The King's Broad Arrow

by Kathryn Tone, Crystal Cregge (Illustrator), Lynn Thompson (Editor)

Winner - Juvenile Fiction - 2020 National Indie Excellence AwardsFinalist - 2020 Eric Hoffer Excellence in Independent Publishing AwardsFinalist - 2022 Young Adult Virginia Author AwardCan the power and promise of the Revolution change not just America, but the world? June 1775. War has come to the colonies, and a young Sam Nevens feels like he is the only one with no desire to fight. At thirteen, all Sam wants to do is help his father at the sawmill to keep his family from starving during the long New England winter. Even when his best friend, Eamon, leaves to join a militia, Sam remains skeptical that the Revolution is worth fighting for. But the British have other plans and when Sam suddenly finds himself captured and trapped on a British prison ship far away, he must quickly learn what it is that he values the most. As Sam struggles to make his way home, he encounters notable leaders including Paul Revere, Thomas Paine, and Alexander Hamilton, who draw him closer and closer to the Revolution and farther from home. Sam’s story mirrors that of the colonies as a whole. Like Sam, Americans began the war unsure of their ability to stand up against the most powerful country in the world. With doubts about the validity of their cause and the feasibility of creating a country independent of England, they nonetheless persevered in building a nation based on the untested concepts of meritocracy and self-government. With fascinating historical details and enthralling adventure, The King’s Broad Arrow shows how the power of ideas, for both individuals and a nation, changed the way they saw themselves. A story that began with ragtag rebels fighting an unwinnable war grew into one of audacious heroes – soldiers and citizens, creating a country unlike any the world had ever known. Captivating illustrations by artist Crystal Cregge beautifully compliment Kathryn Goodwin Tone’s exciting debut novel.

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2020

Reviews

[Renae Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It is now my FAVORITE book! I love it! It taught me new things about the revolutionary war and made me very interested in reading more about the revolutionary war! I was upset when the book ended and am very excited about the next book! I really enjoyed getting to know Sam as well as all the other characters in the book! This book inspired me to be George Washington for Halloween and my friend to be a British general.

Thank you Kathryn Tone for making such a great book!

[Ella Gibe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

[Riley Cleveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book it was great! It had a great amount of history and humor in it! Can't wait for the next book I enjoyed the book alot!!! :)

[Lilliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put the book down! I got so engrossed in each character and their personalities, I didn't want to stop reading. Each chapter was written with such vivid imagery that I felt as if I was experiencing each scene firsthand. I greatly look forward to reading future books in this series to learn more about the characters I've become so attached to over the past few months. This is a book I'd recommend to any reader, so they can also have the chance to follow Sam in his exciting journey into the revolutionary war.

[Zayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book because it involved a historical event involving the revolutionary war.

[Braylee Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book!! I loved the slow then faster-paced writing as the story progressed. The Revolutionary War became all the more real as I read the book. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to read historical fiction.

[Pattireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this young adult historical fiction novel and learned so much in a fun, action-packed way. It’s set in the early years of the Revolutionary War and masterfully weaves well-known historical figures and events into the life and adventures of young Sam Nevens. I can’t think of a better way to learn about the Revolutionary War than through the hearts and minds of people at that time! In this book, history is brought to life in a way that teachers, reading specialists, school administrators and anyone else helping children grasp history and major life concepts will absolutely want to use. It should be in every library and reading room.

[Isabella Schuknecht]

Wonderful book! Very interesting and has a fantastic story, I really enjoyed how Sam's confidence grew as the story progressed. Also, I would like a book about Gerard and his life, I think that would be very fun to read and would make me sad because he died but I would still love to read it. I also love how accurate the history is and the imagery of it, it almost felt like I was in the story experiencing what Sam was, which was an enjoyable experience. I loved this book, thank you for writing it!!

[Zoee Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The king's broad arrow was such a good read. It was such an adventure with so many twists, but there was a creative historical side to it. It had me on the edge of my seat. I felt there in the moment with sam. He felt so real to me, all the characters were so thought out and had so much depth to them. I'm just in awe of how it was put together. I can't wait for the next book

[James Mcghee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the book had a good flow from one event to the next. The characters constantly grow throughout the book, there are a lot of hints about historical figures/characters in the book which adds a lot of depth to the story. This is a 100% read for anybody who likes historical fiction.

[Jovy Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good for all ages, I read it in my 8th-grade class and it was worth the read for sure.

[Kolby Wickham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good! It was well-written and each chapter felt like a masterpiece. I really enjoyed the book which is rare because I hate to read. I can't wait for the next book to come out. The way Sam was written makes it feel like he's real.

[Amity Xiong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. It has a good mix of historical facts and events with some fictional events which I like because then I am learning parts of history WHILE enjoying Sam's adventure. It is now one of my favorite books. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[lollyandpophotmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King's Broad Arrow

A good read. Well paced and interesting.
MS. Tone captured the young man's point of view and maintained it throughout the book.

[Maddox Hollenback · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book I have read all year. Also, this is one of my all-time favorite books. with that, it was beautifully written. cannot wait for the next one!

[Emma Kinnear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good! I read it during my history class and loved it so much. The book is well written and I loved it!

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and very entertaining read from start to finish with well developed characters that I was rooting for along the way! I loved watching Sam evolve as a young man and Patriot and also loved learning so much about the Revolution alongside him. What a wild ride and so well written that it feels like you’re right there with him fighting for liberty!