Jeremy's War 1812

by John Ibbitson

It's 1812 and rumors of war are sweeping Upper Canada. But 15-year-old Jeremy Fields has other things on his mind --- like what to do now that his parents are dead and he's been swindled out of the family farm. Angry and confused, Jeremy sets out for the town of York, only to lose his few remaining possessions --- and very nearly his life --- when a bridge collapses beneath his feet. Plucked from the river by British soldiers, Jeremy decides to join their regiment. Before long, the farm boy from Upper Canada becomes the personal servant to the great military strategist General Isaac Brock. Jeremy's War 1812 blends historical fact with an exciting fictional story of a boy caught up in the battle to save Canada!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, War, Adventure

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

John Ibbitson (born 1955 in Gravenhurst, Ontario) is a Canadian writer and journalist. He is currently Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail. He has written three books on Ontario and Canadian politics - Promised Land: Inside the Mike Harris Revolution (1997), Loyal No More: Ontario's Struggle for a Separate Destiny, and The Polite Revolution: Perfecting the Canadian Dream (McClelland & Stewart, 2005).

His latest young-adult novel, "The Landing," was winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award for children's literature. His latest political work, "Open & Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama and Canada Has Stephen Harper" was published in May 2009. It was written while he was in Washington, covering American politics and society for the Globe.

He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1979 with a B.A. in English. After university, he pursued a career as a playwright, his most notable play being Mayonnaise, which debuted in December 1980 at the Phoenix Theater in Toronto. The play went on to national production and was adapted to a TV broadcast in 1983. In the mid-1980s, Ibbitson switched over to writing young-adult fiction, including the short YA science-fiction novel, Starcrosser (1990). He also wrote two full-length novels, 1812: Jeremy's War and The Night Hazel Came to Town. "The Landing" followed in 2008.

Apart from his Governor-General's citation, Ibbitson has been nominated for several awards for other works, including a Governor General's Award nomination for 1812. Hazel received a nomination for the Trillium Book Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. His journalism has also been nominated for a National Newspaper Award.

Ibbitson entered the University of Western Ontario in 1987, graduating with an M.A. in journalism one year later, and joined the Ottawa Citizen, where he worked as a city reporter and columnist. He covered Ontario politics from 1995 to 2001, working for The Ottawa Citizen, Southam News, The National Post and the Globe and Mail. In August 2001, Ibbitson accepted the post as Washington bureau chief at The Globe and Mail, returning to Canada one year later to take up the post of political affairs columnist. He moved back to Washington as a columnist in May 2007, returning to Ottawa in September 2009.

Reviews

[rabbitprincess · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book may have been better had my teacher at the time not insisted on reading the whole thing aloud to us. We were in middle school, for pete's sake, and were more than capable of reading to ourselves (and for those who couldn't, that's what extra help from the teacher is for). Also, she got way more engaged with the characters than we did... so that was weird for us. No good memories from this book.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set at the beginning of the War of 1812, this seemed to be an appropriate book to read, as it would help me with the teaching of this period in history. Like so many books, the beginning quickly throws the main character, Jeremy, into conflict with his family and leaves him with nothing. When the opportunity comes to join the army, Jeremy takes the opportunity and thus begins his adventure.

I picked this book up because of the historical connection to the curriculum.

I finished the book because I did want to know what happened to Jeremy, and I was intrigued by his relationship with General Brock.

I would recommend this book to Eric, because I know he likes reading about history, and this book appears to be historically accurate.

[Micha]

I'd read this book before it was assigned in class and associated that with the reason why I enjoyed it when my classmates hated it. The running theory was (and is to some extent true) that books are fun as long as you don't have to read them. Again, it strikes me as so important for young Canadians to have Canadian stories available to them. It was also important to know that "batman" meant something other than a caped comic-book vigilante.

The weird thing was that I could never tell if I had a crush on Jeremy or on General Brock.

