Customer Reviews

Master Cornhill

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Master Cornhill is about an orphan 11 year old boy in London around the time of the London Fire and the Black Plague. I like the descriptive language,the pictures and the map , all of which helped me to imagine what it was like to live at that time and in that place in history. The main character, Michael Cornhill, was courageous and loyal to his friends. I admire the way he searched for his identity and tried to find his way in the world without parents. I definitely recommend this book for anyone.

Perhaps more likely to appeal to young males, this coming of age story centers on Master Cornhill, a twice-orphaned lad of 11 1/2 years. Due to the sweep of the Black Plague in 1665 he is left without a home, family, or friends. He is left to shift for himself as he forms new acquaintances. As if things were not difficult enough, the following year brings the Great Fire of London.

The book is rich in period detail and daft language of the times. If you have read aloud a few nonsensical children's storybooks it will be easy to have fun with such words as tarradiddle, Lud (Lord), or nowt-head (knothead or numbskull). It is also very useful to have watched Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), Hercule Poirot, Jane Austen, and other period pieces. The cockney and courtly languages of London comes alive in those productions. There are also several Dutch words sprinkled in, most of which are self-explanatory. Jongen means young one, grootvader I think is grandfather, and meidje means maid for a few examples.

The reader learns about balladeers, map-colorers, shopkeepers, boatmen, and a several other trades. This makes a fine read-aloud for grades 2-5 or 6 and an independent read for grades 5-10.

Master Cornill, in my opinion, is an extremely creative and interesting story. It was able to hold my attention with its excitement. Master Cornhill had a great balance of reality and fiction. I will never forget about the trying times in England now. I especially enjoyed the characters and the way they were portrayed. I would highly recommend this book!

Master Cornhill is an incredible work of fiction. Ms. McGraw is the most talented author that I know of. In this book Ms. McGraw does an excellent job in her descriptions. A friend of mine said that "she paints pictures with her words." This book was worth my while to read because it has a wonderful story line. I love the time period of the book, and it is also tells of a important event in history, that everyone should know of. I think that the most intriguing part of the book is when Michael is trained by Master Haas to make maps. It makes me want to try the map trade! The book Master Cornhill, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a book that I think everyone should own!

Master Cornhill is an incredible work of fiction. Ms. McGraw is the most talented author that I know of. In this book Ms. McGraw does an excellent job in her descriptions. A friend of mine said that "she paints pictures with her words." This book was worth my while to read because it has a wonderful story line. I love the time period of the book, and it is also tells of a important event in history, that everyone should know of. I think that the most intriguing part of the book is when Michael is trained by Master Haas to make maps. It makes me want to try the map trade! The book Master Cornhill, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a book that I think everyone should own!

This book is, to put it succinctly, a masterpiece, which deserves to be better known. Eloise Jarvis McGraw brings an almost cinematic vividness not only to London in 1666, but to several characters who jump off the page and into your hearts. Tom, the ballad seller, "gold and silver" Susanna, and Michael Cornhill are so crystal clear in character you feel you know them. The details of life in that era are so well described that you can hear the cacophony of church bells, see the throngs of people (reputable and disreputable), feel the fear of the plague and then finally, feel the shock and despair when London begins to burn. To my mind, only Robert Louis Stevenson has written any boy's adventure book that surpasses this pithy gem. Somehow, like Stevenson, McGraw is able to tell a gripping story and to educate us about history and human nature at the same time. I was already an adult when I read this book, and I think that maybe I enjoyed it more than I would have as a child. So don't think you're too old for this treasure!

I think that Master Cornhill was a very interesting book. i loved this book because it was very creative. It was very nicely sayed so children could understand the words. I think the second part was the most exiting part. I think the auther could improve the book by telling more about susanna and Tom. I think the book was definatly worth reading if you like reading about a boy wanting to find his family. I wish I new more about Jack Stubb. I think this book is a very delightful book for anyone to read. I hope there will be a sequal. I would definatly recamend this book to some one.

Your kids will never forget the date of the Great Fire of London after they read this book!
Wonderful family conversations about why people turn to fantasy, preparing for a future, honesty...And best of all a terrific read! My kids and I loved this book.

This book took me back in time to England when I read it. I could feel the hope, despair, joy and sorrow Michael felt all through the book. Eloise McGraw makes you feel like you are living in the story, feeling the despair after the plauge, and the scorging heat of the great fire. Eloise McGraw manages to capture your attention until you can't put the book down, while still teaching you something valuable. I have never enjoyed learnign history more.

The book gives a lot of history of England. It helped me understand about plagues and the Great Fire of London. The book make it more real than just reading about it in my text book.