Customer Reviews

My America: The Starving Time: Elizabeth's Jamestown Colony Diary, Book Two

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is my daughter's and my first foray into this series and, in fact, into this type of literature. We approached the book as a read-together, and though we tried a couple of times my second grader just wasn't drawn in and engaged by the story. I, however, thought the book was interesting and I went on and finished it alone.

The principle drawback for my daughter (almost 8) was the diary format and the first person perspective. So probably Amazon has the age range right when they suggest that the book would be more appropriate for an older girl, or a more mature girl.

From my own perspective I thought the author did a very good job of emphasizing the problems faced by the little community: disease, hostile natives, starvation, and discord. And I liked that here-and-there throughout the story Elizabeth asked self-reflective questions such as 'should I help my best friend' when that friend was going to do something her parents might not approve. I think such questions can lead to discussions, either with caregivers or friends.



In summary I would give this book a B- with the caveat that it is definitely 'chick lit'. I say this because the mainstay of the story is an internal monologue about how the main character feels about people and events. The diary format and the viewpoint was 'too sophisticated' for my daughter who is almost 8, but ought to interest older girls. In addition, it should probably be pointed out that the overall theme is not an especially cheerful one, and there are many sad moments.

The Accelerated Reading designation is 3.2 -- which means that book is suitable for children reading on the entering third grade level.

Note on Reading Level: The AR description is a general "guide" that rates books on a relative scale of difficulty. Children can certainly read at levels above or below their group range, so that this number should only be used as a aid to help choose books that are appropriate and not frustrating.

Pam T~

The Starving Time opens up exactly where Elizabeth left off writing in Book One. She is terribly saddened over the departure of her best friend Jessie who is going back to England with her father after the loss of his wife, and Captain John Smith who had also been a good friend. She finds friendship in a girl named Mary, who is in love with a boy named John, who she loathes more than anyone in the whole colony. But that is just the little things. Elizabeth and the rest of the colonists have to endure so many things; the title tells exactly what the book is about. She even sees her mother eatting worms because she is so starved. But most of all what gets Elizabeth through this terrible ordeal is knowing that come spring, her twin brother Caleb will be on the new ships coming to Jamestown with so many good things in tow. I recommend this book to anyone providing you have the read the first though. You will not be disappointed.

Taking place in 1609, Elizabeth Barker, a 9 year old immagrint from England writes about her suffering life in Jamestown, Virginia. After Captain Smith and her old friend, Jessie Bolton return to England, she lives in missery until she meets Mary, a fourteen year-old girl. Everyone is starving terribly. A few have even died. Men are sent out of their town to find food, some do not return... Elizabeth has even caught her mother eating worms!

Life is harsh... Soon Elizabeth's mother dies and almost everyone grows ill, even Elizabeth her self! Many families leave the town and travel into the wild, hoping for more luck. Now, only a few families remain. Soon, Her brother Caleb will come on the supply ship in Spring. Many pray they will survive until then... I recommend this book to any one who enjoys history and adventure!...

This book tells about nine-year-old Elizabeth Barker, an English girl who has come to live in the Jamestown colony in 1609. Food is very scarce, and many people are starving. Many people die, including Elizabeth's friend and mother. But she also makes another friend, a really nice one, and her twin brother, Caleb, who was too ill to travel with Elizabeth and her parents before, finally arrives on the spring supply ship, which also has food. By the end of the book, the colony is a peaceful place to be.

I read the book to my mom. It was interesting. I really liked it and I think alot of other peolple would too. I learned alot about Jamestown but I don't think Elizabeth had a very good childhood.

Very well written, though it did tend to push the "Indian good, white man bad" agenda which is not historically accurate in this case. It should be noted that this is NOT an actual diary but a recently written book that is composed in diary form. My daughter enjoyed it but I would recommend that you do a little follow-up by dividing the historical "wheat from the chaff".

When I first got this book I didn't want to let it go . It was so interseting that I didn't want to go to sleep.The part I liked was that Elizabeth's mom had a baby. Also that Elizabeth and Jessie asked Captain John Smith if he can go back to England and say hi to Caleb. I had fun reading this book.If you heard about this book then check it out.

It's October, 1609. Although her best friend Jessie Bolton has returned to England with her grieving father following her mother's death, nine-year-old Elizabeth Barker is hopeful. The small colony of Jamestown, Virginia, is finally beginning to feel like home. The birth of Lizzie's baby sister, Abigail, has brought the Barker family joy. And Lizzie's twin brother, Caleb, will join the family come spring. But nothing can prepare Lizzie, her family, and the other colonies for the hardships they will face over winter. There isn't nearly enough food to last until the next ship arrives in the spring, and as soon as the first snow falls, disease once again breaks out among the colonists. Lizzie fears for her life, for her parent's lives, but especially for the life of little Abigail, whom Lizzie fears may not be strong enough to survive the winter. Lizzie and her new friend Mary cling to each other for comfort and pray for deliverance, yet even their strong spirits may not be enough to keep their families alive. As Lizzie struggles through the death of friends and loved ones, family and strangers, and starvation and sickness, she fights to keep her hope alive and to never give up. Told through Lizzie's spirited diary entries, this book continues the story begun in Our Strange New Land. Both that book and this one reveal what life might have been like for a young girl during the difficult winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown Colony. I highly reccomend this book to all fans of the Dear America series, especially those that loved the first book about Lizzie.

Elizabeth started writing this diary on October 9, 1609. It was the day when she saw her best friend Jessie for the last time. Jessie and her father were returning back to England after death of her mother. Elizabeth sent her first diary with Jessie to her twin brother, Caleb, who was too weak to travel to the New World with the family.
After her friend left Elizabeth felt very lonely. Now her second diary is her trusted friend with whom she shares thoughts and worries. Times were difficult for colonists. There was shortage of food and people were starving and dying. Elizabeth lost her mother and almost lost her own life. Still she was an optimist. Elizabeth and her father built a new house in Jamestown. America is a new home now for Elizabeth and her family.

Fairly well written. Interesting subject matter for anyone who likes early Americana.