Customer Reviews

Boston Jane: An Adventure

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sixteen-year-old Jane Peck used to be the tomboyish, unladylike sort, until she decided to enroll herself into Miss Hepplewhite's Young Ladies Academy and become a "proper lady". For Jane things couldn't be better now that she is a lady, and when her childhood crush, William Baldt, asks her to marry him and go to the Northwestern Territory, Jane consents, even against the wishes of her beloved father. Soon though, Jane begins to kinda regret her decision as she suffers seasickness, deals with the young, despicable, yet charming sailor Jehu Scudder, and sees her companion Mary die in a storm. Jane knows, however, that William will be waiting for her and she perseveres. Unfortunately when she arrives, she learns that Willliam won't be back for months after he was sent on a mission by the Governor. Soon Jane learns that the wilderness life is quite unsuitable for her ladylike ways, and she finds herself going back to her old ways, the person she truly is. In just a few short monthes Jane has had as many adventures as we might have in a lifetime, from forage for salmonberries, almost drowning, sharing a cabin with flea-bitten, dirty men, and the one thing that Jane fears the most: her growing relationship with the young sailor Jehu Scudder. Her mind tells her though that she must stay loyal to William, even though her heart says something else, so she rejects Jehu, telling him she has no choice. The hurt Jehu leaves the settlement and for the first time Jane feels very much alone...until finally William returns! However William has brought secrets back with him, and when Jane finally finds out the truth she learns how ignorant she was to her father's warning, but the thing that she regrets the most is telling Jehu she had no choice...

This is the first novel I have ever read by Jennifer L. Holm and I must say I have become a quick fan of her. Jane has the charm and wit that is hard to resist. It was also really fun to read how Jane reminded herself how to be a lady and quoted alot from her etiquette book. I can't wait to read the new book in the Boston Jane trilogy: Boston Jane: Wilderness Days!

Boston Jan tell the story of Jane Peck in the 1800s. Her father is a surgeon and she gets to help him cure people. In her spare time, she enjoys spitting and throwing things. But things change when her father's apprentice, William, tells Jane that she should be a lady. Because she had a crush on him, she enrolls in a girl's school. Within a few years she is a lady. Willaim goes west to the fronteir, and sends a letter asking Jane to marry her. To her father's dismay, she goes. You have to read the book to find out what happens next. This is a fantastic book! I felt so sorry for Jane at certain parts of the book. And, this book is way better than Our Only May Amelia, the other book by the author.

Motherless Jane Peck ran wild until age eleven when, against her father's wishes, she decided to become a proper young lady at the urging of her father's apprentice, William. When William leaves for the wilds of the Northwest frontier, Jane is devastated. When, at age fifteen, Jane receives a letter from William proposing marriage, she is eager to accept, even though her father does not want her to. But Jane gets her way, and she sets sail from Philadelphia on a ship bound for Washington. But the year is 1854, and sea travel is not easy. Jane faces dangers and hardships on board, and when she finally arrives at her destination, she finds that William is not there to meet her. Alone in this harsh wilderness, Jane is going to have to work to survive, even if it's something no "proper lady" would ever do. I highly reccomend this historical novel. It's very different in style from Jennifer Holm's first book, but is just as good nonetheless.

I always seem to enjoy books for teens and pre-teens that include something about the things society deems important for people to learn and this is highlighted amusingly by Jane's going to school to learn to be a lady. Readers will delight in the tomboy Jane's prowess at spitting and throwing manure, while at the same time realizing that she does, in fact, need civilizing. Unfortunately, the education she receives isn't exactly one that fits her to live on the frontier in wild Oregon, where she is determined to go to pursue a childhood crush. It is the contrast between the "learning to be a lady" and the realities of life on the frontier that provide a good deal of the humor in the book. The added advantage here is that the picture of the primitive conditions is well researched and accurate.

Interesting and fun, though probably not as deep as some treatments of this era.

I read this aloud with my 10 year old. It was the first book we had read together since she was little! We both loved it! It is a great story to read together, because there are so many ideas that you can discuss about being female in our society (This book is written from the point of view of a girl growing up in the mid 1800's during the western expansion. It is an incredible adventure story, and really inspired me. My daughter could not wait to read it every night! Do not read it with a girl younger than 9, in my opinion.

