The Liberation of Gabriel King

Author:  K. L. Going

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Setting:  1976, Georgia

Themes:  Prejudice, Tolerance, Confronting and Resolving Fears, Friendship, Racism

Recommended:  4th Grade and Up

Accelerated Reader Book Level:  4.5

Mrs. Carter says:

It’s the summer of 1976. Former Georgia governor, Jimmy Carter, is running for president. Gas prices are high and the country is in a recession where money is tight. It’s also the year of the nation’s bicentennial, and the year Gabe has determined that he will not go to fifth grade next fall. You see, Gabriel King is afraid of almost everything — spiders, cows, centipedes, and almost anything to do with fifth grade. Everything except his best friend, Frita Wilson, that is.

Nobody can make Gabe move up to fifth grade, well, except possibly Frita. Frita has determined that while some people were “born chicken,” Gabe is not one of those people. According to Frita, all Gabe needs is a little “liberating”, and she is just the one to help free him from his fears.  Frita has a plan. She has Gabe make a list of all of his fears (all 38 of them), and they will attack those fears one by one throughout the summer. Once Gabe has faced all of his fears, he will have the courage to face fifth grade.

Things don’t go quite as planned, however. Gabe learns that Frita is not fearless as he had once thought, and Frita’s fears involve people who hate her for the color of her skin. How can Gabe ever help Frita when he is so afraid of everything himself?

The Liberation of Gabriel King by K. L. Going is a terrific read. It’s a thin little book (only 151 pages) and moves at a fast pace. Told in first person from Gabe’s point of view, the story is at times laugh out loud funny as Gabe desperately tries to overcome his own fears. When he becomes afraid for Frita, however, Gabe’s voice becomes much more serious . Will Gabe find the courage to help Frita?

Heart of a Samurai

Author:  Margi Preus

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Setting:

• Japan, the United States, Hawaii,
• Whaling Ships
• 1841-1852

Themes:  courage, isolationism, whaling industry, racism, prejudice,

AR BL: 5.4
AR Points: 8.0

Awards:  Newbery Honor Book

"We can never go back to Japan, you know, " Goemon said, staring across the sea.

"Why not?"

The law says, "Any person who leaves the country and later returns will be put to death."

They brooded on this in silence.

Finally, Manjiro said, "But why?"

"Because, if we were to encounter any of the foreign devils, we would be poisoned by them."

"Poisoned!" Manjiro said.

"Maybe not our bodies, but they would poison our minds with their way of thinking.  That's why no fisherman are allowed to go very far from the coast -- they say contamination lies beyond the reach of the tides.  The barbarians would fill our heads with wrong thoughts!"

Heart of a Samurai is a great historical adventure book, based upon a TRUE story.  Manjiro is a young Japanese boy who must help provide for his family as a fisherman.  When a violent storm destroys the fishing boat, Manjiro and his friends find themselves stranded on a deserted island with little food and water, but that is only the beginning of Manjiro's story.  An American whaling ship rescues Manjiro and the rest of the crew from the fishing boat.  Manjiro and his mates do not know what to make of the strange looking men who they have always considered "barbarians."

Unable to return home to Japan because of the strict laws isolating Japan from the rest of the world in the late 1800s, but not sure of what the "barbarians" might do to them,  Manjiro and his mates must make the best of their lives.  Manjiro, always curious, asks lots of questions,  begins to learn English, and soon joins the whaling ship crew on a whale hunt.    As Manjiro continues to ask questions and learn, he catches the eye of the whaling ship captain.  The Captain soon makes Manijro an interesting offer.  What will Manjiro do?  Should he take the captain's offer or should he stick with the other Japanese fishermen?

This book is full of the exciting history and fascinating information about the early whaling industry, the U.S., Japan and Hawaii in the late 1800s (Hawaii was not a state then), and the true story of a young Japanese fisherman who dreamed of being a Samarai.  The illustrations in the book are reproductions of drawings actually created by Manjiro.  Also included is a glossary to help readers understand unfamiliar sailing and whaling terms and a bibliography for further reading for those interested.

Overall the book moves at a quick pace, although some may find some small sections drag a bit.  Stick with it, the pace picks back up again fairly quickly.

This website also offers more information about Manjiro's adventures.