Away West

Scraps of Time #2

by Patricia C. McKissack, Gordon James (Illustrator)

Unlike his older brothers, thirteen-year-old Everett was "born in freedom," never knowing life as a slave. His most prized possession is the medal his father earned in the Civil War. Now, more than 125 years later, that treasure is kept in the Websters' attic with other "scraps of time," ready to be discovered by another generation eager to know its family history. The second novel in Patricia C. McKissack's family saga recounts a young Southern boy's dream of heading west to a new life and the way in which his journey teaches him the deeper meaning of the medal his father won.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Childrens, Cultural, African American

121 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2006

About the author

Patricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).

Reviews

[Maryam]

It's good!

[Becka Ramaglia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great way to introduce young people to the westward expansion during the 1800's.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy read. Good for a 3/4 grade student.

[Alexandra West · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes fourth grade class!

[Liam Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Scraps of Time, Away West 1879 is a very good book. It is about a African man named Everett who is found on a ship looking for work. He is caught by a captain named Captain Brewer. Everett is then taken too a city in the U.S and has to overcome many obstacles to be a free man. This book can be a little hard to put down after reading the first page. The book describes everything that was happening in the 1800's. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action stories.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

RL 510. After his father dies, African-American Everett lives a "free" life living off the land his father worked so hard to own. But Everett has book learning, and his heart is not in the farm that grows little but rocks each year. He runs away from his older brother to see if he can make a living in the cavalry out west. But he runs into a few snags-- finding a group to travel with, funds, and most importantly, having a skill that will be valuable in the new community.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some point I realized that historical fiction was the best way to approach history with my little bibliophiles, and we've been enjoying the Scraps of Time series. I especially liked this one because it is set in a period of black history that I wasn't familiar with: Exodusters and Buffalo Soldiers. This book is very readable, and McKissack does a nice job of telling the story without making it feel like a history lesson.

[SCES · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this book seriously bored my students. I don't know if it was the group of kids I had or what?!? I would love to hear what someone else thinks of the book. A boy leaves home to go and try to make it out west on his own (with no money, or connections to anyone). He meets some good people along the way and his brother decides to leave home, too and join him. It discusses families in which some children were born into slavery, and some where born after freedom.
-Susan

[Tammy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book touches on the Buffalo Soldiers, the Civil War, exodusters, Nicodemus Kansas, homesteaders, and the KKK. It is great and I will use it in my history class.