Boston Jane is an exciting, adventeruos, daring and one of my personal favorite stories. Boston Jane is a story about a girl named Jane who lives with her dad in Boston Massachusetts. Because Jane didn't hBostBoston Jane is an exciting, adventeruos, daring and one of my personal favorite stories. Boston Jane is a story about a girl named Jane who lives with her dad in Boston Massachusetts. Because Jane didn't have a mom she wasn't the cleanest girl. Because Jane wasn't clean a "perfect girl" named Sally Biddle made fun of her. Jane's father was a doctor so he had a lot of medical student's come to the house. One boy William came to stay with them, he was the man of Jane's dreams, William told Jane that it was proper for a young lady to have manners so she's took a manners class. After a while William went away to the west and Jane was so heart broken. Every month she would receive a letter, one day was the happiest day of Jane's life because William had asked her to marry him. Jane got permission to go out to the west to see William. So on the voyage their Jane brought her friend Marry. Marry was not only Jane's friend but she was her maid as well. On the boat ride over they ran into a storm and Marry had been killed, when they reached land Jane was looking for William, but he wasn't there. William had left and gone north. So during the many months that William was gone Jane was stuck with a bunch of men and Indians. During thew months something terrible happened, a virus had past through the village killing most of the Indians and many settlers... and Jane had to help bury them! One day the Indian messenger came back with William. But it turns out that while William was away he had gotten married to another woman! So Jane sadly sent them on their way, but after William had gone Jane realized something... that she had fallen in love with a sailor named Jehu. But he left in a month's time. At that point to Jane it felt like everyone had left. I think this is a fantastic book that girls and boys should read. I think that girls would like it better because it has a little bit more love life so to speak in it. The one thing I didn't like about this book was that when someone died they would follow out with it through the whole book, they don't let it go.

"Boston Jane Series: An Adventure" is an excellent book for girls of all ages. It teaches a valuable lesson: females do not need to surrender to males. Women can do all that men can do and more, and we need to not comply with what society expects of us. The story was exciting and realistic. Jane is very witty, and everyone can grow to like her. I couldn't not help but roll my eyes whenever the ladies handbook was mentioned. I truly enjoyed this book. I recommend.

This book is mainly about a young girl who strugles to become a lady. It all starts when Jane (the main character) is made fun by a girl named Sally because she wasn't very lady like. Jane soon tires of being tormented and decides to join a young ladys academy to become more lady like. A man named William, that works with her father, decides to move to the frontier. William and Jane exchange letters for a long while, and she continues to tell him of her proggress at the academy, when finally he asks her to come to the frontier and be his wife. Jane can't wait to go, but her father doesn't want her to leave. After months of begging her father, he decides to let her go. She soon writes him a letter accepting his proposal, but making the wedding dress took longer than she had planned. She sends him a letter telling him she will be late, he fails to recieve the letter. When she arrives in the frontier he isn't there. Jane must learn to cook and survive on her own, she also must learn to give up some of the rules of being a lady.
I found this book to be very enjoyable. I liked how she handled her problems about having to change her way of life. I liked how the characters developed throughout the story. People who like historical fictions will enjoy it more that others, but it's really a book for everyone.

When I started this book I did not imagine how much I would like it. The characters are portrayed beautifully and are not always what they appear to be. Jane Peck cares very much about becoming a refined young lady. She sets off on a voyage by boat where her fiance William is waiting. At first you think William is a perfect gentlemen and perfect for Jane, but you begin to dislike him when you find out he has somewhat deserted Jane. Meanwhile Jane is forced to live amoung the Indians which teaches her a lot about life and herself. Jehu the shipmate from Jane's voyage stays too and falls in love with Jane. Jane likes him too, but must remain faithful to William. In the end she must choose between them a decision in which her happiness is concerned. This was a wonderful tale that anyone would enjoy.

In this story, a very refined young lady Miss Jane Peck follows her fiance' to the Oregon frontier. Jane grew up in Phiadelphia with her father. She is very much a tomboy until she attends Miss Hepplewhites young ladies academy. This is where she learns etiquette, French, music, and embroidery. She decides to travel by boat halfway around the world to become William's wife after he has sent a letter asking for her hand. She is seasick throughout the trip, and most uncertain when she arrives and learns William is nowhere to be found. Jane is now forced to live with a group of smelly, rude, uncivilized male traders. She soon has to learn how to live on the frontier. This story is hilarious as the reader watches Jane learn that her finishing school skills are useless and that she quickly must learn new skills to survive in this pioneer life. I enjoyed watching Jane grow and develop new friendships with the Native Americans as well as the hidden romance that develops between Jane and a sailor named Jehu. There is so much excitement in the story for readers to get lost in as they read. This book which is carefully researched by Holm portrays real-life incidents in pioneer life that are sad yet very entertaining. I would recommend this book for classroom use and for readers who really enjoy curling up to a page turner!