The Barn [Paperback]

Avi (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

The schoolmaster says nine-year-old Benjamin is the finest student he's ever seen-fit for more than farming; destined for great things someday But his father's grave illness brings Ben home,from school and compels him to strive forsomething great right now -- to do the one thing that will please Father so much he'll want to live. But first Ben must convince his older sister andbrother to work with him. And together, they succeed in ways they never dreamed possible.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"This austere tale set in 1855 tells how the children of Oregon settlers are left to fend for themselves on the frontier," said PW, noting that "it will gratify those who seek a quiet, contemplative read." Ages 8-12. (Aug.) r
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-After their father suffers a "fit of palsy," three motherless children try to keep their struggling farm going in 1855 Oregon. Although nine-year-old Benjamin is the youngest, he is the cleverest of the three, and also the one who truly believes that the man can recover. His sister Nettie wants to marry and start her own life, but agrees to help the family for as long as she can. Harrison is much bigger and stronger than his younger brother, but not quite as quick thinking. After Benjamin figures out a way to communicate with his father, he convinces the others that if they can build the barn that the man had been planning, he will somehow find a reason to live. The family relationships are well drawn, as the siblings react to each situation in their own way, though Benjamin's obsession with curing his father makes him a hard character to empathize with at times. Ultimately, the boy is forced to question his own additional motives for building the barn. While focusing mainly on his characters, Avi presents a vivid picture of the time and place, including fairly involved details about how the barn is constructed. This novel may not have the wide appeal of some of Avi's earlier titles, but it is a thought-provoking and engaging piece of historical fiction.
Steven Engelfried, West Lynn Library, OR
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: An Avon Camelot Book (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380725622
• ISBN-13: 978-0380725625
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( A ) > Avi
  • #72 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Illness

More About the Author

Avi has published more than sixty books. Among them is Crispin: The Cross of Lead, winner of the 2003 Newbery Medal. Other novels with nineteenth-century settings, like The Traitors' Gate -- his grand nod to the work of Charles Dickens -- are listed before the title page, and include the Newbery Honor Book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi and his family live in Denver, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Barn, December 19, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Barn (Paperback)

It's about a boy named Ben that lives on a farm, but he is at a privite school when his dad gets a disease. He has to go back to the farm and help his brother Harrison and his sister Nettie take care of their dad. Ben thinks that theres only one thing that will cure his dad's disease. If he does it he thinks it will help his dad regain health.

My opinion about the book was I didn't like the book because it didn't explain about what is going on at his house or what is going on with his family. I liked it because it had a good story line and it had Ben trying and trying to helphis dad with his disease and he really believes that he can cure his dad.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Barn Heart, June 23, 2000

By 

snapa (wv) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barn (Paperback)

THE BARN is a quick read novel, set in Oregon in l855. It is the story of how the construction of a simple barn, a dying father's wish, transforms the lives and bonding between three children and their father. Harrison, Nettie, and Ben, each had a different reason for agreeing to build the barn. The vision of the barn, standing strong on their farm property, remained a source of strength, satisfaction, love, and family pride throughout their lifetime. It was a true family gift.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely, moving tale of family love and loyalty, November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Barn (Hardcover)

This is a deceptively simple book -- a straightforward story laden with subtleties of writing, emotion, and meaning. It best read through once and then again slowly -- the first read will satisfy your "what's going to happen?" curiousity and will also deliver an emotional wallop; the second read gives you a chance to savor all the telling details and nuances that lead up to the wallop. Amazing that such spare writing can convey so much and so well. What a great book.