The Treasure of Amelia Island (Florida Historical Fiction for Youth) [Hardcover]

M C Finotti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2008 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Florida Historical Fiction for Youth

In 1813 the children of Ana Jai Kingsley run from the Patriots straight into even more danger

Eleven-year-old Mary Kingsley recounts the tumultuous events of December 1813. Her family lived in La Florida, a Spanish territory under siege by Patriots from the United States of America. Patriots wanted to force Spain out of the land it had ruled for nearly three hundred years.

Mary is the youngest child of a former slave, Ana Jai Kingsley. Her father freed Mary and the rest of the family, but the Patriots don't care. They see no place for freed people of color in a new Florida. They want to make Mary and her family slaves again.

Against these mighty events, Mary decides to search for a legendary pirate treasure with her brother George and her half-brother Diego. This treasure hunt, filled with danger and recklessness, is compelling and unforgettable and it changes Mary Kingsley forever.

The Kingsley family actually existed in this era. Zephaniah Kingsley married the African slave Ana Jai. He freed her and their three children and they lived at a plantation that you can visit today in northeast Florida.

Ages 8-12

Editorial Reviews

Review

M.C. Finotti dishes up a serving of Florida history as sweet and palatable as the coconut-laced ambrosia dessert young Mary Kingsley enjoys every Christmas. --Diana Tonnessen, Gainesville Magazine

Nothing brings the past to life like historical fiction, and M.C. Finotti has breathed life into Ana Jai Kingsley in a way that finally gives this remarkable woman her due. --Tricia Booker, Folio Weekly

Through the eyes of a child, M. C. Finotti is able to seamlessly weave a captivating fictional tale into the unbelievable but true history of the Kingsley family. --Carmen Godwin, Director, Amelia Island Museum of History

About the Author

M.C. Finotti is a journalist and former teacher. She lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida, with her husband and two children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Pineapple Pr (February 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561644161
• ISBN-13: 978-1561644162
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

M.C. Finotti is a journalist and former teacher. The Treasure of Amelia Island, published by Pineapple Press, is her first middle grade novel. It was recently chosen as an Accelerated Reader book nationwide and won an award for Best Children's Book 2008/2009 given by the Florida Historical Society. Finotti also co-authored two editions of a guidebook, The Insiders' Guide to Jacksonville, published by Globe-Pequot Press. She writes a weekly wedding column for the Florida Times-Union called "I do, I do." Finotti lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida with her husband, two children, and Angel, a cock-a-poo that loves to bark. She enjoys visiting elementary schools and conducting writing programs with the students there.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure of Amelia Island Review, May 28, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Treasure of Amelia Island (Florida Historical Fiction for Youth) (Hardcover)

The Treasure of Amelia Island is very interesting and contains a lot of action. After reading this book my grandparents, brother and I went to Kingsley Plantation. Kingsley Plantation is where Ana Jai lived for some of her life. The Treasure of Amelia Island is a very good book for classes to read together because it is historical fiction and NOT boring. Another reason this is a great book is that I live in Florida and I thought it was cool to learn about what Florida was like when it was still ruled by Spain. This book is great for all readers. I shared it with my 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class who all loved it. My mom also enjoyed this so much that she read it to my 5 year old brother who did not want her to stop reading it to him.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From an elementary teacher, February 13, 2009

By 

Deborah M. Newsom - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Treasure of Amelia Island (Florida Historical Fiction for Youth) (Hardcover)

Treasure of Amelia Island is the best historical fiction novel I've read in preparing for my 4th grade students' social studies and reading classes. Ms. Finotti takes a true historical event and shows it through the eyes of an 11 yr. old. I teach in Florida, thus we teach Florida history in 4th grade. We used her book for a nine week unit in reading, coinciding with our social studies unit, of Florida history. The author graciously agreed to visit our school and we decided to make a gift for her (on the sly :-)). We spent 3 weeks summarizing each chapter, complete with illustrations, and had it hard-back published. She had no idea, and when she visited, our students presented her with "our" version of her wonderful book. The parents were able to buy the kids' version and my students learned what it takes to publish a book. Also, the parents were buying and reading the book because of their student's enthusiasm! Of course, Ms. Finotti was totally surprised and the best part, the kids were about to faint waiting for the moment when we presented her with our version. It made the local newspaper and NPR on the radio! When these kids are future parents, I'm absolutely certain they will always remember the book they published (besides, they have their one copy with their original art and summaries.) Publishing, "sloppy copies", summarization, similes, metaphors, foreshadowing, plot; OMG we learned so much. For a perfect cross-curriculum project ( and a whole lotta fun for the students) I don't know of a better book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting adventure, May 8, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Treasure of Amelia Island (Florida Historical Fiction for Youth) (Hardcover)

The Treasure of Amelia Island is a historical fiction novel for young readers with an accompanying reader's guide including chapter prereading questions and predictions, discussion questions, and suggestions for essays and projects. Set in the Spanish territory of Florida during the early 1800s, The Treasure of Amelia Island follows the Kingsley family - Zephaniah, who married the black slave Ana Jai and freed her from slavery along with their children, including young Mary Kingsley. Patriots from the United States of America sought to lay claim to Florida, with the intent of making it into a slave state. The Patriots did not care that Zephaniah had freed his wife and children. Amid this tense political backdrop, Mary Kingsley decides to set out in search of a legendary pirate treasure with her brother George and her half-brother Diego. An exciting adventure ensues, in this captivating story written with close attention to historical detail. The Treasure of Amelia Island is especially recommended for middle school libraries.