I probably wouldn't have read this book if I wasn't on an Amish kick right now. I can't imagine ten year old boys these days being interested in this book unless they visited or lived near the Amish. It seemed to take awhile for the action related to the main theme of the book to get started, but I guess the author assumed that most kids don't know about farm life-Amish or not. ( )

Clinton, C. Simeon’s Fire. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2007
(Popular Realistic Fiction. Also Family and Multi-Cultural)

Simeon’s Fire by Cathryn Clinton targets children in the 4-6 grades, or ages 9-12. The story is highly informative since it exposes children to the realities of Amish life and culture. Simeon is a ten-year-old boy who lives in an Amish community on his family’s farm. He loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian when he grows up. But Amish custom does not allow for kids to go to school beyond the eighth grade. Thus the book highlights the tensions between a child’s desire and the traditions and restrictions of an established community. The story takes a turn when a fire breaks out and his family’s barn eventually burns down. Was Simeon responsible, at least in part, since he had smoked one of his brother’s cigarettes just before? Or were the mysterious men who threatened to burn his house down to blame? The negative side of the book is that Clinton goes into such meticulous detail regarding day-to-day chores common to an Amish farm, much of the book is very slow-paced making it difficult for young readers stay interested. But, on the positive side, the story gives excellent and accurate insights into the life and culture of a community that is largely unknown to the outside world. The book is highly recommended for children with an interest in the Amish religion and way of life.

Not a very engaging story. This book is very brief, both in plot and character development. The only character the reader gets to know is Simeon, and even he is not well developed. The plot does not really appear until about half way through the book, and it does not have a resolution. The details about life on the Amish farm are interesting, as is the use of the Deitsch language. However, that is not enough to make up for the brevity and lack of emotion and connection with the rest of the story.