A Difficult Boy

April 28, 2008
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. Nine-year-old Ethan Root has been “bound” to shopkeeper and farmer George Lyman as an indentured servant. Lyman appears to be generous, and Ethan will have an opportunity to learn a trade. Ethan and his fellow servant Daniel form a bond that grows as they endure beatings and humiliations at Lyman's hands. Barker uses the burgeoning friendship as background for the quickening pace of the text, as the boys discover evidence of Lyman's double-dealings. 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. Ages 10–up.

May 1, 2008
Gr 5-8-When nine-year-old Ethan leaves his family to be bound out to Mr. Lyman, his father tries to make it sound like an adventure and an opportunity to learn a trade. But Ethan knows that it is a necessity: his father has no other way to pay off his debts to the wealthy shopkeeper. The Lymans' other indentured servant is a surly teenager who rebuffs Ethan's attempts at friendship. Mr. Lyman is initially affectionate and gracious to Ethan and warns him against spending too much time with Daniel, a "difficult boy" whom the Lymans call Paddy to underscore his Irish inferiority. But when Ethan accidentally breaks a plate, he witnesses how quickly the man's benevolent demeanor can transform into violent rage, and, after a vicious beating, he and Daniel begin to form a bond. But to the town, and even to Ethan's parents, the man is a shining example of virtue, teaching these boys a trade and "disciplining" them only when their misdeeds warrant it. As the boys' friendship grows stronger, Ethan learns more of Daniel's tragic past and the circumstances that have bound him to the Lymans. 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"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2008
The truth of it is, son, I need you to go, Ethans dad confesses when the boy protests becoming indentured to a local businessman. It is 1839 and families can indenture children to help pay debts. Nine-year-old Ethans plight might have been somewhat bearable if it werent for the cruelty of his master, George Lyman. The Lyman family treats another indentured boy with appalling meanness, calling Daniel Paddy and denouncing his Irish heritage at every opportunity. Ethan and Daniel live in fear of brutal treatment for the slightest infractions. Daniels only respite comesfrom caring for the Lymans horse, Ivy.The boyteaches Ethan horsemanship, and the two enjoy brief, exhilarating flights of freedom on horseback. They also slowlyuncover Lymans financial dishonesty andeventually prove that Daniels indenture is completely fraudulent. Relief descends a little too neatly in the end, but readers will cheer for the two charming, perseverant protagonistsas theyforce a corrupt grown-up to face the music.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)