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Being enemies is hard...
Being friends is even harder.
Class of 2k7, Class of 2k8, and Class of 2k9 are trademarks of Greg R. Fishbone, used with permission. The Class of 2k7 logo was designed by Ruth McNally Barshaw, used with permission. The Class of 2k8 logo was designed by Ruth McNally Barshaw and Kristin Tubb, used with permission. All web and print materials are copyright by their individual authors, where identifiable, or by the Class of 2k8 as a collective.
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Events Calendar:
Monday, 21 Sep 2001, 7:00 p.m.
Leicester Historical Society
Leicester Senior Center
40 Winslow Avenue
Leicester, MA 01524
Reviews:
Press reviews:
"The beautifully written book, set in 1839, is loaded with rich detail, both historical and sensorial..."
--Susan VanHecke, Authorlink.com (June 2008)
"...Barker's young adult novel is one of the best historical fiction works I've read in a long time, emotionally authentic, full of period detail, and beautifully written."
--Author and reviewer Susan VanHecke's blog, "Adventures in Authorhood"
"Barker’s gift for historical detail illuminates this absorbing first novel, accurately portraying the pleasures and the harsh realities of 19th-century Massachusetts farm life. From describing exactly how to milk a treacherous cow to the precise way a servant ties and knots her shawl over a dress that is 'the color of an overdone Indian pudding,' the author adds authenticity to her well-constructed story...Readers will like this book for its attention to heady issues like early prejudice against the Irish (Daniel is Irish) and the treatment of indentured servants as young as themselves, and for its satisfying and hopeful conclusion."
--Publisher's Weekly (28 Apr 2008)
"What was the life of an indentured servant but that of a slave? M.P. Barker brings it ringingly, cringingly to life...A Difficult Boy hinges on the efforts of two boys—one social, one circumstantially remote, soon to be friends—to escape their brutalized existence... Then there is Ivy, a horse that bonds the boys and provides their ticket out."
--Kirkus Reviews, First Fiction Special Issue (15 Apr 2008, p. 17)
"How Ethan and Daniel bolster each other and escape Mr. Lyman's tyranny makes for a memorable tale of friendship and a fascinating glimpse into mid-19th-century Massachusetts. Like L. M. Elliott's Give Me Liberty (HarperCollins, 2006), this is an eye-opening look at indentured servitude in American history."
--Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA, School Library Journal (1 May 2008)
“Daniel, or 'Paddy,' a 15-year-old indentured servant, has been through a lot in his short life: immigration from Ireland to America, subsistence farming with his family, and a tragic fire that left him an orphan. To stay off the public welfare system of 1839 Massachusetts, he is indentured to Mr. Lyman, a wealthy shop owner and farmer. The protagonist, Ethan, comes to live with Daniel when his father is unable to pay off his debts at Mr. Lyman’s store. Ethan and Daniel survive by supporting each other and trying to please the increasingly demanding and dishonest Mr. Lyman. Daniel’s love of horses promotes both his downfall and redemption in the heroic climax of this engaging story.” --Susan Wegmann, Orlando, FL, ALAN Online (Sep 2008)
"A fast-paced story set in 1839 but applicable to decisions young readers face today." --Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger, Children's Literature
Reviews from teen readers:
"Most of all this book is about friendship and the importance of friendship. It is just a beautiful story set to a beautiful background...Daniel and Ethan's relationship grows and evolves as the story goes on.
"My favorite aspect of the book is how real it feels. The racism Daniel gets. The hardships Ethan goes through. Their friendship even all feels very real..........and that's why I love this book. I read it within 24 hours and I couldn't put it down. At about Chapter 6 you will be hooked! I recommend this for all historical readers as well as those looking for a wonderful story about friendship."
--Trainspotting Reads Teen Book Reviews
A Difficult Boy in the News:
9 Feb 2009: A Difficult Boy has been selected as one of the 2009 Notable Books for a Global Society by the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. Each year the IRA CL/R selects a list of outstanding books for enhancing student understanding of people and cultures throughout the world.
9 Jan 2009: A Difficult Boy has been placed on the Anokaberry list as one of the 20 best middle-grade books of 2008.
A Difficult Boy has been shortlisted by the Eva Perry Mock Newbery Book Club
A Difficult Boy has been named one of 12 of the best young adult novels for 2007-2008 by Brigham Young University's Education Librarian Rachel Wadham.
16 Oct 2008:Worcester Telegram & Gazette article about M.P. Barker and Class of 2k8 mini-tour.
9 Sep 2008: Springfield Republican article about M.P. Barker discussing A Difficult Boy at the Bellamy Homestead
26 Jun 2008:Tantasqua Town Common article (see page 3)
24 Jun 2008: A Difficult Boy featured in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette
18 Jun 2008:"The A List"--"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" interviews Western Mass. authors about their summer reading.
19-25 May 2008: M.P. Barker featured as "Rising Star" on Red Room
19 May 2008: Springfield Republican article about M.P. Barker and A Difficult Boy
14 May 2008: Elms College Alumni News article about A Difficult Boy
4 May 2008:A Difficult Boy mentioned in the Sunday Springfield Republican and the Boston Globe.
2 Jan 2008: Ron Hogan, editor of the Galley Cat blog (“The first word on the book publishing industry”) at Media Bistro, gives the Class of 2k8 a thumb’s up and gives a brief nod to A Difficult Boy.
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A Difficult Boy
International Reading Association Notable Books for a Global Society selection PEN New England Children's Book Caucus Discovery Award Winner On-line Media Kit
Downloadable information on M.P. Barker and A Difficult Boy for Press, Librarians, Teachers, and more
The Class of 2k8
Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction from 27 Debut Authors
Get a sneak preview of new books with the Class of 2k8's book video trailers!
Resources
Resources for teachers, students, writers, and researchers.
Plus The 1839 Page, where you can find out more about the world of
A Difficult Boy.
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