united states

Firstly I would like to say that the book was kind of boring, and here are some reasons why. In the beginning, it didn't have enough excitement for me to get into the book. Jessie was complaining about his life in far to much detail. Also the same characters kept being in the action and some characters only said ten words at the most throughout the book throughout the book. Louise Gardere only said two words before he died. Even at the action, parts it wasn't very exciting. They weren't described in enough detail. If you like sea tales you might like this one, but otherwise I don't recommend it.

The book The Slave Dancer written by Paula Fox, is about Jessie and his many adventures. Jessie, a boy living in the 1800's, is captured and taken aboard a ship. The ship is a slaver bound for Africa. Onboard Jessie meets the crew and the slaves come aboard. Jessie's job is to play his fife for the slaves to make them dance and stay healthy. When they reached Cuba, they have a big party, when all of a sudden a storm picks up and the ship is wrecked. Ras, a slave, and and Jessie swim for shore when everyone on the boat has vanished. Jessie and Ras then go their separate ways. This happened because Ras was sent up North and Jessie goes to meet his family. In the end, Jessie is reunited with his family and they move to Rhode Island.

I read this book thinking that it would be an epic. I was very wrong. I give it two stars so that it can claim it's dignity, but I will not be as easily swayed in this review. As I read, I felt that it was all playing up to something, something huge! But at the end it was like a bad movie... like the director got tired. If you wish read a multicultural book read Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry, or My Brother Sam is Dead. Do not read this book!

I recently read that when Mrs. Fox had accepted the Newbery award for this powerful novel that a small group of African Americans had protested outside the calling this book rascist. In my personal opinion, it is every author's right to record the way things were even if they do offend someone people, especially when writing a historical novel such as The Slave Dancer or Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. And it gives me great pleasure to say that this group has persevered and rose above the tyrant which was called slavery