The Barn by Avi

From Goodreads,

"The schoolmaster says nine-year-old Benjamin is the finest student he's ever seen-fit for more than farming; destined for great things someday. But his father's grave illness brings Ben home from school and compels him to strive for something great right now -- to do the one thing that will please Father so much he'll want to live. But first Ben must convince his older sister and brother to work with him. And together, they succeed in ways they never dreamed possible."

Goodreads - The Barn

I bought this book based on the summary, which is how I purchase 95% of my books.  The summary really led it that this book had very important ties to the education of Ben and the great things he was destined to do.  I however, feel that the summary was misleading and that this story was something else completely.

This book is told from the aspect of Ben who is just a young boy living in the 1800s.  Ben was sent to a school for a few months, until the day his sister comes to bring him home.  Ben finds out that his father has suffered an accident and is in terrible condition.  Ben, his sister Nettie, and his brother Harrison try to work together to take care of the farm and to take care of father.  Ben soon gets it in his head that building a barn will save father.  The others reluctantly agree with hopes father will improve.

This book was not what I was expecting at all.  As I mentioned before, I feel that the summary was misleading.  The summary really made it out that education would be a big piece of this book, but it wasn't.  It was mentioned a few times about Ben being smart and returning to school, but I ultimately feel that the story of family and working together had a bigger role.  Nettie was the oldest at only 15 when the book begins.  The children were literally children.  They weren't adults or almost adults.  They were young children who were having to take care of a farm and take care of their father.  I think it is amazing that these three children were able to develop plans and follow them through in order to keep everyone alive and the farm running.  This book takes place in the 1800s so things were definitely different then than they are now.  In today's world, I don't think that three children at that age would be able to keep a farm going and take care of their ill father.  That being said, I think this book really shows the work ethic that the kids had.  I think that many young adults (and adults) need to read this book and realize how easy their life is.  I know that I was definitely feeling grateful for the life I live by the time I finished this book.

While I was reading the plot of this book seemed very familiar.  It dawned on me about halfway through that the book sounded very similar to the plot of Stone Fox.  To an extent I felt like I was reading a version of Stone Fox without the snow or sled dogs.  There was the same aspect of "saving the farm" and the adult (grandfather or father) being sick.  Interestingly, The Barn was written 16 years after Stone Fox was published.  It definitely leaves me questioning if Avi took ideas from Stone Fox.

Overall, this book was just okay.  It lacked excitement and there was a constant hope of father getting better that just never happened.  I feel like the ending was quick and done, with nothing to tell us what happened after the barn was built.  It has a good story, but it is so similar to Stone Fox that it was honestly a let down for me.  I give this 2 stars.