Susan Martins Miller
Barbour Publishing (2006)
ISBN 9781597891011
Reviewed by Avery Largent (age 9) for Reader Views (8/08)
“Lizzie and the Redcoat” by Susan Martins Miller is an exciting tale of a young girl growing up in the time while America was struggling for freedom from the English’s control. This fast-paced book was exciting and written in a way that makes you feel like you are there, experiencing history. I found this book really enjoyable, and my only complaint is that Lizzie, the main character didn’t grow very much throughout the story.
Though this book is short (it took me only forty-five minutes to read), I can still remember almost all of what happens. When the book ended, I sat there with the last page open in my lap, staring at it and thinking, why did it have to end now? It was a very exciting finish, and I was very much yearning for more! With every page, you seem to get more attached to the characters and involved in the storyline. Also, the fast-paced story line teams well with the author’s style. In every chapter, it leaves you at a cliffhanger and keeps you turning the pages.
This story is exciting, but not just because of the cliffhangers. No, there is more to it; it is grounded in history. The story is set during the American Revolution, and Lizzie’s life is framed by these events. She and her family struggle because of the conflict. For example, some little boys were throwing things at Lizzie’s horse because their parents did not support the Redcoats, and Lizzie’s horse sported a red saddle. Also, Lizzie runs into a wounded soldier with her uncle, and they tend to him. This book imprints the reality of life during the American Revolution in your mind.
Aside from all these good things, there is only one thing I have a problem with in this book. Lizzie begins as a slightly timid and frightful character, but instead of changing and growing from her experiences, Lizzie stays the same. The only time she stands up for her self is when she tells several little boys to stop throwing things at her horse, and that hardly seems like something to boast about.
“Lizzie and the Redcoat” by Susan Martins Miller is a fast-paced, exciting and interesting tale. You often feel as though you’re in the story as a friend of Lizzie. I can’t wait to read more of Miller’s books, and, after that, to reread this one.
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