Harlow, Joan Hiatt. Midnight rider.HARLOW, Joan Hiatt. Midnight rider. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. , Aladdin. 372p. map. c2005. 0-689-87010-8. $5.99. J This is a Johnny Tremain-like story for girls who like horses. A few years before 1776, in Boston, a 14-year-old girl from Salem becomes an indentured servant An indentured servant (also called a bonded laborer) is a labourer under contract of the employer in exchange for an extension to the period of their indenture, which could thereby continue indefinitely (normally it would be for seven years). in the home of General Gage and his family. (Gage was the most powerful British representative in Boston.) Hannah loves her horse Promise above all else. Her terrible aunt sells Promise to the family next door, but the boy (Will) who now owns the horse fortunately honors Hannah's devotion to Promise and stays in contact even when Hannah is in nearby Boston. Will starts working as a courier for the Minutemen minutemen, in the American Revolution, colonial militiamen or armed citizens who agreed to turn out for service at a minute's notice. The term minutemen , riding Promise from town to town carrying messages. Disguised as a boy, Hannah sneaks out of the Gage's household to ride Promise through Boston Common
Boston Common is a popular public park in Boston, Massachusetts. Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. Its area is 50 acres (202,000 m²). when she can, even when the British troops are camping there. Her sympathies are with those who want freedom from Britain, but frankly she is more concerned about her own life and her horse. A 15-year-old girl in the Gage household named Meg gets Hannah as her personal servant and the girls conspire con·spire v. con·spired, con·spir·ing, con·spires v.intr. 1. To plan together secretly to commit an illegal or wrongful act or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action. 2. to not reveal their secrets to the Gages. Meg is sneaking off to spend time with a British officer. But that isn't the last of the secrets in the household: could Mrs. Gage, an American, be spying on the British, working for the American patriots? This story will basically appeal to horse-lovers, who will absorb a bit of American history in the process. It would be a good selection for middle schools, especially where there is a curriculum on the American Revolution American Revolution, 1775–83, struggle by which the Thirteen Colonies on the Atlantic seaboard of North America won independence from Great Britain and became the United States. It is also called the American War of Independence. . Claire Rosser, KLIATT J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. |
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