What do you think?
Rate this book
Blaine's way
All his life, Blaine has dreamed of being somewhere else. Growing up on a farm during the lean years of the depression, he must be content to watch the trains thunder past his home, count the cars, and pray that one day he will escape his life of poverty. It isn't until World War Two that Blaine sees his chance. He lies about his age, volunteers, and is shipped off to England. A brilliant coming-ofage novel by a master storyteller.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Monica Hughes
579 books117 followersMonica Hughes was a very popular writer for young people, and has won numerous prizes. Her books have been published in the United States, Poland, Spain, Japan, France, Scandinavia, England, and Germany. She has twice received the Canada Council Prize for Children's Literature, and was runner-up for the Guardian Award.
She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.
She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Read
May 31, 2017Blaine’s looking back at his tough childhood
Blaine William is the main character of Blaine’s Way, he looks back at his tough childhood, growing up during the Great Depression in the 1930s in Ontario. He lives on the farm with his parents and all his life, he dreams of being somewhere else. As a child he watches the train go by, counting cars and pray that one day he will escape his poverty. In 1940 during World War two Blaine sees his chance, lies about his age and volunteers to go to war in England.
The writing style of Blaine’s Way is very stander, clear and easy to understand. The vocabulary is not very challenging and I believe that a grade seven student can also understand it. The story is powerful and also sad. The main character faces many problems in his life due to his family poverty and he suffers a lot pain physically and mentally as children; he was bully in school and his mother also left him, which can make a reader feel emotionally. It is powerful story about never stopping to chase your dream and goals; to never give up.
I think Blaine’s Way is a very good novel and also interesting, The main character, Blaine is very inspiring even if he grows up in a harsh environment and bad circumstance he never gives up. Instead he works hard to pursue his goal in the future in order to make his parents proud. I will recommend everyone to read Blaine’s way, the storyline is amazing and touching, the specific target audience of this novel is kids 12 and above and parents, the story can teach them about some life lesson about how is it important for a family to stay together and to also never give up.
The Social Justice Issue that can be found in Blaine’s Way is poverty. The novel is set during the Great Depression in the 1930s so there is a lot of poverty during that time. Blaine and his parents struggle in poverty as they fear that they will run out of food and starve. They work extremely hard in order to survive daily and yearly, in Blaine’s Way the narrator sated “I had shot up during the last year and I was hungry all the time. Sometime when the others weren’t looking Gremma would slip me a thick slice of bread and sugar just to hold me till suppertime”( Hughe 80). Growing up in poverty is very hard especially for children just like Blaine, most of the time he is hungry just like other kids around the world who live in poverty and sometime they can starve to death.
Blaine William is the main character of Blaine’s Way, he looks back at his tough childhood, growing up during the Great Depression in the 1930s in Ontario. He lives on the farm with his parents and all his life, he dreams of being somewhere else. As a child he watches the train go by, counting cars and pray that one day he will escape his poverty. In 1940 during World War two Blaine sees his chance, lies about his age and volunteers to go to war in England.
The writing style of Blaine’s Way is very stander, clear and easy to understand. The vocabulary is not very challenging and I believe that a grade seven student can also understand it. The story is powerful and also sad. The main character faces many problems in his life due to his family poverty and he suffers a lot pain physically and mentally as children; he was bully in school and his mother also left him, which can make a reader feel emotionally. It is powerful story about never stopping to chase your dream and goals; to never give up.
I think Blaine’s Way is a very good novel and also interesting, The main character, Blaine is very inspiring even if he grows up in a harsh environment and bad circumstance he never gives up. Instead he works hard to pursue his goal in the future in order to make his parents proud. I will recommend everyone to read Blaine’s way, the storyline is amazing and touching, the specific target audience of this novel is kids 12 and above and parents, the story can teach them about some life lesson about how is it important for a family to stay together and to also never give up.
The Social Justice Issue that can be found in Blaine’s Way is poverty. The novel is set during the Great Depression in the 1930s so there is a lot of poverty during that time. Blaine and his parents struggle in poverty as they fear that they will run out of food and starve. They work extremely hard in order to survive daily and yearly, in Blaine’s Way the narrator sated “I had shot up during the last year and I was hungry all the time. Sometime when the others weren’t looking Gremma would slip me a thick slice of bread and sugar just to hold me till suppertime”( Hughe 80). Growing up in poverty is very hard especially for children just like Blaine, most of the time he is hungry just like other kids around the world who live in poverty and sometime they can starve to death.
December 7, 2008
This book was read to my class in grade seven or thereabouts. I remember thoroughly enjoying this book and I believe I've read it several times since. The character is memorable all of these years later and the thing that sticks out most in my mind is his going off to war. I would like to reread this book as an adult and see if I take as much away from it but when I was 11 or 12 I eagerly anticipated each installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews