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James Town #1
Blood on the River: James Town, 1607
Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the ship the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can't believe his good fortune. He's heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he had ever imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it s hard to know who's a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquin Indians and observes Captain Smith's wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2006
861 people are currently reading
3369 people want to read
About the author
Elisa Carbone
16 books79 followersElisa Carbone was raised in Arlington, Virginia. She attended college at University of Maryland and also received two master’s degrees from University of Maryland, one in Speech Communication and the other in Education.
She now lives part time in the Washington D.C. area and part time in the mountains of West Virginia.
She now lives part time in the Washington D.C. area and part time in the mountains of West Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,001 reviews
July 5, 2017
Blood on the River: James Town 1607 was required summer reading for my boy and he struggled with it. Reviews have been pretty good so I was optimistic and he was as well since he likes history. In this book, early colonization has been recreated into a fictional-feeling storyline for both entertainment and education purposes. But my son's point of view? He would have rather read a textbook concerning this time in history. He thought the author tried too hard to make history entertaining. It goes without saying that tweens/teens learn in different ways and my boy is likely in the minority to prefer straightforward text to spiced-up history, so take this review with a grain of salt.
Typically, I read along with my boy when it comes to these assigned books because I like to learn and I like to read, and for him it's helpful to have a partner especially when he feels forced to give up parts of his summer vacation doing schoolwork. We stay pretty busy during the summer and have to structure time for these assignments so for time management purposes he alternated between reading off the page and listening to audio depending on what we were doing. Personally, I thought the audiobook experience was awful. You can definitely tell they put their all into the performance but the narration was way too dramatic which I believe had the opposite intended effect. My son was just over it...I was over it too. I dreaded the times when audio was necessary, such as in the car when reading induces car-sickness. But he powered through, completed his assignment, and now he's on to the next required book on the list.
I learned pieces of history that I didn't know about and my son gained perspective about self-control, cooperation, and leadership. Overall, I thought it was a good book for the school to assign. My 8th grader didn't like it but maybe yours will. Check it out.
My favorite quote:
“Don’t let your anger get the best of you, Samuel. . . . Learn to channel it, and it will become your strength rather than your weakness.”
Typically, I read along with my boy when it comes to these assigned books because I like to learn and I like to read, and for him it's helpful to have a partner especially when he feels forced to give up parts of his summer vacation doing schoolwork. We stay pretty busy during the summer and have to structure time for these assignments so for time management purposes he alternated between reading off the page and listening to audio depending on what we were doing. Personally, I thought the audiobook experience was awful. You can definitely tell they put their all into the performance but the narration was way too dramatic which I believe had the opposite intended effect. My son was just over it...I was over it too. I dreaded the times when audio was necessary, such as in the car when reading induces car-sickness. But he powered through, completed his assignment, and now he's on to the next required book on the list.
I learned pieces of history that I didn't know about and my son gained perspective about self-control, cooperation, and leadership. Overall, I thought it was a good book for the school to assign. My 8th grader didn't like it but maybe yours will. Check it out.
My favorite quote:
“Don’t let your anger get the best of you, Samuel. . . . Learn to channel it, and it will become your strength rather than your weakness.”
January 7, 2018
Read this book in preparation for our quarter 3 6th grade novel. While the character recognizes the ignorance of the colonists and their views of the native people, it still does not do enough. Perhaps it wasn't meant to. I read the author visited Jamestown to immerse herself in the experience and she depicts the colonists' experience, I still thought, "yes, but what was the experience of the native people?" Perhaps she didn't want to take on that perspective, but sometimes the ignorance and even how the narrator describes the natives-- is cringe-worthy. Need to do a lot of thinking before putting it in front of kids to read indiscriminately and as fact since it is not.
October 28, 2008
I read this book for my history class. At first I thought it would be a boing read, but it wasn't. The characters were real people from James Town and it was very well researched. I usually don't like reading about James Town because people always make up things about Pocahantas. Hardly anyone believes me, but she is my great great great great (I don't know how many) grandmother. This story didn't make up any silly stories about her falling in love with John Smith. The story is told from the viewpoint of John Smith's page, Samuel Collier. I think the author did a good job of telling about James Town.
February 15, 2016
This was one of the best historical fictions ever! The author does a fantastic job of weaving in his own characterizations of real people and events. His afterword and authors's notes are well worth reading also.
May 26, 2015
I think the book blood on the river is a good book for people who like entering the past as other people.This book is really interesting also would be good for my taste.Not that it is blood or gory it has few scenes that might put you of a little but not to much.You would enjoy the book if you sit down and read it.I would not be sure if it would be good to read it out loud but I think it would be good if it would be read independently.I wouldn't say it is a book you might be stuck on or attracted to but my first impression of the book was that it would be blood because it literally said "Blood on the River";but after reading the book you would think the quote "Do not judge a book by it's cover".It is a good quote.The only thing I do not like about the book is the ending,even though I am not going to give spoilers it ends sadly but I wound't know if it was sad or if it was happy.
On thing I have to say about the whole book is that it is going to have a lot I mean a lot of Indians,and they are a big deal in this book so treat them as main characters,they won't like it if you don't.
I hope you enjoy the book if you have read it or not.I would say it is a really good book to read.
On thing I have to say about the whole book is that it is going to have a lot I mean a lot of Indians,and they are a big deal in this book so treat them as main characters,they won't like it if you don't.
I hope you enjoy the book if you have read it or not.I would say it is a really good book to read.
May 10, 2014
I read this with my son's 5th grade class.
I really enjoyed this book. It was so engaging and well researched. I could of read this in just a few days because the story flows so well.
My son said he would of rated it 4 stars as well. It makes me happy that he enjoyed it just as much as I did.
I really enjoyed this book. It was so engaging and well researched. I could of read this in just a few days because the story flows so well.
My son said he would of rated it 4 stars as well. It makes me happy that he enjoyed it just as much as I did.
Read
May 28, 2021Sixth grader heard saying, “This book was pretty good. No cap.”
March 8, 2021
I am a hard man to please when it comes to historical fiction, especially colonial-era stories. I was surprised that I liked this book. I enjoyed it so much that I read it in about 24 hours, which is rare now that I am a parent of four.
Here's what Carbone does well:
* Writes an urgent plot. From the first page, I felt concerned about Sam Collier's fate.
* Excellent use of historical detail. There is just enough to paint a picture, not so much as to be boring, and there is a strong drive for accuracy.
* No obvious agenda. Lessons that arise from the book are a product of the historical events themselves and not the author's soapboxing.
* Showing, not telling. Carbone trusts the reader to make inferences without being told who the bad guys are.
* Solid arc for the main character.
Some very minor complaints:
* Could have provided more explanation of the class structure- readers are just expected to know what gentles and peasants are.
* The priest was portrayed as more gentle and loving than a priest of that era would typically be.
* The level of scholarship on the Powhatans is excellent. I might ask for them to be portrayed in a more ambiguous way, and not quite so completely reasonable.
* It's a little confusing that pants are called "slops" and the chamber pots are called "slop buckets."
Here's what Carbone does well:
* Writes an urgent plot. From the first page, I felt concerned about Sam Collier's fate.
* Excellent use of historical detail. There is just enough to paint a picture, not so much as to be boring, and there is a strong drive for accuracy.
* No obvious agenda. Lessons that arise from the book are a product of the historical events themselves and not the author's soapboxing.
* Showing, not telling. Carbone trusts the reader to make inferences without being told who the bad guys are.
* Solid arc for the main character.
Some very minor complaints:
* Could have provided more explanation of the class structure- readers are just expected to know what gentles and peasants are.
* The priest was portrayed as more gentle and loving than a priest of that era would typically be.
* The level of scholarship on the Powhatans is excellent. I might ask for them to be portrayed in a more ambiguous way, and not quite so completely reasonable.
