Powder Monkey by Donna M. McDine

Powder Monkey by Donna M. McDine is a heartrending, powerful story of survival and perseverance.

Tommy is taken by the press gang and forced into servitude for the Royal Navy. It is a tough life for a farm boy, but he learns to survive by being willing to do the jobs many of the other boys do not like to do.

This is a book for middle grade readers that shares a part of British history that is about as attractive as the years the United States was divided by slavery. It’s not a light story for youngsters to enjoy. Instead, it’s a story to teach children about the difficulties in our past and what they can learn from them.

Tommy’s story is brought to life by McDine’s captivating story and the stunning illustrations of K.C. Snider–one of my favorite artists. The emotions Snider captures in this book are so realistic you can’t help but be touched by them; especially the two at the end of the book. This author and artist should collaborate often.

Powder Monkey would make a great addition to any school or home library.

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc; large type edition edition (May 20, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616333855
ISBN-13: 978-1616333850

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.