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Reviews
Weetamoo: Heart of the Pocassets, Massachusetts - Rhode Island, 1653 by Patricia Clark Smith
beammey's review
3.0
First off, the little illustrations in this book are adorable and I really enjoyed them (probably because they were about as good as I could do if I was really going to be honest about it.) For me, they really added to the story since they mentioned that the Native Americans used pictures and the oral tradition to record their days and remember things. All that said, I feel a bit let down. I think I expected more? I don't know. I did connect with Weetamoo, so that's saving this from getting a lower rating. Overall it was just okay to me. Still, I would recommend it to children. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
wren_in_black's review
3.0
I grew up loving the Royal Diaries series, but only had access to books about European rulers. How fascinating it was to find a "diary" about a young Pocasett woman who could neither read nor write. I do like how the author structured this account as a series of thoughts. Weetamo's worry over her future, both immediate with her youngest sister, and far in the present ways heavily throughout this book, as it certainly did in her life. I greatly appreciated this account but I do feel it left off rather abruptly.
katiedavis's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
dandelionfluff's review
3.0
Didn't know Smith's mother was part Algonquin! She also nods to Joe Bruchac-- I have a volume of his poetry sitting nearby. It's clear from the Dedication that she really took the time to research all this before publishing. I do like the way she handled Weetamoo's story, recognizing the different record-keeping she would have engaged in, and focusing on thoughts rather than a journal format.
Well written and engaging enough, but that Epilogue and historical note! Younger readers will know all too well the harsh reality of her life, and the lives of others she knew. Some reviewers don't approve of this swift kick to the gut, but we do need to teach our children what actually happened and not a pretty almost-truth.
With that being said, part of me wonders why this series chose this Native American figure when the author has said in an interview that she had to guess at Weetamoo's early life. It's important to know her story, but yet again, I'm wondering if the figure they chose was appropriate for a book in this age range, and not better suited for an older read that would have delved into their more adult, more recorded lives. There's value in the imagined, but many young readers may not realize this isn't really what happened-- just something that could have happened, judging off of what we know about their culture.
Wouldn't that be interesting, though? If you had the middle grade stories, and then a young adult market. Maybe someday Scholastic will look into that.
Well written and engaging enough, but that Epilogue and historical note! Younger readers will know all too well the harsh reality of her life, and the lives of others she knew. Some reviewers don't approve of this swift kick to the gut, but we do need to teach our children what actually happened and not a pretty almost-truth.
With that being said, part of me wonders why this series chose this Native American figure when the author has said in an interview that she had to guess at Weetamoo's early life. It's important to know her story, but yet again, I'm wondering if the figure they chose was appropriate for a book in this age range, and not better suited for an older read that would have delved into their more adult, more recorded lives. There's value in the imagined, but many young readers may not realize this isn't really what happened-- just something that could have happened, judging off of what we know about their culture.
Wouldn't that be interesting, though? If you had the middle grade stories, and then a young adult market. Maybe someday Scholastic will look into that.
cerapp555's review
3.0
So something that I love about the Royal Diaries series is that they are about real people. I don’t remember if this is one of the books that I read when I was younger. The book came out when I was six, so I could have picked it up in school or public library at one point or another. This is a person who I had no prior knowledge of. Women were such an important part of the Indiginous culture, but often get erased from history, since history was often told by the white male. While this is a fictional depiction of a strong female leader during her youth, I enjoyed the strength that she had as a young teen. I loved the culture of the Indiginous people. I really need to try and read more book to learn more about the culture. Not a solid story and the writing could get a little annoying, but I believe I was annoying in my writing when I was that age too. I like how the author used some of her own journals to help her write from the mind of a young teenager. I wince when I read some of my old journal entries.
MVP: Cedar
MVP: Cedar
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Maria
Cover Story: Fanta-stick
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Picture Book
Bonus Factor: Visions and Dreams
Relationship Status: Childhood Friends
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Fanta-stick
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Picture Book
Bonus Factor: Visions and Dreams
Relationship Status: Childhood Friends
Read the full book report here.
nicolebookish's review
3.0
Even Middle school me knew it was problematic.
It really liked it when I read it but i'm sure if I reread it now it'd have alot of issues with it.
I remember thinking it was cool to see a different princess aka non European one but I didn't know how to express that.
I have to reread this series and give my adult post graduate degree perspective but what I remember liking was:
-the characters in this series were roughly my age when I read the books (YA)
-it gave you an idea of what life may have been like back then
-they did have an afterword with historic information that gave you more context on their real lives and often photos or paintings
It really liked it when I read it but i'm sure if I reread it now it'd have alot of issues with it.
I remember thinking it was cool to see a different princess aka non European one but I didn't know how to express that.
I have to reread this series and give my adult post graduate degree perspective but what I remember liking was:
-the characters in this series were roughly my age when I read the books (YA)
-it gave you an idea of what life may have been like back then
-they did have an afterword with historic information that gave you more context on their real lives and often photos or paintings