Johnny Tremain

by Esther Forbes

Johnny Tremain

by
Esther Forbes

book data

2137 ratings, 3.60 average rating, 298 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		20%
4		34%
3		29%
2		9%
1		6%

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published

1000 (first published 1943)

binding

Paperback

setting

Unknown

literary awards

Newbery Medal

isbn

0553442503 (isbn13: 9780553442502)

description

Publisher: Edition:

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2543)

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Adam rated it:

(review of isbn 0395067669)

09/14/08

Read in January, 1992

recommends it for: Every living human

Probably the greatest book ever written, by both man and child, woman and other writing entity, Johnny Tremain tells the story of a young genius who becomes a silversmith and burns the crappin' hell out of his hand. He's always embarrassed by his sort of melty hand and keeps it in his pockets or in his mother's pies and pie type dishes. One day he meets a girl named Cilla, Priscilla for long, who loves him despite for his sick melt-hand. Paul Bunyan or John Tubbers or whichever is the name of...more Probably the greatest book ever written, by both man and child, woman and other writing entity, Johnny Tremain tells the story of a young genius who becomes a silversmith and burns the crappin' hell out of his hand. He's always embarrassed by his sort of melty hand and keeps it in his pockets or in his mother's pies and pie type dishes. One day he meets a girl named Cilla, Priscilla for long, who loves him despite for his sick melt-hand. Paul Bunyan or John Tubbers or whichever is the name of that early revolutionary explorer comes along riding on his horse one day, screaming about lobsters in coats and what not, alerting the town. Johnny Tremain sees the opportunity to finally use the sick curse God put on him by melting his hand to scare and/or kill the lobster coats. At this point Cilla is ridiculously in love with him and they kiss and he promises to make America into something great where even one-handed, pony-tailed dainty's like himself can work for a local paper or some other mid-level position at some kind of printing house. Cilla does everything in her power not to totally melt from her obsessive love for Johnny, not unlike the way his hand melted in the beginning of the story to foreshadow this supreme moment with Priscilla, "Cilla." After a long, juvenile make out session Johnny goes after the red lobster people waving his sickly paw around yelling something about a tea party or a cherry tree until the lobster guys are so mind crapped that they shoot themselves to death. Always being an opportunist, John Tubbers, or Wally Revere or whoever his name was then came along and took credit for killing everyone and even said he invented tea and teeth and apples and that Cilla was his wife and all other sorts of new America type bulltit lies, most of which none of the towns people believed. Anyhow, long story short, Johnny got his job back at the paper and married Cilla cause she was pregnant or something which was not totally unusual at this time for a fourteen year old girl. The book pretty much stops there except for a short epilogue about that crazy horse riding Paulie Reverendton, talking about how he ended up in some famous magazine cause some of his lying had paid off. Then he became the president for a while until he was assisinated by Johnny Tremain. An almost forgotten part of the book. In any case the book sprays out an unweilding amount of boy drama and hot girl sort of descriptions about the towns folk to the point that any nine to nineteen year old would easily form a wicked boy crush on both Johnny, Tubbers and Cilla, the latter being a girl-crush. Read it. You won't be dissapointed.

Adam Nee
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Jayna added it (review of isbn 0440442508)

09/11/08

bookshelves: grades-3-6

As an apprentice to a silversmith, Johnny sees great success and is a good worker. But he suffers from an accident which results in serious burns, leaving his thumb attached to his hand – promptly ending his career as a silversmith apprentice. After searching for new work to do, Johnny comes across a printing shop where Rab works for his Aunt and Uncle. So Johnny becomes a rider for the “Boston Observer.” Also, he takes part in the Boston Tea Party, and uses his skills to spy against ...more

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Andrew rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

07/08/08

Read in March, 2008

I know this is perceived as being a "kid's book", but I think that it is a story any adult would enjoy. Johnny Tremain takes place in pre-revolutionary Boston and is about a prideful (but slowly improving) boy who finds himself in the center of the independence fervor. Although I obviously cannot be sure of how accurate the descriptions are, I appreciated the book for doing such a great job at taking me back to the colonial era of American history. As Johnny Tremain struggled wi...more

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jacky rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

06/17/07

bookshelves: childrens-chapter-books, newbury

Read in January, 1994

recommended to jacky by: some educated adult

I hated this book when I read it in middle school (?). I had to choose a historical fiction book and I believe the librarian recommended this one. I found it terribly boring when I read it. Looking back now, I probably wasn't very open minded about reading something I wasn't really interested in, like most kids.

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Beth rated it:

(review of isbn 0395900115)

04/07/08

Read in April, 2008

Funny what you remember in a book. I read this as a child, and all I recalled was one of the last scenes of the book...a very touching, startling scene. I didn't realize how much I had blocked out--except for this one event--until I was actually reading it again at the end. Not remembering actually allowed me much enjoyment of rediscovering the characters and the new tenor of humanness I could now more fully understand as an adult.

It's a great read, and very enjoyable to the one who likes...more

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Amanda rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

03/05/08

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: NO ONE/history lovers

I had to read this "classic" fo school. I love classics by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, but Esther Forbes killed me! (not in a good way). I depise history, so maybe thats why reading this book made me feel like it was a pimple on the beautiful face of literature. It wasn't many pages, so that wasn't an issue, but I was soo droneful. Everytime I read something I had to stuggle to remember it. Johnny and Rab were frends, and at the end he dies. That was the most touching part, the end, ...more

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Kellyn rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

02/28/08

bookshelves: gepl, historical-fiction-juvenile, revolutionary-war-us, us-historical-fiction-juvenile

Read in January, 1997

As she recounts the life experiences of twelve-year-old Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes skillfully conveys the excitement, danger and commitment experienced by the patriots who fought during the US Revolution. Many of the characters in this account are accurately portrayed and described—including several of those who helped write the Declaration of Independence. Reading this book cannot fail to make this time period truly understandable and alive.

