halschrieve's review against another edition
3.0
Essentially, this book felt like a previously-unseen volume in the Dear America series I loved when I was seven, but watered down, with less impetus to address the real horrors that underlie so much of American history. The Kirkus review it received, which threw out phrases like "history before it was written by the victors" et cetera, made me believe that this short middle-grade book about the Pacific Northwest would undertake some serious reckoning with Indigenous genocide, human trafficking, or misogyny. In practice, all it can manage is a weak-willed critique of Asa Mercer, a basic acknowledgement that indigenous Seattlites exist, and a little discussion of labor abuses.
The plot, which follows young Jane with her stepmother as she journeys on a steamship to Seattle and finds a new stepfather, essentially validates the white settlers that displaced indigenous people. The white settlers are hopeful, desperate, and eager to make a positive change, to hear Coats tell it. The motivations that Jane's stepmother has for moving are plausible and sympathetic, and I will allow that they are pretty realistic to boot. However, the book avoids any acknowledgement that there were labor movements on the East Coast attempting to reckon with the fallout of the Civil War in ways besides moving out West. It also really doesn't discuss Reconstruction, racism, or slavery, which is profoundly odd to me, given Jane's keen awareness of the Civil War's battles.
As a character, Jane is plucky, but not pluckier than Our Only May Amelia, Sarah Plain And Tall, or Anne of Greene Gables, and she does not endure anything particularly difficult. I have a hard time believing that this book is more interesting than a narrative of an indigenous girl from Oregon or Washington from the same time period, or the narrative of a young Black soldier or cowboy in the West around the same time. Additionally, the portrait of Seattle that Coats paints is lackluster and doesn't address the social problems or public health issues --not to mention labor issues--that plagued the early timber and fishing industries.
While Jane starts learning Chinook as soon as she arrives in muddy Seattle, there are no characters belonging to the Duwamish people, or any of the primary tribes that lived around Seattle during the 1870s. There is absolutely no discussion of missons, battles, illness, or loss of land. This is extremely weak for a book released so recently.
Ultimately, this is a book that is fine. It is okay. But it doesn't do anything very new or unique. It is an adequate book to offer a child who is a history nerd and likes Seattle, but even that child will get a much more juicy, full vision of history from going on a Seattle Underground tour.
The plot, which follows young Jane with her stepmother as she journeys on a steamship to Seattle and finds a new stepfather, essentially validates the white settlers that displaced indigenous people. The white settlers are hopeful, desperate, and eager to make a positive change, to hear Coats tell it. The motivations that Jane's stepmother has for moving are plausible and sympathetic, and I will allow that they are pretty realistic to boot. However, the book avoids any acknowledgement that there were labor movements on the East Coast attempting to reckon with the fallout of the Civil War in ways besides moving out West. It also really doesn't discuss Reconstruction, racism, or slavery, which is profoundly odd to me, given Jane's keen awareness of the Civil War's battles.
As a character, Jane is plucky, but not pluckier than Our Only May Amelia, Sarah Plain And Tall, or Anne of Greene Gables, and she does not endure anything particularly difficult. I have a hard time believing that this book is more interesting than a narrative of an indigenous girl from Oregon or Washington from the same time period, or the narrative of a young Black soldier or cowboy in the West around the same time. Additionally, the portrait of Seattle that Coats paints is lackluster and doesn't address the social problems or public health issues --not to mention labor issues--that plagued the early timber and fishing industries.
While Jane starts learning Chinook as soon as she arrives in muddy Seattle, there are no characters belonging to the Duwamish people, or any of the primary tribes that lived around Seattle during the 1870s. There is absolutely no discussion of missons, battles, illness, or loss of land. This is extremely weak for a book released so recently.
Ultimately, this is a book that is fine. It is okay. But it doesn't do anything very new or unique. It is an adequate book to offer a child who is a history nerd and likes Seattle, but even that child will get a much more juicy, full vision of history from going on a Seattle Underground tour.
bookishpuzzler's review
4.0
Jane is a great role model and her story is well told. I highly recommend this book.
greenrain's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful book about early Seattle, what it means to be a woman or girl in a man's world, the importance of a loving family (even when they aren't blood related), and the varied kinds of education a person can receive. Would recommend.
snazel's review
5.0
WHAT A GOOD MIDDLE GRADE.
In tone I was really reminded of the rollicking and somewhat madcap fun of By The Great Horn Spoon, but this was much deeper in terms of both the character coming of age and the book’s awareness of some of the darker elements of American history. It doesn’t go too deeply into them— this is a Middle Grade Book— but there is a lot of room for discussion spinning out of mention of race laws, slavery, sexism, the need for education, western treatment of native treaties, residential schools, etc.
