Amari- Maddie
Amari was living a perfect life, she was fifteen and had everything she needed. She was going to be married to charming Besa before long, how much better could life get? Then one day pale faced people were approving Amari's village, everyone in Amari's tribe was exited, they were going to greet these pale faced strangers with music and a feast. As the paled faced strangers got closer they got out a gun and shot all the old and the children, leaving only the healthy fit people left. Amari screamed for her mother to get up but she didn't move. She looked around at the survivors, one of them was Besa. One of the pale faced people chained Amari up, when she tried to escape they just laughed. Why are they doing this to me Amari thought. Her feet were chained to the person ahead of hers. Why?
Amari was forced to walk for days, if someone sat down they would be shot or else whipped. If there was sharp stone in the way then they had to walk through it, they didn't even have shoes. After weeks of walking and lots of infected cuts they finally arrived to their destination. Upon their arrival they were shoved into a small building that looked like a prison. Amari couldn't see anything, she heard whispers in her language but nobody spoke directly to her. When the first food came in Amari didn't get any, luckily the person next to her shared, that person was Afi. Afi told her about the horrors that are still to come, when Amari asked how she knew this Afi explains that she has been sold before. Afi also taught Amari how to look weak so that the pale men wouldn't bother her. This worked some nights, but other nights Amari was taken by one of the men and raped. They were bathed each day, meaning a cold bucket of water was thrown on them. When will the torture end?
At last the dreaded day had arrived, the day to bored the "death ship". Amari and Afi were separated from the men, but were with the children. They had very little space on she ship and were given very little food and water. One night the pale men came into the small part of the ship all the women and children shared and demanded they dance, nobody knew what the pale faced men were demanding so they just stared. One of the men started to beat a rhythm on a drum and jump up and down. Dance, though Amari, these evil men wanted her to dance to this horrible rhythm. Not having much of a choice Amari and the other women and girls started jumping up and down. After it was over a red headed man that had been watching Amari face as she danced chose Amari to come to his room, at the time Amari thought this could only mean trouble. It turned out that the red headed man only wanted to teach Amari English, after a few lessons Amari could say some key words. After two months of living in a small space they finally made it to America. Life will be better here, right?
Amari was wrong, life was not going to be better here, not one bit. As soon as she got off of the ship she was shoved in yet another room where she had to stay for nine days to ensure that she didn't have any diseases. After her nine days were up she was inspected by an pale faced man who gave no care in being gentle. She then was stripped from her cloths and put up for auction, finally being bought by Mr. Derby. She was bought for his sons birthday present. Amari already knew that this was going to be bad, but she thought. It has to be better here then it has been so far Wrong.
On the ride back Amari meet Polly, a pale faced girl who is supposed to teach Amari English. Clay, Mr. Derby's son named Amari Myna. Amari was confused, no Myna, she said, Amari and she would point to herself. Polly would tell her that she is no longer Amari, she is Myna. Amari didn't like this one bit.
Amari worked with Polly, Teenie, and her son Tidbit in the kitchen. Most days were ok, Polly continued to teach her English and manners. The worst days were when Clay called Amari to his bedroom, somedays he would just talk to her, other days she would be raped. Days without Clay were good days.
Many days went on, Mrs. Derby is now pregnant. Other then that, very little happened until one day when the slave that usually cooks dinner got bitten by a snake, Amari and Polly had to take over serving the Derby's. Polly was excited, but Amari was nervous. Everything was going fine until Amari dropped a pie, Mr. Derby whipped and whipped her. Amari was out for days, Mrs. Derby checked on her everyday and made sure she was warm enough and had food and water. Just because one person in a couple is cruel doesn't mean the other is.
After Amari got better nothing big happened until the baby was born. Mrs. Derby felt like she was going to have the baby so Mr. Derby went to fetch the doctor leaving Polly and Amari in charge of delivering the child. Everything was going fine until the baby is born, the baby was black.
Mrs. Derby has them and Teenie hide the baby, tell Mr. Derby it was a stillborn and that it was deformed. Mr. Derby still wants to have the baby examined by the doctor and when they can't give him the baby he gets suspicious and sends Clay to find it. When Clay brings back the baby Mr. Derby finds the father, Noah and shoots him. Then he shoots the baby.
Mr. Derby was furious at Polly, Amari, and Teenie so he tells them that he is going to have Clay and the doctor sell all of them but Teenie. Instead of Teenie he is going to sell her son, Tidbit. Teenie poisons Clays wine to keep him from going knowing that the doctor doesn't believe in slavery and might let them free. He does. He tells Amari, Tidbit, and Polly to go north where they will be free. They thank them and then go south to a place Amari believes that exists called Fort Mose. After weeks of traveling by night, and a encounter with Clay they arrive to Fort Mose, free at last.
I enjoyed this book, however I think it was a little to graphic for seventh graders. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was in eighth grade because I would have been more prepared for some of the content such as the baby being shot and the boat scene. The fact that Sharon Draper goes in to detail is great because you then really get a feeling about what the slaves went through. I know that this is important but I feel that it is just to mature for kids our age. The book is great all in all though. It shows that of you have hope anything can be accomplished. I don't think anyone could write a book on this topic as well as Sharon Draper did.
