Johnny Tremain

Johnny Tremain Review

Immerse yourself in the beginning of the American Revolution in this exciting middle school book, the story of a fictional fourteen-year-old boy caught up in dangerous times. Johnny Tremain lives in Boston and works as an apprentice to a silversmith. He's talented and arrogant, lording it over the other apprentices until his right hand is badly burned. His nearly-unusable hand means that his apprenticeship is over.

Now more humble, he makes friends with the calm, enigmatic Rab, a boy a few years older than himself, who works for the Boston Observer. Soon Johnny gets a job delivering newspapers--on horseback. The publisher of the Observer is very political, and Johnny learns about the Whigs, who want freedom from England, and the Tories, who are loyal to England.

A secret group of Whigs regularly meets regularly in the newspaper offices. Before long Johnny is delivering coded messages to the members, including Paul Revere. The Whigs are incensed that England is charging the colonies a tax on tea, but the real issue is freedom. As one Whig leader says, "We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up." Johnny too is becoming inspired by the cause of freedom.

The Whigs organize the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773: sixty young men dressed as Indians, including Johnny and Rab, board three British ships and dump the tea into Boston Harbor. By June of 1774, British soldiers and officers fill the streets, Boston is blockaded, and the air is filled with talk of war. On every village green in New England, men and boys are drilling, but with only ancient squirrel guns and flintlocks as weapons.

By early 1775, the Whigs suspect that the first British attacks will be at Lexington and Concord. Johnny's friend Rab goes off to Lexington to fight, but insists that Johnny, who is part of Paul Revere's spy network, must stay and report on British plans and troop movements. War is inevitable, but what will it bring for Johnny and Rab?

This book, which won the Newbery Medal for 1944, brings to vivid life the beginning of the American Revolutionary War as no history book ever could. Disney made a movie of "Johnny Tremain" in 1957. I haven't seen it, but one reviewer felt it missed the mark, showing the war as a jolly adventure for boys, instead of a time when great sacrifices were made, "only that a man can stand up."

Ages ten and up

Johnny Tremain Overview

The great events of Revolutionary Boston as seen through the shrewd eyes of an observant fourteen-year-old boy.

Johnny Tremain Specifications

This story of a tragically injured young silversmith who ends up hip-deep in the American Revolution is inspiring, exciting, and sad. Winner of the prestigious Newbery Award in 1944, Esther Forbes's story has lasted these 50-plus years by including adventure, loss, courage, and history in a wonderfully written, very dramatic package. It's probably not great for little guys but mature 11-year-olds or older will find it a great adventure.

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