* It's a little confusing that pants are called "slops" and the chamber pots are called "slop buckets."
April 15, 2024
Would love to teach this book with my students.
May 26, 2015
I read the book Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone. The book started out in London in 1600s. Samuel, the protagonist, is brought to an orphanage because is parents have died. Samuel and another boy from the orphanage are chosen to help out Reverend Hunt, who is anchorage of the orphanage and Captain Smith a commoner that was in the army. The book follows Samuel on his journey across the Atlantic to the New World. On the journey Samuel learns important lessons about power and trust. He sees that the gentlemen on this journey are incharge no matter how naive they might be about the world. he also learns that he "must stand on many legs" to survive in the New World.
I think that these many lessons are helpful in every day life because even though we do not often settle in new lands. This book keeps the reader interested and gives you the perspective of a young boy in Jamestown. It shows you how those born rich are treated better and can get away with many things that commoners can not. Along the way you learn many things about trust and how you must be able to rely on your friend in order to survive. Even in new situations being able to trust someone will help you or support you along the way is vital to being successful. This book does an amazing job of show these vital lessons as well as stirring reactions from the reader. This book also has an amazing plot with suspense and twists. Many thins happen to keep the reader involved and eager to read more.
I think that these many lessons are helpful in every day life because even though we do not often settle in new lands. This book keeps the reader interested and gives you the perspective of a young boy in Jamestown. It shows you how those born rich are treated better and can get away with many things that commoners can not. Along the way you learn many things about trust and how you must be able to rely on your friend in order to survive. Even in new situations being able to trust someone will help you or support you along the way is vital to being successful. This book does an amazing job of show these vital lessons as well as stirring reactions from the reader. This book also has an amazing plot with suspense and twists. Many thins happen to keep the reader involved and eager to read more.
October 28, 2024
Historical novel about settlers in Virginia and their relationship with the Indigenous people. The author did her homework and the contents are primarily based on accounts and historical information from the time. Written for young people, it is easy to read but packs some powerful messages.
December 9, 2021
This was a great read aloud for my crew. My only complaint is that I didn't know about it last year when we studied Jamestown/early colonies, as it would have made that study all the more vivid. I appreciated how this gives readers a glimpse into both the settlers and natives' perspectives. In addition, it included a lot of history (the starving time and why we hear that the natives were both helping and attacking the people of Jamestown) that was important as well as approachable for elementary age kids. Very well done!
March 8, 2025
more in depth descriptions and explanations of the Native Americans culture were needed imo overall mid.
November 1, 2023
Wow this was phenomenally bad. Racism, white-centricity, extreme anti-indigenous language, Sexism for Boys!, and just so much more. I can't believe we have kids read this as a 'diversity' read.
Even aside from that, why did girlie and her editors think the writing was passable? I'm so tired of people thinking kids need boring sentences because they're easy to understand. No! Children's and Middle Grade books can and should have good writing. Why do we elevate voices that underestimate children and therefore put them off from reading and loving to learn?
I read this for class (to see if it should be given to children, which it should not), so I did a bit of digging beforehand to find out what kind of perspective the author would have. Let me just say she openly admits to not doing good research and learning from Indigenous people (even in the afterword and acknowledgements!). She was oh so fascinated by Virginian history. The adventurous story of Jamestown...Sorry? What? We're just...doing colonial narratives for shits and giggles, huh.
The only passable thing was the mild criticisms of the gentile and upperclass settlers who believed they were above work. And even then, it wasn't enough.
Please don't give this to children, it's not only inaccurate but also for some reason only discusses white perspectives and how settler colonialism was actually good. Listen to Indigenous voices and don't read historical novels about colonialism from a White POV by a White author.
Even aside from that, why did girlie and her editors think the writing was passable? I'm so tired of people thinking kids need boring sentences because they're easy to understand. No! Children's and Middle Grade books can and should have good writing. Why do we elevate voices that underestimate children and therefore put them off from reading and loving to learn?