Unfortunately the length and language dis...more

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Deusprimus rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

08/13/08

A very interesting tale about both the Revolution, and the breaking of one mans pride. Johnny must be taken to the lowest level of humiliation, before he is finally able to accept his situation, and learn to make the best of it. While not overtly Christian, there are many ties that can be made between this and the value of accepting the position in which the Lord places us. While we may not understand why we must suffer as we do, and often fight against it, our paths are being directed by one wh...more

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Waffle...♥ rated it:

(review of isbn 0440942500)

02/17/08

bookshelves: classics, eighth-grade, historic, romance, young-adult

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: Humans! :O

Wow it's so touching! I really LOVED how it ended completely! But I wish the author continued more with Cilla... haha gotta love romance. Overall it was great! I loved the details and it was like I was back in that time... being one with Johnny Tremain! HaHa sorry just trying to describe what I feel... sorta like, when I'm reading this book! :O Well I don't think much of my friend's would enjoy reading this book but I certainly have. Maybe... *cough* insane Helen did but she's insane so xP

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

108 comments

Sadie rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

09/16/08

I think I only half read this book when I was in middle school so I enjoyed rereading it. It was a nice children's historical fiction. The last third of the book seemed to go a little slow for some reason--even though it was in the middle of the war. The beginning had more depth in the characters which made it more interesting. A good quick read.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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Kathy rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

04/13/08

I have to disagree with the 3 and 4 star rating of Cody and Johnny and rate this American classic as a "5". Although its been many years since my reading, I still remember the feeling of 'can't put it down.' Plus, I accidentally learned some American revolutionary war history.

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2 comments

Fatima rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

12/22/08

Read in December, 2008

this is a really good book that im reading for school. its based during the revolutionary war and its just really good

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

Will rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

08/04/08

Read in January, 1995

When I need a random name to use when I'm talking, my brain comes up with Johnny Tremain. I don't remember if this book is any good.

Also, I remember well his mangled hand.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

Stori rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

05/20/08

I love this book! I'm a sucker for all things revolutionary. I loved the lessons Johnny learns. Foremost is that you don't get to play king just because you're good at something.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

JoDean rated it:

(review of isbn 0395067669)

11/25/08

bookshelves: all-time-favorites, for-kids---history

Read in November, 2008

There are many reasons why I am reading this to my kids right now.

* We are studying the Revolutionary period and this piece of historical fiction is a must read.

* My kids want to rent the movie from NetFlix. We have a rule that if a movie is based on a book, we read the book before watching the movie.

* I have particular memory with this book. I checked it out one day from the library at school when I was in fourth grade. The bossy librarian, who must have been new and didn't know tha...more

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Kasi rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

05/19/08

had to read it in fifth grade. Learned to fear crucibles forever.

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Jamie rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

08/19/07

"wah, I was born rich but I grew up poor. wah, I burned my hand."

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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Derrick rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

03/19/08

bookshelves: newberys, read-to-me, yafiction

3.6 stars, rounded up.

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Alec added it (review of isbn 0440442508)

12/09/08

Johny Tremain was an excellent book. I kept reading because the fact that it was based a true story but had added some fictional charactors to make it more interesting. I think the author wrote this book so that he could people a different perspective of what happened back then. I would recommened people that are younger than me to read so that they can know a little bit more. The part of the book that most intrested me was when Johny went to see Mr. Lyte at his home. I was very excited to see w...more

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Chadh rated it:

(review of isbn 0440442508)

10/09/08

Read in October, 2008

recommended to Chadh by: Mike Heywood

Johnny Tremain is the type of book that helps you understand what type of life people lived at the outset of the American Revolution. The major character, Johnny is a young man whose mother and father died in his early years, and he was taken in to a household as an indentured silversmith. While working on the silver, he severely burns his hand, and loses his ability to work on his trade. He then must take the initiative to find new work, and learn to deal with the loss of mobility in his hand. ...more Johnny Tremain is the type of book that helps you understand what type of life people lived at the outset of the American Revolution. The major character, Johnny is a young man whose mother and father died in his early years, and he was taken in to a household as an indentured silversmith. While working on the silver, he severely burns his hand, and loses his ability to work on his trade. He then must take the initiative to find new work, and learn to deal with the loss of mobility in his hand. In short, he is an unemployed 14 year old, with nobody to rely on.

During Johnny's job search, he meets a kind friend named Rab, who he is drawn to, because of his strong and controlled presence. This kind friend, Rab, works as a printer, and is a few years older than Johnny. Rab and his uncle are Whig printers who are spreading the ideas of liberty, and independence. They hire Johnny to deliver papers by horseback and in the process; Johnny gets to travel around the local community, gains confidence as he tames his erratic horse, and also gets to know the catalysts of the American Revolution-the Sons of Liberty.

The book really extols the old values of natural rights, and equality. Johnny sees that the war for independence can't be just about anger but about something more important than just not wanting to be ruled by the British. He comes to believe that the revolution is something that is a movement that will eventually allow "men everywhere to stand up on their feet like men." He realizes that if the revolution works, men will be judged on merit, and will tip their hats to others because of their respect for them as men, not because they are a favored aristocracy.

The book is pretty good at not being too much of an apologetic in the sense that it doesn't demonize the British. During the story Johnny gets to know some of the British soldiers and likes them as men. It also shows how conflicted some of the soldiers are, as many are Whigs and even desert the British cause. The book also shows that the people in the colonies have many rights and privileges that most people do not enjoy because of the British. The book is not deep and nuanced, its a kids book. It was a great read about an important time in history. It reminds readers of what the countries revolutionary values were.
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