Amari was living a perfect life, she was fifteen and had everything she needed. She was going to be married to charming Besa before long, how much better could life get? Then one day pale faced people were approving Amari's village, everyone in Amari's tribe was exited, they were going to greet these pale faced strangers with music and a feast. As the paled faced strangers got closer they got out a gun and shot all the old and the children, leaving only the healthy fit people left. Amari screamed for her mother to get up but she didn't move. She looked around at the survivors, one of them was Besa. One of the pale faced people chained Amari up, when she tried to escape they just laughed. Why are they doing this to me Amari thought. Her feet were chained to the person ahead of hers. Why?
Amari was forced to walk for days, if someone sat down they would be shot or else whipped. If there was sharp stone in the way then they had to walk through it, they didn't even have shoes. After weeks of walking and lots of infected cuts they finally arrived to their destination. Upon their arrival they were shoved into a small building that looked like a prison. Amari couldn't see anything, she heard whispers in her language but nobody spoke directly to her. When the first food came in Amari didn't get any, luckily the person next to her shared, that person was Afi. Afi told her about the horrors that are still to come, when Amari asked how she knew this Afi explains that she has been sold before. Afi also taught Amari how to look weak so that the pale men wouldn't bother her. This worked some nights, but other nights Amari was taken by one of the men and raped. They were bathed each day, meaning a cold bucket of water was thrown on them. When will the torture end?
At last the dreaded day had arrived, the day to bored the "death ship". Amari and Afi were separated from the men, but were with the children. They had very little space on she ship and were given very little food and water. One night the pale men came into the small part of the ship all the women and children shared and demanded they dance, nobody knew what the pale faced men were demanding so they just stared. One of the men started to beat a rhythm on a drum and jump up and down. Dance, though Amari, these evil men wanted her to dance to this horrible rhythm. Not having much of a choice Amari and the other women and girls started jumping up and down. After it was over a red headed man that had been watching Amari face as she danced chose Amari to come to his room, at the time Amari thought this could only mean trouble. It turned out that the red headed man only wanted to teach Amari English, after a few lessons Amari could say some key words. After two months of living in a small space they finally made it to America. Life will be better here, right?
Amari was wrong, life was not going to be better here, not one bit. As soon as she got off of the ship she was shoved in yet another room where she had to stay for nine days to ensure that she didn't have any diseases. After her nine days were up she was inspected by an pale faced man who gave no care in being gentle. She then was stripped from her cloths and put up for auction, finally being bought by Mr. Derby. She was bought for his sons birthday present. Amari already knew that this was going to be bad, but she thought. It has to be better here then it has been so far Wrong.
On the ride back Amari meet Polly, a pale faced girl who is supposed to teach Amari English. Clay, Mr. Derby's son named Amari Myna. Amari was confused, no Myna, she said, Amari and she would point to herself. Polly would tell her that she is no longer Amari, she is Myna. Amari didn't like this one bit.
Amari worked with Polly, Teenie, and her son Tidbit in the kitchen. Most days were ok, Polly continued to teach her English and manners. The worst days were when Clay called Amari to his bedroom, somedays he would just talk to her, other days she would be raped. Days without Clay were good days.
Many days went on, Mrs. Derby is now pregnant. Other then that, very little happened until one day when the slave that usually cooks dinner got bitten by a snake, Amari and Polly had to take over serving the Derby's. Polly was excited, but Amari was nervous. Everything was going fine until Amari dropped a pie, Mr. Derby whipped and whipped her. Amari was out for days, Mrs. Derby checked on her everyday and made sure she was warm enough and had food and water. Just because one person in a couple is cruel doesn't mean the other is.
After Amari got better nothing big happened until the baby was born. Mrs. Derby felt like she was going to have the baby so Mr. Derby went to fetch the doctor leaving Polly and Amari in charge of delivering the child. Everything was going fine until the baby is born, the baby was black.
Mrs. Derby has them and Teenie hide the baby, tell Mr. Derby it was a stillborn and that it was deformed. Mr. Derby still wants to have the baby examined by the doctor and when they can't give him the baby he gets suspicious and sends Clay to find it. When Clay brings back the baby Mr. Derby finds the father, Noah and shoots him. Then he shoots the baby.
Mr. Derby was furious at Polly, Amari, and Teenie so he tells them that he is going to have Clay and the doctor sell all of them but Teenie. Instead of Teenie he is going to sell her son, Tidbit. Teenie poisons Clays wine to keep him from going knowing that the doctor doesn't believe in slavery and might let them free. He does. He tells Amari, Tidbit, and Polly to go north where they will be free. They thank them and then go south to a place Amari believes that exists called Fort Mose. After weeks of traveling by night, and a encounter with Clay they arrive to Fort Mose, free at last.
I enjoyed this book, however I think it was a little to graphic for seventh graders. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was in eighth grade because I would have been more prepared for some of the content such as the baby being shot and the boat scene. The fact that Sharon Draper goes in to detail is great because you then really get a feeling about what the slaves went through. I know that this is important but I feel that it is just to mature for kids our age. The book is great all in all though. It shows that of you have hope anything can be accomplished. I don't think anyone could write a book on this topic as well as Sharon Draper did.