I read this for class (to see if it should be given to children, which it should not), so I did a bit of digging beforehand to find out what kind of perspective the author would have. Let me just say she openly admits to not doing good research and learning from Indigenous people (even in the afterword and acknowledgements!). She was oh so fascinated by Virginian history. The adventurous story of Jamestown...Sorry? What? We're just...doing colonial narratives for shits and giggles, huh.
The only passable thing was the mild criticisms of the gentile and upperclass settlers who believed they were above work. And even then, it wasn't enough.
Please don't give this to children, it's not only inaccurate but also for some reason only discusses white perspectives and how settler colonialism was actually good. Listen to Indigenous voices and don't read historical novels about colonialism from a White POV by a White author.
May 12, 2021
I read it for school and I had to analyze every little thing until I was sick of it so maybe it deserves 5 stars. Anyway the book was good except for the fact that it was very repetitive. I feel like whenever the author didn't know what to write about she just added another sickness. Got quite boring after the millionth time
January 20, 2022
I love this kind of historical fiction, where we get to see the lives of real people fictionalized. Is it always 100% accurate? No. But it does give a pretty good feel for the time period and the way people at that time would have thought and interacted.
This story focuses around Samuel Collier, an orphan who came to Jamestown as a servant. His growth over the course of the story is inspiring. He starts out very angry at the world and not trusting anyone, but through the experiences in Jamestown and with mentors like John Smith and Reverend Hunt, he learns to open up and make friends. I loved seeing the interactions between real historical figures. I love getting to imagine what people were like and why they were motivated to do the things they did. This story allows us to peek in at those figures and imagine what their lives were actually like. The colonists in Jamestown went through some incredibly difficult experiences. Stories like this give us the chance to speculate about what they might have said and done.
Read my full review here: http://historybookbybook.com/Blood_on...
This story focuses around Samuel Collier, an orphan who came to Jamestown as a servant. His growth over the course of the story is inspiring. He starts out very angry at the world and not trusting anyone, but through the experiences in Jamestown and with mentors like John Smith and Reverend Hunt, he learns to open up and make friends. I loved seeing the interactions between real historical figures. I love getting to imagine what people were like and why they were motivated to do the things they did. This story allows us to peek in at those figures and imagine what their lives were actually like. The colonists in Jamestown went through some incredibly difficult experiences. Stories like this give us the chance to speculate about what they might have said and done.
Read my full review here: http://historybookbybook.com/Blood_on...
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May 26, 2015Blood on the River was generally a very good book with some very complicated parts in the book. I definitely became quite attached to the book and wanted to keep on reading but could not read too far because we were doing a class project. The story showed how Samuel went from being a young boy living on the streets to becoming a young man working in a settlement in a different continent. Samuel definitely seemed to build himself a better personality throughout the story and made a lot of friends along the way. Something I did not like about this book though, was how many people kept on dying or being shipped back to England. This meant there were very few characters that you could really get to know throughout the book and the rest were either dead or in a Powhatan campsite.
A great read overall,
Mitch
A great read overall,
Mitch
January 28, 2021
This was our history read aloud for my kids, but *I* totally loved this book! What an interesting way to learn about the James Town colony. As far as I can tell, it's very historically accurate, but you will become engrossed in the story. I learned more from this enjoyable book than all my years of learning history from a textbook. The moral message about channeling your anger and working together was also very impactful yet not heavy-handed.
I have to say, this probably isn't written for young children. It's very graphic and I had to do a fair amount of editing. I'm not opposed to talking about death, but at times it was too graphic for my 8, 5 and 4 year old boys (who love death and fighting). I probably should have waited, but I don't regret reading it! It's very good!
I have to say, this probably isn't written for young children. It's very graphic and I had to do a fair amount of editing. I'm not opposed to talking about death, but at times it was too graphic for my 8, 5 and 4 year old boys (who love death and fighting). I probably should have waited, but I don't regret reading it! It's very good!
May 20, 2022
This was another “Molly and Me” book. A book that was recommended to me by my 11 year old granddaughter.
