Nightjohn

by Gary Paulsen

Book Overview

In this "searing picture of slavery" ("Kirkus Reviews"),12-year-old slave Sarny risks terrible punishment as Nightjohn, an adult slave, teaches her how to read. An inspirational story, meticulously... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385308388
• ISBN13: 9780385308380
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.6" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Has an important and powerful message

Reading - what does it mean to you? Many adore that word, and those people happen to be bookworms. But some detest that word, considering that reading is boring. Many people take reading for granted. But for an enslaved person, the ability to read is very powerful."Nightjohn" is the tale of a young, female, black slave who learned how to read, and the man who dared break the rules to teach it. Sarny is a curious, little girl, a slave from birth, who resides in the plantation of Mr. Waller during the Civil War. For her, life is the same, until a mysterious black man named John teaches her something new, the ability to read and write. Though the rules forbid that a slave should learn that, Sarney and John risk everything to learn and teach one of man's most powerful tactics."Nightjohn" - an inspiring tale set during a time of despair and suffering, when the Civil War tore a nation apart, when people sorrowfully leave their families to do what they believed was right. It was a time when slavery existed, and suffering slaves risk their lives to seek freedom. Short and fast-moving (only 90 pages), "Nightjohn" has an important message. Many people can learn from this story. It teaches that words are the most powerful weapon that can be used against injustice and corruption. The book acuratelly portrays the cruel and violent life of a slave during 1800s America, and the despairs and hopes they kept during a horrible time. "Nightjohn" will convince you that slavery should never have existed!

brutal and graphic

This story is an intense and graphic account of the brutal conditions endured by slaves. The "Master" exerted extreme control over all facets of the slaves' lives, including eating, sleeping, and reproduction. Horrific punishments were dealt out to those who violated any of the rules. I found this short book moving and affecting, illuminating the inhuman conditions the slaves endured. However, this book was assigned to my 10-year old son as summer reading. This book is grossly inappropriate for children. Despite its brevity, this book is way too intense for children, dealing with a topic that is better suited to high school.

Simple and Sweet

I had to read Nightjohn for school and it was a truly fabulous book. Gary Paulsen did a great job crafting this. The book is about 12 year old slave Sarny, that lives on a plantation with her caretaker Mammy. One day the mean old master buys a slave named John. Sarny makes a deal with John that she will give him tobacco if he will teach her to read and write. This he does. She learns letters and them spells a word. The master finds her writing and whips Mammy and cuts off two of John's toes. This is a great book for black history month and a great book to read all year round. I highly reccomend this book for a lover of slave fiction, Gary Paulsen, or a great read. Buy and enjoy this great book. Be sure to catch the film adaption of the book on the Disney Channel.HAPPY READING

Hard hitting, realistic depiction of slave life

What a great book! I disagree with the reviews above when they say that the violence is redundant and excessive. Truth is, life was really like that on the plantation. The reader is almost transported back in time. This book is a good contrast to many history books that tend to downplay the intense cruelty inflicted on southern slaves. My recommendation? Take this book with you to Williamsburg, VA and ask the tour guides questions about it as they tell you how "well treated" the slaves were.

NightJohn

Iam a big Gary Paulsen fan. Im trying to read all of his books. I started reading Hatchet in 5th grade. Ive read, about 5 of his books, and soon found out that he has a wide selection of more books. I just finished "NightJohn". I thought this book was very well written. I understood it very well. But I do recommened something before you read this book. I am an 8th grader, and I have just finished studying in my History class about the Civil War , and slavery, and I recommened that you should learn alittle about the Civil War, and slavery before you read this book. Because you wouldn`t understand it if you didn`t know about. I liked this book alot. The semi- part life time tale of Sarny. Sarny is a young black slave who is born into a plantation in the South. She tells the story in a very "horrific" way I think. She tells of her "master" and how badly they are treaten. I gave this book 5 stars for its well written contents. I almost was going to give it 4 stars because of the continual cursing. But by all means, this is a great book , and I would buy it again.