"A Difficult Boy" by M. P. Barker

A Difficult Boy by M. P. Barker is a good story about two young boys working for a shopkeeper. This book kept my interest from page 1. It's funny at times and heartbreaking too! Give it a chance, you will be glad you did!

(Gerard's Review 11/10/11)


I loved reading A Difficult Boy by M. P. Barker even though it is a teen historical fiction book set in Massachusetts in 1839.  It is the story of two indentured servants, Ethan (9 yrs. old) and an orphan named Daniel aka Paddy, a few years older (who become friends and worked together to get their freedom.  This book kept my interest all the way through and I felt sorry for the boys and anger towards their abusive master, Mr. Lyman, the town's well respected storekeeper.  What a creep he was!  My favorite part of the book though was when Daniel taught Ethan how to ride Ivy, Mr. Lyman's horse.  I also liked the ending!

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories about friendship.  I think this would make a very good movie!  It is interesting that the author worked as a costumed historical guide in Massachusetts for nearly ten years and this is her first novel!  It won the 2003 PEN New England Children's Book Caucus Discovery Award.  To learn more and view the book trailer, visit her website:  www.mpbarker.net. 
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  

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One Lovely Blog Award

I got this fine award from Books and Bliss.  Thank you!

This is how the award works:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Pass this award to:

Anyone on my blog roll!  

I know, I'm not following the rules here, but hey, it just takes too much time.

Thank You For The Versatile Blogger Award

I've been given The Versatile Blogger Award by Laurel-Rain Snow's Reflections.  This is the first award I've received on this blog and I am supposed to pass it along to 15 newly discovered blogs.  Well, if you are on my blog roll here, you are a newly discovered blog so feel free to take this award and run with it on your blog.


The award comes with some rules, which include these:


1)  Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them when creating the award post.
2)  Share seven things about yourself.
3)  Pass the award on to 15 recently discovered blogs.
4)  Contact the bloggers to let them know about the award.


Here are my 7 little known things about us:


1.  We go to the library every Saturday.

2.  We go to church every Sunday.

3.  Neither of us drinks coffee or alcohol.

4.  We have a huge collection of stuffed animals, some in every room!

5.  We are both on the puppet team at church.

6.  Our favorite show right now is "Army Wives."

7.  We both used to be AWANA club workers at church.


I pass this on to anyone who wants in that is on our blog roll here.