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The Fighting Ground
by
Avi
April 3, 1778. America is caught up in the Revolutionary War. On this warm spring morning, not far from Trenton, New Jersey, a 13-year-old boy and his father are quietly tilling the sod on their farm. But the boy can think of only one thing: He wants to fight. He knows how to use a gun-why won't his father let him go?
Unexpectedly, the quiet is cut by the sound of a bell-an
...moreLibrary Binding, 160 pages
Published
April 28th 1984
by HarperCollins
(first published 1984)
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The greatest strength of The Fighting Ground, as I see it, is in the realistic way that a twenty-four-hour period of combat in the times of the American Revolution is portrayed. Instead of chapters, the book is divided into segments of minutes on a clock, as thirteen-year-old Jonathan finds himself overmatched and in over his head as part of a small regiment of vigilante American soldiers, with a commander who will stop at nothing to gain victory for their side.
Though his father ...more
Though his father ...more
"Jonathan suddenly realized that he had never seen an enemy soldier before. He had seen Tories, but hateful as they were, they were only Americans. What he was seeing right before him were real enemies, foreign ones, the most awful ones, the cruel German-speaking kind.
"Down the road the Hessian officer waved his sword and shouted something to his men. The drum began to beat again. The fife played high, reedy notes. From behind Jonathan felt the wind cold again his neck. The gun, s...more
"Down the road the Hessian officer waved his sword and shouted something to his men. The drum began to beat again. The fife played high, reedy notes. From behind Jonathan felt the wind cold again his neck. The gun, s...more
I chose "The Fighting Ground" by Avi for this unit. The Fighting Ground is about a 13 year old boy named Jonathan who is eager to join the revolution and fight the british. one day he is in town when there is news of an invasion. Jonathan quickly springs to action and decides to help. he borrows the bartendrs musket and runs off with the men. when they reach the english they load there guns and begin to fire. Jonathan is dazed and confused with all the smoke and noise around him. He su...more
the book is basically about this kid named jonathan. he is only 14 and wants to join the revolutionairy war. so what he does is he runs away from home and he goes and joins. later after he gets aquainted he feels so proud that he has joined. and when the town bell sounds everybody scrambles. and now he has to join the was for real this time. and when he does he sees things he has never seen before. and he is suddenly stuck in the most frightining position ever. he thinks he is surrounded but it ...more
April 3, 1778 is a day that 13 year-old Jonathan will never forget, as much as he may try. Against his parents instructions, Jonathan takes off for the battlefield after hearing the tavern bell toll. He's sure he is ready for fighting the British, after all, he can handle a gun. But when they meet Hessians upon the road, and the day turns bloody, his perception of glory is not what he thought. Captured, fearful, and in pain, Jonathan has no choice but to rely on these strangers for mercy...yet, ...more
Ms.
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes to hear of war
Recommended to Ms. by:
I had to read it for reading
This book is about a boy who goes off to fight in war but finds out that it is harder than he thinks.HE sees his dads friends die and gets caught in some pretty messy problems.
_Leanna c
This book is pretty tough for a 13 year old boy named Jonathan. It's about when a bell tolls to call men over to fight for the war against the Hessians. Jonathan has wished to go fight for a really long time but his dad won't let him, he's mad at his dad especially because Jon's brother is alread...more
_Leanna c
This book is pretty tough for a 13 year old boy named Jonathan. It's about when a bell tolls to call men over to fight for the war against the Hessians. Jonathan has wished to go fight for a really long time but his dad won't let him, he's mad at his dad especially because Jon's brother is alread...more
This action packed novel, told in a unique historic style, gives a minute-by-minute account of a Revolutionary War battle. The year is 1778 and thirteen-year-old Jonathan wishes to be a soldier more than anything in the world. When the tavern bells ring, summoning men from the city to join the fight, he runs to join eagerly. It is not until he is faced with an actual battle, that he begins to discover the real costs of war and what it means to be faced with killing another human being. His nervo...more
The nine-year-old was very thoughtful in reviewing this book. Unfortunately, I neglected to write down his words in a timely fashion, so you'll have to make do with what I remember of his comments. This was read aloud at bedtime over the course of a couple weeks. It's disturbing, so perhaps not the best bedtime choice in retrospect. It sparked a few conversations which made bedtime run later than it should have, but such things are important, are they not?
Kids can get a very glamorous...more
Kids can get a very glamorous...more
A brief article about why this book was challenged and subsequently banned in a school district in Florida: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/arti...
My response: Attempting to ban any book that even one instance of a word that could even vaguely be construed as "profanity" is just silly.
