out of trouble. The journey brings challenges and opportunities, magic and mystery, but it also reveals a troubling family secret that threatens to tear th...