The Wall on 7th Street

By Diane Martineau

Adjusting to his parents' divorce is a tough way to spend the summer for twelve-year-old Toby. Missing his dad and his friends, Toby tries to get to know his new, multicultural neighborhood, but right... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738707155
• ISBN13: 9780738707150
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.8" x 5.3"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Rebuilding a Neighborhood by Reclaiming Lost Dreams.

An Exciting Story About Rebuilding a Neighborhood by Reclaiming Lost Dreams. Wall On 7th Street July 14, 2007 This is the second book that I've reviewed in the last year after a brief hiatus and it was well worth the wait. This book satisfied the cravings felt by anyone in search of a good book. It was colorful, well written and the plot was outstanding! Toby and his sister have moved into a new neighborhood after their parents' recent divorce. It's a new neighborhood for Toby and his sister Beth but it's their mother's childhood neighborhood. Toby's mother has fond memories about this neighborhood, but now it has been overrun by a gang called the "Strafers." Toby befriends a homeless man named Moe and is given a reason to love the neighborhood that he has thus far despised. Moe and Toby will fight the Strafers with a rather unconventional but effective weapon ... a paint brush. As the book progresses from the normal to the paranormal there are so many reasons to keep on reading. This book will engage your imagination in a manner reminiscent of Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia. Toby begins to see what Moe has already seen and then the reader and the other residents of the 7th Street neighborhood are privy to their vision. Together they will fight back to regain control of their neighborhood and to make their visions a reality. An exciting and well written piece of Children's literature through and through; The Wall on 7th Street is a classic fit for the silver screen. Reviewed by Tyrone Vincent Banks

Tremble, cry and cheer with the people of 7th Street.

Genre: Youth Fiction Title: The Wall on 7th Street AUTHOR: Diane Martineau Toby Maxwell's 13 year-old world is crumbling around him. No teenager is prepared for the word `divorce' but now Toby, his Mom and sister Beth have moved into a sad and lonely neighborhood run by bullies. The Strafers have control of the street and the huge warehouse wall that dominates the landscape. Strafer art consists of monsters, war, murder and mayhem and intimidates the people of 7th Street. Toby's only friend is Moe the homeless man, who is the bravest man on the street. He and Toby plot to overturn the Strafers' power in a rather unconventional way. The Wall on 7th Street is chocked full of entertaining, colorful characters who interact in a most interesting way. Educational, enlightening and inspiring the story will capture the interest and the hearts of young readers. The cover art portrays the wall beautifully. Author Diane Martineau is a retired art teacher living in upper New York State in what was once Iroquois Land. Her interest in the Iroquois culture shines through in this novel as well as her experience with paint and art. As a retired teacher, she understands the psyche of young people and her writing appeals to their interests and problems. Pick up a copy today and tremble, cry and cheer with the people of 7th Street. Highly recommended by Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

A FANTASTIC BOOK! Recommended by a kid for all kids.

This is now one of my ALL TIME favorite books! You start it and you won't stop reading until the end. I think that it is a good book for either boys or girls up to about age 15. (I am 14 and loved it, and now my 11 year old brother won't give it back and he usually hates to read.) It talks about things that kids really experience and you can tell that the author really knows kids and respects them. What's best about the book is how great the characters are. They are like real people. I also liked learning about the Indians and thought that having the boy in the book have a friend who is homeless was excellent. It gives you a new perspective on what people experience who are homeless. I think that you see people in that situation differently after you've read the book. I recommend this book to any kid who is looking for a really good book. Or it's a great idea for any adult who is looking for a gift that a kid will really like.

Worthy reading for all ages

We were given this book, and thought it might be too old for my child, but we read it aloud straight to the end! My 6-yr-old son was impatient to hear it, and my husband and I enjoyed it much more than our usual bedtime reading. It was engaging and truly interesting for all of us. The story is an unusual combination of real-life family issues, urban concerns, and inspiring human connection. Also, elements of Native American history give it more depth. Very worthy reading for anyone from 6 to over 60!

Not Just for Kids!

Ostensibly a book for children, "The Wall on 7th Street" quickly caught my attention by the gripping manner in which the plot unfolds as well as deft use of Iroquois history and legend to help solve the main character's problems and to move the action forward. Toby, at 13, is having a hard time adjusting to his new neighborhood where he, his older sister and his mother have moved after his parents' divorce. In the course of settling in,he meets a homeless man, an embittered Vietnam veteran with a history of his own, who is initially quite isolated from the rest of humanity by choice. These two are thrown together in common cause against the depredations of a neighborhood gang, The Strafers. who seem to have intimidated one and all for blocks around. Some possibly supernatural things occur and major changes befall the area's inhabitants. I leave further developments to the interested reader to peruse. Suffice it to say, the characters learn valuable lessons about tolerance and caring for others, and become more vital people into the bargain. As a psychiatrist who deals with children from time to time, I plan to recommend this book to parents and young readers alike. It's a whale of a good read, just from the point of view of suspense and a well told story. If, in the process, some "life lessons" go down smoothly as well, who can argue with that? -Mary Hartshorn,M.D. Psychiatrist, Upstate New York