In this book, Avi ably portrays the hopes and then fears of Jonathan, a young boy who suddenly finds himself fighting in the Revolutionary War. Even more interesting, after the bat...more
My response: Attempting to ban any book that even one instance of a word that could even vaguely be construed as "profanity" is just silly.
In this book, Avi ably portrays the hopes and then fears of Jonathan, a young boy who suddenly finds himself fighting in the Revolutionary War. Even more interesting, after the bat...more
2/7/11
The boy is sill being held be the Hessians and the are going some were but he dos not know.
2/16/11
The hessians and the boy have come opon an abandoned farm hous with a cow out frut and a samll shed on the side. Thay approach with caution, and them make them selves at houm
2/9/11
The Fighting Ground is a geat book. The mane cariter is a boy named Jonathan he is about 14 on April 3, 1778 bring are revulushin. All he wons is to fight but he is to youg...more
The boy is sill being held be the Hessians and the are going some were but he dos not know.
2/16/11
The hessians and the boy have come opon an abandoned farm hous with a cow out frut and a samll shed on the side. Thay approach with caution, and them make them selves at houm
2/9/11
The Fighting Ground is a geat book. The mane cariter is a boy named Jonathan he is about 14 on April 3, 1778 bring are revulushin. All he wons is to fight but he is to youg...more
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Pretty sure I read this in 4th grade. I had forgotten all about this book until this weekend when I visited a Revolutionary War battlefield, and it all came rushing back. Or, well, at least as much as it could, about 14 years later.
As far as I remember, it's about a young boy, probably around 13 or so, who joins the army during the Revolutionary War. He encounters some Hessians (German mercenary soldiers... this is where I learned the term Hessian!) and is taken prisoner. His fellow...more
As far as I remember, it's about a young boy, probably around 13 or so, who joins the army during the Revolutionary War. He encounters some Hessians (German mercenary soldiers... this is where I learned the term Hessian!) and is taken prisoner. His fellow...more
The story The Fighting Ground was during April 3, 1778, where the British has begun. Jonathan, the main character was only 13 years old, but he determined to attend that war.
Jonathan knew that he was ready because he can handle a gun. He needed to battle for his country, as his brother and cousin did. So, when Jonathan heard that it’s time to fight, he ran as tiger. He didn’t realize that in 24 hours, his life might change.
Was Jonathan’s horrible choice the right one? Will he be abl...more
Jonathan knew that he was ready because he can handle a gun. He needed to battle for his country, as his brother and cousin did. So, when Jonathan heard that it’s time to fight, he ran as tiger. He didn’t realize that in 24 hours, his life might change.
Was Jonathan’s horrible choice the right one? Will he be abl...more
Coming of age story taking place in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War. Jonathon, a naïve 13 year old boy disobeys his knowing father and runs off to defend his town against the enemy soldiers that have come to attack them. In 24 hours time Jonathon learns what it means to be a soldier and is forever changed because of his experiences. This story was action-packed, fast-moving and suspenseful. The setting was well described and I could see myself in Jonathon’s position and was deeply mo...more
J. Kennedy
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
avi-page,
boy-books,
childrens-fiction,
war,
adventure,
fiction,
juvenile-fiction,
middle-grade,
tween-novel
Thirteen-year-old Jonathan dreams of being a soldier. In 1778 his dream comes true when there’s a call to arms. He sneaks away and joins the fight only to be captured by Hessian mercenaries. He learns war is harsh and not as glorious as it was in his dreams.
Avi Page writes in a wide diversity of genres for children. True to his reputation this book is a masterpiece of descriptions of scenery and historical detail. Heart-pumping action glues the reader to its pages. I highly recommend t...more
Avi Page writes in a wide diversity of genres for children. True to his reputation this book is a masterpiece of descriptions of scenery and historical detail. Heart-pumping action glues the reader to its pages. I highly recommend t...more
I started reading this book because I heard it had been banned in a local school district. I didn't intend to enjoy it as much as I did. I couldn't put it down! I felt every emotion that Jonathan was feeling. I can see how some may think it should be a banned book for the classroom, but I can also see how it can be a beneficial read. The author really showed what it is like to be involved in a war. It even showed how people's feelings about a war can change once they have been involved. ...more
Aimed at younger children (ages 8-11) in terms of the reading level, I think the story really isn't appropriate for kids that young. It follows a day in the life of a very young boy who during the revolutionary war runs off to fight thinking it'll be exciting and gets much more than he bargained for, his fighting group finds itself out-manned by a group of Hessians, the feared German fighters for hire. The story is designed to demonstrate the horrors of war to a young reader.
