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A modern western for youngsters, the cover art for this book does nothing to link the story to my brain -- an unfortunate crutch perhaps, but that's how it goes.
After his family dies in the hard-scrabble landscape of the early American west, Joseph Johnson is determined to escape his abusive caretaker who had just sold his beloved horse. Joseph knows it won't be easy but he intends to go after the man who bought his horse and get her back, though he doesn't have much of a plan.
This book has been ...more
After his family dies in the hard-scrabble landscape of the early American west, Joseph Johnson is determined to escape his abusive caretaker who had just sold his beloved horse. Joseph knows it won't be easy but he intends to go after the man who bought his horse and get her back, though he doesn't have much of a plan.
This book has been ...more

I LOVED this book! I loved it much more than The Honest Truth. The story of Joseph and the quest to find his sweet Sarah will warm your heart. His honesty and hard work an exemplary and his kind heart will win you over. At first the authentic voice of the main character threw me off a little... but soon I got used to it and at the end, I could see that writing it like that was the only way to go. I loved the adventure, the twists and turns, the friendship and sacrifice and the sweet moments that
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Some Kind of Courage was part True Grit and part a kid-friendly version of The Revenant. It was action-packed and showed children being responsible and making good decisions. The main character was confident and kind, and seemed older than his age. Despite differences in culture and language, Joseph and his friend work together well and truly care about one another. Over all, this book is a good historical fiction book with great lessons. Unfortunately, I myself didn’t have fun reading it, but I
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This middle grade novel is about a boy named Joseph who is an orphan (his mom and sister died of typhoid, dad died in an accident) on what seems to be the Oregon Trail. He has been left in the care of a man named Grissom, who it turns out, doesn't exactly have Joseph's best interests at heart. When Grissom sells Joseph's horse, Joseph decides it's time to go and so he goes out in search of his horse. It's a super compelling story with page turning action. I thought it was terrific.
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Wonderful story.
Some great, deep thinking lines.
"But life is a funny thing. It just keeps on going on."
"And life was going on, all around me. With or without me, it was going on."
Characters:
Joseph: 12 year old boy, who has lost his sister and parents. On a quest to get back his horse, Sarah.
Ah-Kee: A Chinese boy he runs into, who goes through most of the journey with Joseph.
Location: Yakima area of Washington.
1890 ...more
Some great, deep thinking lines.
"But life is a funny thing. It just keeps on going on."
"And life was going on, all around me. With or without me, it was going on."
Characters:
Joseph: 12 year old boy, who has lost his sister and parents. On a quest to get back his horse, Sarah.
Ah-Kee: A Chinese boy he runs into, who goes through most of the journey with Joseph.
Location: Yakima area of Washington.
1890 ...more

I LOVED this book! Joseph, the main character, is a real hero with high morals - such a role model. I loved his adventure! I highlighted so many phrases in the book, due to the author's way of presenting things - his wording is touching and unique.
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Mar 11, 2016
Kristen
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Jun 24, 2017
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Kimberly
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May 13, 2019
Tammie Acuff
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