In tone I was really reminded of the rollicking and somewhat madcap fun of By The Great Horn Spoon, but this was much deeper in terms of both the character coming of age and the book’s awareness of some of the darker elements of American history. It doesn’t go too deeply into them— this is a Middle Grade Book— but there is a lot of room for discussion spinning out of mention of race laws, slavery, sexism, the need for education, western treatment of native treaties, residential schools, etc.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed meeting Jane and watching her grow. Her words of wisdom will stick with young readers.
ajworkman77's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful story of Jane (kindred spirit to Anne of Green Gables) who left the east coast to find a new beginning in the rough Seattle. The author wrote a love story to the wild beginning of Seattle. What I loved most was the authenticity of the characters. Their voice, characteristics and development during the story felt real. Jane and her reflections is a character to remember.
elizabethkroberts's review against another edition
4.0
Although I have always loved historical fiction, I wasn't looking forward to picking this one up. I'm reading it as one of the 2019-2020 Sasquatch award nominee's and I have to say it's was a pleasant surprise and one of my favorites so far. It is definitely a book that I didn't want to end and would love to know what else happened to the characters after the book ended. It's especially fun to read a historical fiction from the area I live as I can make personal connections to it. I'm looking forward to recommending this book to my students this year.
erikars's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the second half of this book, once the main character, Janey, and her family reached Seattle. As someone who grew up in the Northwest and now lives near Seattle, I enjoyed the glimpse of Seattle of the past. Janey's character arc throughout the book was good, and the emotional arc of the story was compelling.
What bumps me down to 3 stars though is that the first half of the book, covering the family's voyage to Seattle, was interesting but too long. I feel like if it had been closer to a third of the total, the book would have been stronger overall.
Still, given that it's historical children's fiction about the area I live in, I'll save it for my daughter's collection. The unique angle makes up for the limitations.
What bumps me down to 3 stars though is that the first half of the book, covering the family's voyage to Seattle, was interesting but too long. I feel like if it had been closer to a third of the total, the book would have been stronger overall.
Still, given that it's historical children's fiction about the area I live in, I'll save it for my daughter's collection. The unique angle makes up for the limitations.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
We read another book by the author, J. Anderson Coats, R is for Rebel, two Christmases ago and really liked it.
We decided to give this one a try, and we're glad we did. My daughter and I loved it. The cover art is fantastic in capturing the essence of this book. It's an East Coast girl meets West Coast wilderness and is transformed by her experiences story.
It's an example of a book with a gentle, quiet conflict. There are no obvious villains, she's not trying to survive in horrific conditions (although the story does revolve around nature and weather, a lot). It's more centered around Jane Deming's personal, internal struggle to "fit-in" on the Northwest Pacific frontier.
While Jane's step-mother, who's also a widow, comes to the Washington territory planning to marry a banker, Jane's got no such illusions. She's her little brother's babysitter and nothing more to her step-mom.
But Jane promised her father, before he died, that she'd finish school. It's the one thing that keeps her going on the long sea voyage to Seattle, and in fact is the only thing that helps the two young women earn cold, hard cash to keep them afloat for a little while.
When Jane's step-mother finally gets off the boat, what greets them is not a hotel filled with rich, eligible bankers. Not even penniless bank tellers. Rather, it's a horde of rag-tag roughs who crawled out of the wilderness looking to bring home brides in canoes.
Jane meets and steers her step-mother toward the one man in the bunch who seems gentle and kind: Mr. Wright. (I wondered, as I read, if the pun was intended?)
What happens next is the meat of the story, how Mr. Wright and the natural environment all around Jane shape and mold her, until she realizes she's getting the education she promised her father she'd get -- even if there's no certificate at the end.
It was a joy to read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
We decided to give this one a try, and we're glad we did. My daughter and I loved it. The cover art is fantastic in capturing the essence of this book. It's an East Coast girl meets West Coast wilderness and is transformed by her experiences story.
It's an example of a book with a gentle, quiet conflict. There are no obvious villains, she's not trying to survive in horrific conditions (although the story does revolve around nature and weather, a lot). It's more centered around Jane Deming's personal, internal struggle to "fit-in" on the Northwest Pacific frontier.
While Jane's step-mother, who's also a widow, comes to the Washington territory planning to marry a banker, Jane's got no such illusions. She's her little brother's babysitter and nothing more to her step-mom.
But Jane promised her father, before he died, that she'd finish school. It's the one thing that keeps her going on the long sea voyage to Seattle, and in fact is the only thing that helps the two young women earn cold, hard cash to keep them afloat for a little while.
When Jane's step-mother finally gets off the boat, what greets them is not a hotel filled with rich, eligible bankers. Not even penniless bank tellers. Rather, it's a horde of rag-tag roughs who crawled out of the wilderness looking to bring home brides in canoes.
Jane meets and steers her step-mother toward the one man in the bunch who seems gentle and kind: Mr. Wright. (I wondered, as I read, if the pun was intended?)
What happens next is the meat of the story, how Mr. Wright and the natural environment all around Jane shape and mold her, until she realizes she's getting the education she promised her father she'd get -- even if there's no certificate at the end.
It was a joy to read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
beththebookdragon's review
3.0
A bright young lady overcomes less than ideal situations in late-1800s Boston, en route to and in the Seattle area.