Ppechacek
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
History lovers who hate textbooks
Recommended to Ppechacek by:
8th grade English teacher
As a part of my eigth grade english class, we had a year long reading assignment in which we were forced to read 2 books per quarter; one of our choice, and one from a list our teacher compiled of a certain genre. At the third quarter of school, a list of "war books" was forced upon us. I found Avi on the list and figured I'd read the book he had written because I had read Crispin beforehand and really enjoyed that. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I picked up the skin...more
A good presentation of the realities of war for a younger audience. Though Avi includes the translations from German to English in the back, I felt like I understood the book way better than a kid would because of my admittedly limited German from high school and college. However, I also think that part of the point of the book is for kids to feel like they're really experiencing what Jonathan goes through, which includes NOT understanding German.
This book is about a kid named Jonathan on 4/3/1779 and 4/4/1779. Jonathan wants to fight the Hessians, and goes off to war without his dad's permission. He then lies that he had permission, and goes off to war, complaining that his dad's leg was broken. Jonathan gets to the fighting ground, and is almost immediately taken by 3 Hessians. For some reason, they seem nicer than usual, even with their own prisoner. Jonathan seems helpless when he's taken. He could've hidden for longer and escaped th...more
Was shooting for 36 books read this year, so am adding books that I read with Sean that I particularly liked. That's fair, right?
Anyway, I went into this book thinking it would be a jingoistic war story, but it turned out to be a decent and thoughtful story about the effects of war on the individual. The book was apparently banned in some Florida school systems because it used "goddamn" a couple of times.
Anyway, I went into this book thinking it would be a jingoistic war story, but it turned out to be a decent and thoughtful story about the effects of war on the individual. The book was apparently banned in some Florida school systems because it used "goddamn" a couple of times.
Interesting Revolutionary War book for older children and up from a young boy's perspective. There is some offensive language, but the complexity of war, choices, and feelings are explored. A good discussion book for older children and how some issues aren't always cut and dry. My 10-year old brought it to me to read. I'm not sure I'll encourage/allow her to read it because of the language and violence.
Avi does a great job of showing the confusion of war. I liked how the chapters were separated into actual time. I did not realize until I finished that there were German translations (I don't peek at the end). I was able to surmise pretty much from the text what the Germans were trying to say. Language barriers can be trying in normal times, but you can see at war times they can be deadly.
Fighting Ground concerns the experience of Jonathan, a thirteen year old boy who longs to fight in the Revolutionary War like his brother and father have. When Jonathan gets his chance to take part in the war, things are much different from what he had imagined. A realistic historical fiction look at war for children and junior high students.
Good book to introduce children to horrors of war. About a boy who finds himself in the midst of a Revolutionary War battle. Of course, it's not at all like he fantasized. Very short, but heavy topic. I'm debating whether to read it with JTF this year or wait until he is a little older. Definitely read together so we can discuss.
I read this book a long time ago and used it for a book discussion. I remember one boy questioning why they used swear words in the book. I don't recall what the words were but I doubt anything serious or it would have been banned. I believe there is a strong anti war message in the book. I did like it. Grades 5 and up.
boy joins the army for a day in revolutionary times, and learns about killing and death. Perfectly clean except some "oh God"s. Seems a little young for a jr high reading list. I think it could easily be 6th gr reading. Showed some good emotions, but it seems like there should be a bettler novel than this.
War and the people who are affected by it are rarely shown in their true human light, even through the lens of history. Avi has done just that. Each character in this book is well developed and emotional in a very human way. The fog of war, enemy vs. foe, fear vs. courage all come together in amazing detail.
Read for a paper, fifth grade reading level. Displays the life of a thirteen year old boy, Jonathan, who wants to experience the Revolutionary War, against his parents wishes. In one day the boy discovers that war is not glamorous and there was a point to his parents not wanting him to go.
The fighting ground is a good book. It is about a boy who decided to join the army even thought he was under age just for the experience. Things do not turn out the way he expected them to be. It is a good book! It gets boring but if you keep on reading it then it is good.
I would consider this my favorite book I ever read. It is filled with excitement and had a great level of detail. Especially in the scene of battle and when Jonathan escapes from three Hessians. My negative opinion of this book is that there was some swearing.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What do you think his parents were thinking while he was gone? | 1 | 2 | Nov 03, 2011 05:55pm | |
| 4th Period: Book Review | 1 | 4 | Sep 28, 2011 08:36pm |
Readers Also Enjoyed
Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use."
Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and The Crispin series. His work is very much desired by readers young and old.
More about Avi...
Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and The Crispin series. His work is very much desired by readers young and old.
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