My Name Is America: The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce, a Pilgrim Boy

by Ann Rinaldi

Book Overview

A fourteen-year-old indentured servant keeps a journal of his experiences on the Mayflower and during the building of Plymouth Plantation in 1620 and 1621. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590510789
• ISBN13: 9780590510783
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 155 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

A Glimplse into the Life of the Pilgrims

This is my first experience with the My Name is America series, though I have read a number of other books in the Dear America series and I have to say, I rather enjoyed it. My Name is America: The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce is written in the style of a personal diary that the main character (Jasper Jonathan Pierce) writes to his brother whom he was forced to leave behind in England. The book initially starts out with some history on JJP and his brother...they are orphaned children of a clock maker who had been living on the streets of London for several years begging, doing odd jobs and even pick-pocketing to get by. They are lured into becoming indentured servants when they are threatened with prison for their stealing. The boys (Jasper 14, and Tom 12) enter into a contract for 7 years each with different families, each set to sail to the New World on the Mayflower. At the last minute, Tom's "owner" decides the trip is too dangerous and takes Tom and leaves the boat. Distraught, Jasper has no choice but to go on, but Jasper has a kindly master and he is given a blank book to record his journey so that he might keep his brothers in his thoughts and deeds. From there, we are given an account of the journey on the Mayflower, the landing of the Pilgrims and Strangers (non-pilgrims) in the New World, their attempts to settle, and their struggles to make contact with the elusive and frightening (to them) natives, and the harsh (and sometimes deadly) conditions they had to endure while setting up their town and in making it through their first few winters in Plymouth. I enjoyed reading this because the main character (Jasper) is based on an actual historical figure who landed with the Mayflower and while it is a fictional account, it is historically accurate in detailing the condition their lives and the physical and emotional well-being (or lack there of) as individuals and as a community and I think that this book (and the entire series) is a wonderful way for children to get an idea of exactly what life was like for children (and adults) in the colonial period of U.S. history. Jasper himself wasn't a Pilgrim, but his "story" gives the reader and up-close and personal glimpse into their day-to-day lives as well as showing their encounters with the Indians in a way that demonstrates all the fear (and moral superiority on occasion) they felt in meeting and dealing with them. I also like that the author takes the time to also show the lives of the Indians way of life and how they might have felt about these new immigrants in a positive way while foreshadowing the difficulties that were yet to come. Young readers will appreciate reading about the history of the Plymouth colony from a perspective they can relate to and they will get lot of great information on the journey to the new world, the beliefs and practices of the Pilgrims and their struggles to rebuild their lives in this unfamiliar New World! I give My Name is America: The

A Pilgrim Boy

"I am so weary yet I must write. I have been ashore! How strange it is to cast an eye on the nearby forest and not know what manner of beast was watching you". What you just read was a quote from The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pearce. Jasper Jonathan Peirce was a young pilgrim boy on the Mayflower. The book gives us a look at pilgrim lifestyle. It tells what happened from the first time someone stepped on Plymouth to the Thanksgiving feast. I would recommend this book for eight year olds and over. The book is very unique because instead of chapters it has entries, just like real journal would give this book an eight out of ten. I liked this book because it really happened. If you are interest in history you should buy this book.

Great Book

I had read this book for a book report in my U.S. History class, and I decided to read this book because I really like to learn about the Pilgrims. All in all, this is a great book and I think that Jr. High kids will like to read about this.

It will keep you guessing till the very end.

This book is great. It has so many real history facts and moments. It talks of a boy of 14 who sails on the Mayflower, to get to a new land called,America. Jasper goes through many hard times. He sees people die,and goes on a wild adventure into the woods where he meets the evil one. They say once you see him you will be killed or will you. To find out this and more just read this book.

An excellent addition to the My Name is America series.

Orphaned when they were little, fourteen-year-old Jasper and his younger brother, Tom, scavanged on the streets of London, until they were fortunate enough to find positions as indentured servants. But when Jasper's master decides to travel to America on the Mayflower and Tom's does not, the brothers are separated. On the long, tedious, and difficult journey to the New World, and during the dangerous and tragedy-filled first months in the New World, Jasper takes comfort in writing in a journal that he plans to send back to his brother. And during that time, Jasper comes to think of Plymouth Colony as his home. I highly recommend this addition to the My Name is America series. Ann Rinaldi has created a fictional hero and brought him to life, along with some real life people that sailed on the Mayflower. She described the New World as a young person might have really seen it.