Monday, March 28, 2011

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy


Title: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Publisher: Clarion Books
Reading Level: 4 and up
Pages: 217
Genre: Historical Fiction










Summary:

Turner Buckminster is from Boston, and his family has moved to Phippsburg, Maine. He does not like it at all. He feels like everybody is judging him. He can't play their form of baseball right, and he won't jump off the rocks. Oh yeah, and Mrs. Cobb saw him walking down the street with his shirt off and kicking rocks at her fence. Why is this a problem you ask? Well, Turner isn't just any old boy. He's the minister's son. EVerybody expects him to be the perfect kid and do everything right. And if he doesn't... well, you can be sure that his father will be hearing about it. After Mrs. Cobb complains to the reverend then Turner has to go read to her every day during the summer. He is mortified, and the first time he goes she falls asleep! He sneaks out to get a breath of fresh air, it was hot in there!, and he sees Willis Hurd. After a brawl between the two, Turner has blood all over his shirt and pants. He goes back into Mrs. Cobb's house, takes of his shirt and trousers, and stucks them under the sink to wash out the blood. While he is in his underwear in her kitchen, she walks in! She almost dies, and you know that she phoned Reverend Buckminster right away. On top of reading, Turner has to play the organ now. He doesn't think that this town could be any worse. Then one day he goes to the shore and runs into a black girl named Lizzie Bright Griffin. Lizzie has a thing or two to say to him, but he instantly likes her. They see eachother every day and play around. While climbing one day, Lizzie falls and hits her head. She is bleeding all over, and Turner tries to row the boat to Malaga Island so she can get to her grandfather. However, the current takes him away and many hours pass. Whales surround the boat and Turner looks into the eye of one. He feels empowered, but he couldn't touch it before it was out of reach. Then they hear a boat and someone has come to save them. Lizzie's grandfather takes her home to the island, and Turner heads home to the anger of his parents. Lizzie Bright and Malaga Island are OFF limits. After a few days, Lizzie comes to his house to ask why he hasn't been around. After explaining, he invites her to come and listen to him play the organ for Mrs. Cobb the next day. She comes, and walks into the house with him. Mrs. Cobb is shocked that there is a black girl in her house, but she listens to the organ. Every day Lizzie comes to listen to Turner play the organ, and Mrs. Cobb even grows to like her. Mrs. Cobb is always going on about how someone needs to write her last words down when she dies, and she reminds Turner of this every day. Then one day, she dies, or she seems to. Turner and Lizzie write down her poetic last words, but they argue over one word. Mrs. Cobb yells at them and they both jump. She tells them to go get her a ginger ale because it is hot, and when they come back she really has passed on. Her funeral happens and then her will is found. She is giving her house to Turner! Turner knew she had done this because Lizzie was being forced out of her home. In fact, everybody living on Malaga Island was being forced to leave. Turner knew that they could live in Mrs. Cobb's house, but he failed to recognize the prejudice in the town's heart. They are determined to keep 'negros' out of their town. They go down to Malaga Island one night, and they burn everything. Lizzie and those left on the island are taken to an insane asylum. Turner knew something was going to happen that night, but he thought it would be to the house. He gets locked inside and when he finally escapes he sees the island in flames. The sheriff is waiting for him at the cliffside, and Turner attacks him. All of a sudden his father is there and he pulls Turner away. He argues with the sheriff, and then the sheriff picks Turner up and throws him to the ground. Reverend Buckminster stars to fight with the sheriff, and when Turner turns around he sees his father fall off the cliff. Reverend Buckminster is in terrible condition, and he hasn't talked to anyone for days. The town feels akward about the situation, and Turner's mother decides that they will move into Mrs. Cobb's house. Reverend Buckminster dies, and everyone attends the funeral. Turner is upset at them all, and he lets them know. Once him and his mother are moved into the house, Turner decides he is going to go get Lizzie from the asylum. However, when he gets there the secretary informs him that she died 10 days after admittance. Turner returns home dejected. He goes out on a boat and cries on the river. Then he is surrounded by whales. He rows up to the head and looks into the eye. He reaches out and touches it. He realizes that life will move on, and he returns home.

My Reaction:

It took me a little bit to get into this book. I wasn't very captivated by it, but once I was about 1/3 of the way through I loved it. I love the friendship created by Turner and Lizzie and how much fun they have. I love Turner's stubborness, and how he makes it through life. It is definitely a sad story, but also a very good one.

Potential Problems:

There is a lot of prejudice in this book about the people of Malaga Island, mostly because they are black. Also, the sheriff pushes the reverend off the cliff. There is some swearing throughout the book, but only a few times.

Recommendations:

I would recommend this book to all who love to read. I think it's a great book to show children the reality of rasicm back then so that they can be aware of it today. It's a great story of friendship and standing up for what you believe in.

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