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Jonathan, a young American living in the time of the Revolution, answers the call to battle. Through the 24 hours his attitude toward fighting is altered. He is captured, escapes, and realizes that war requires decisions that are not easy to make.

I would recommend this book to students in my fifth grade class to read if they like American History and historical fiction. I don't think that it would be a good choice for a read aloud. It may not move fast enough and hold the attention of the entire class. ( )

I liked this book. One reason I liked this book was because of the plot. A young boy, Jonathan, decided to go against his fathers order and signed up to be in the Revolutionary War. He had always dreamed of holding a gun and fighting for what was right. As he is captured by the Hessians, Jonathan found a young boy whose parents were killed. Jonathan breaks away and finds The Corporal. The Corporal asks Jonathan to help him kill the Hessians, but Jonathan does not want to kill anyone. He realizes at this point he just wants to go home. The Hessians capture him once again, but the minutemen assist Jonathan and release him. Jonathan finally returns home to his family. The plot is very suspenseful. Young readers can connect to the feelings and actions that are happening to young Jonathan and can put themselves in his shoes. Another reason why I really liked this book was because the book pushes its readers to think more about the message. The author did not want to explain Jonathan's journey in the Revolutionary War, they wanted readers to dig deeper and realize there was a stronger meaning within this book. Jonathan was having an internal conflict when realizing what a soldier's job entailed. He was not ready for this type of responsibility just yet. ( )

This exciting story takes place in only 24 hours. A young boy, Jonathan, dreams of fighting in the Revolutionary War. He imagines himself being brave and heroic, like his older brother. When Jonathan runs to the tavern to find out the latest news, he gets the chance he's been dreaming about. Soon, he learns that war isn't what he thought it would be. Through a series of twists and turns, Jonathan comes to think about himself, soldiers, and the war in a new way. I found this book to be a fascinating read. It contains true historical places and events. I recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction. You'll be sure to pick up on new details and connections each time you re-read this story. ( )

Avi's books have such a starkness to the words, but not because they're boring. On the contrary, his stories fling themselves off the page and into the readers mind. His ability to craft sentences that move make his books perfect for older elementary students that find history boring. From the "True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" to this book, his unlikely teenage heroes speak to the heart of every modern teen yearning for romance and adventure.