This is a very good historical fiction adventure book for grade schoolers that was about the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. It demonstrates the hardships that the new settlers from England had to endure to survive and prosper in the New World, without being too graphic or scary, while also exploring their interactions with the native people. The importance of cooperation, peace, and love is illustrated and it is written in a style that would be enjoyable to young readers.
This is a very good historical fiction adventure book for grade schoolers that was about the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. It demonstrates the hardships that the new settlers from England had to endure to survive and prosper in the New World, without being too graphic or scary, while also exploring their interactions with the native people. The importance of cooperation, peace, and love is illustrated and it is written in a style that would be enjoyable to young readers.
December 20, 2021
I really wasn’t sure about the book but was pleasantly surprised! Carbone took a boring topic, Jamestown 1607, and weaves a compelling story that made me want to read every chance I had! This Historically accurate depiction of the Jamestown settlement was captivating. She wrote about historical people and gave them a persona that is believable and captivating. I finished this book wanting to know more! It is well written!
November 25, 2021
I appreciate that so much work was put into making this account of Jamestown historically accurate. The main character is a fictional apprentice to John Smith and has the chance to learn the language and culture of neighboring native tribes. I really like that each chapter starts with a quote from a primary source document. My fifth grade students enjoyed the story.
December 29, 2018
I was really surprised at how much I loved this book! The cover and topic didn’t appeal to me at all and I have a feeling it won’t to the sixth graders at first either—but once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down! This makes me want to read more about the time period and curious about other portrayals of John Smith. A reminder of how much I loved historical fiction as a kid, too.
February 18, 2018
an alright story. wasn't too detailed and seemed to go through the pages pretty quick. I did enjoy finding out a bit more about John Smith but think this may have been a rather rosy account of his activities.
May 7, 2021
a good book about the history
February 6, 2024
This book was so bad.
I had to read it for school, and it literally has no emotion or flavor whatsoever.
Also, we had to listen to an audio, which was my daily torture.
I had to read it for school, and it literally has no emotion or flavor whatsoever.
Also, we had to listen to an audio, which was my daily torture.
January 21, 2025
i love spammuel for stealing babies. i did rename some characters. spammuel is preppy fr ngl.
samuel:spammuel
the gentlemen:abraham lincoln knockoffs
john smith:johnny boy
samuel:spammuel
the gentlemen:abraham lincoln knockoffs
john smith:johnny boy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
Read this book with my fifth grade class and let me tell you they loved it. At first they grumbled because the book was “slow” and “boring”. We had just read Runs with Courage and they definitely missed that storyline and thought Samuel was not as good as a MC. However that changed once we got to the colonies. They started to beg to read more and more and had heated discussions about who was going to die and why. They often talked about why the colony might fail and how the right people needed to be in charge(Captain Smith if you asked them). This book gave us many wonderful discussions and provided them and me with a great look into life when the country was not even a country. They were appalled by the young age at which women could marry and often didn’t agree with things happening. Overall we all enjoyed the book.
April 2, 2021
I read this with my kids to teach them about early American history, and I found it to be engaging, well-researched, and nuanced. It delivered good messages about channeling anger to use it for good, the importance of empathy and cooperation, and the problems that arise with self-importance. I especially appreciated that it wasn't a celebration of WASP gumption - you'll be disappointed if you want the early settlers deified. It was sympathetic to the settlers while holding them very much accountable for their mistakes, and I appreciated the perspectives of multiple tribes and their experiences with the European settlers.
July 23, 2025
The middle-grade historical fiction tale of Samuel, a young boy serving as a page to Captain John Smith in 1607 Virginia. I read this book because my 6th grade son came home from school telling how much he loved it and begging for me to buy a copy. How could I say no? The book has deep themes, very applicable to middle school kids--leadership, loyalty, community, clash of cultures, and identity. I am do glad to have read this and be able to discuss it with my son. Its one of those formative books that you remember for a long time because you read it at such an impressionable age. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,001 reviews