Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

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Author(s)

Gary Schmidt

Publisher

Laurel Leaf

Genre(s)

Historical Fiction

Age Range

12+

Release Date

May 13, 2008

ISBN

0375841695

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Not only is Turner Buckminster the son of the new minister in a small Maine town, he is shunned for playing baseball differently than the local boys. Then he befriends smart and lively Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl from Malaga Island, a poor community founded by former slaves. Lizzie shows Turner a new world along the Maine coast from digging clams to rowing a boat next to a whale. When the powerful town elders, including Turner’s father, decide to drive the people off the island to set up a tourist business, Turner stands alone against them. He and Lizzie try to save her community, but there’s a terrible price to pay for going against the tide.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Lizzie Bright & the Buckminster Boy

August 29, 2011

Overall rating

3.3

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All Turner Ernest Buckminster wants to do is light out for the territories. It’s his one hope for a new life, and a break from the expectations and pressures of being the town minister’s son. But then the Buckminster family moves to Phippsburg, Maine where Turner’s father has been called to be the new pastor for the Congregational Church, and his dream seems to grow farther and farther away. In Phippsburg, Turner seems to get into trouble with the townsfolk every way he turns and he can’t seem to make any friends. They don’t even play baseball in Maine like they do in Boston. But then Turner meets a spunky, sassy, and strong African American girl named Lizzie Bright from the nearby island of Malaga and they instantly become friends. As Lizzie and Turner’s friendship grows, Turner learns that Phippsburg plans to reclaim Malaga, and his father is in charge of it all. The town elders think that they can turn the poor community founded by former slaves into a tourist attraction if they can just send the inhabitants off the island and burn down their homes. Will Turner be able to stop them before Lizzie loses her home?

I really liked this book. It showed a unique friendship that stayed true in times of change. Even though the book was light and enjoyable, it also displayed great values and hit on really powerful topics like death, friendship, love, tragedy, and prejudice. Based on true events, this novel revealed what racism in the 1900’s was really like and how awful African Americans were treated, just because of their skin tone. There’s a lot of interesting history incorporated into the writing.

I recommend this Newberry Honor book and winner of the Michael L. Prinz Award to anybody who enjoys historical fiction or who just appreciates a good story. There are strong characters that you can look up to, a plot that will keep you reading, and an ending that will bring you close to tears.

Maya McQueen, YABC Tween Reviewer Top 500 Reviewer 23 reviews

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User reviews

4 reviews

Overall rating

4.8

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4.5(4)

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5.0(1)

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5.0(1)

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Creative and Captivating

October 31, 2012

Overall rating

5.0

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his book really made me think about life and people. I enjoyed reading it very much. I just finished another great book called, " Up From Corinth: Book 2 of Journey Into Darkness" by author J. Arthur Moore. Duane Kinkade enters the Civil War at Shiloh in search of his father, but finds the mind-numbing chaos of battle, fear, the loss of a friend, and his own wounding; leading to an unexpected new and deep friendship in the other army as he is cared for after the battle. http://www.upfromcorinth.com/

Robyn

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A very thought-provoking book

October 16, 2008

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5.0

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Reader reviewed by Adam

This book is very good. It is very emotional, and makes you think about the racial issues of a small town in a rural part of the country in the early 1900's. You get so addicted to reading this book, you can hardly put it down!

The characters' personalities are all different, and you soon choose your favorite characters and your least favorite characters. Probablt the thing I liked the most about this novel is the changing of events. One page your on Turner (the main character) thikig about his new life iin Maine, the next page he is towering on a cliff over the green sea below. Sometimes the changes are so dramatic you shout out "What!!"

If you like consantly changing events and a growing history and storyline, you'll love this book!

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Better by far than expected

November 04, 2005

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by plentyo'moxie

From the description of this book, I didnt really think I was going to like it. I read it because it got some literary awards. So once again, I should say that I learned my lesson not to judge a book by its (back) cover. Though of course, I havent really learned that lesson yet.

So the story is set back in the day in a rural Maine community. Turner, son of a preacher man, is the main character. Hes just moved from Boston, where people are more liberal and there are more people in general so he doesnt feel so much like the entire town is watching him to make sure he never slips up. (Of course he does, and there are some side plots about that.) Lizzie is his friend, a really good friend (but not a special friend, at least it doesnt seem like it goes that far.) but she is black, a member of a community founded by ex-slaves. Some of the townspeople hate having the black people there, and convince Turners dad to help oust them.

Things happen houses burn, people die you know. What I most recommend this book on is its solid writing, believable and deep characters, and fluid plot-line. Really good.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Interesting

September 21, 2005

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by bookworm9

Turner Buckminster III isn't excited about his familiy's move from Boston to Maine in 1911-- he's sick of being a minister's son, and he doesn't want to live in a place where even baseball isn't the same. Then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffen, an African American girl from a nearby island, and Maine doesn't seem so bad after all. But when the local parishoners want to evict Lizzie and her neighbors to the island can become a tourist haven, Turner finds himself in the middle of a battle and feels that everyone, including his straight-laced father, is against him. Then Turner learns that not everyone is as they originally seem, and bonds can form in the most unexpected ways...even in times of sadness.

This is an interesting story that explores both a unique friendship and a unique father-son relationship. The text is a bit dense, and the story is perhaps overly traumatic, but it's still a good story with a strong message about human nature.

Guest #1 Reviewer