[Rose Kronsperger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Very few books have been written about the War of 1812--that is, books that aren't dry, boring, tactical, just-the-facts books; and certainly not !any that have great appeal for young and older readers alike. This is definitely a book everyone should read. It's factual without being boring and gives the reader a sense of "you are there." I could completely identify with Jeremy and the development of the other characters, especially Brock, was handled extremely well. I've read a couple of other good books about this war: Crossing the Panther's Path" by Elizabeth Alder and "General Brock and Niagara Falls" by Samuel Hopkins Adams which are also excellent and this fits in well with both.

[Mark Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with several of my grade 5 students (buddy read, not read aloud).

I had also read Bully Boys with some of them previously, and most of us preferred this one, although I enjoyed both.

I think Ibbitsom does a good job mixing the history with the characters, and the story moves at a good pace for students this age.

He also does a good job mixing the excitement and pride of the soldiers with the dark, bloody reality of war, without being too graphic for this age.

Really good job overall!

[Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was for history but a really good book

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worldview - Universally Acceptable

Read Aloud 10 yrs+
Independent Reader 12 yrs+


Setting:
Location - Queenston Heights, Upper Canada
Time Period - 1812


Review

Newly orphaned and swindled out of his rightful inheritance by his greedy uncle, fifteen-year-old Jeremy has no way to support himself. Full of resentment he sets off to the city of York to make his own way in the world. When a bridge collapses beneath him a passing regiment of British soldiers rescue him. With no other prospects, Jeremy lies about his age and joins the British Regulars.

Jeremy works hard to do as he is told and to learn the ropes of his new life. His effort is rewarded when he is chosen to become General Isaac Brock’s new personal assistant.

Jeremy discovers that the man he has idolized has less than ideal ethics at times. He realizes that in times of war a leader must make difficult decisions that are not always honorable. Angry and jaded by this new knowledge Jeremy struggles to respect the man he must serve, knowing that the general has no intention of keeping the promises he has made to Tecumseh regarding their First Nations allies.

Although Jeremy disagrees with General Brock and confronts him on the matter, he continues to serve him, knowing that without the General, the Canadas are all but lost.
The story comes to its thrilling conclusion in the Battle of Queenston Heights.


The author has ensured that the reader will emotionally side with Jeremy as he questions the general’s personal integrity and the morality of war. By creating an underdog character from the very first page the reader is firmly in Jeremy’s camp. In doing so however, the story has strayed rather close to the cliché tale of the poor little orphan who everyone takes advantage of. This is not a great concern for the target audience, but adults may feel they have read the opening plot in many other books before.


Teacher Application

A perfect and easy to read book to introduce the War of 1812 to students. This book is told from a Canadian perspective. An American version of this history would look very different.

This is a fascinating war in that every side was fighting for a different reason. The British had been controlling the waters forcibly taking men of English decent from American ships to serve in their own Navy. The Americans and British had a standing animosity toward one another in this post-American Revolution time period. As the Americans could not fight all the way across the ocean and win, British North America was the closest place the Americans could strike the British empire. The British fought to protect their colony and trading interests. The Canadians, many of whom were refugees from the United States following the American War of Independence fought fiercely to protect their homes and land. The funny thing about this war is every side feels they won. And in a sense they did. The British repelled the Americans protecting their colony in the Canadas. The Americans ensured that the British no longer preyed upon their sailors. The Canadians protected their homes and their country.

In this story Isaac Brock seems to believe the saying “All is fair in love and war”. This is an interesting concept to explore, both from an ethical and worldview standpoint. It is a soldier’s duty to do all that he can to protect his country and people, but how far does this go? Does being a soldier absolve one of their own personal morality? Should a general deceive his own allies to win a battle? Is the deception between military officials just part of a political game that both sides are playing and everyone knows the same unwritten rules? Does this make it right? This would make a interesting essay and would be a fascinating topic to discuss and debate.


Questionable Language:

D*mn:
- Ch. 2, P. 23, Last line on page - “D*amn you, you dirty thieves!” - Omit D*amn you.
- Ch .14, P. 133, Paragraph 6 - Omit paragraph.

Why in God’s name…:
- Ch. 17, P. 158, Paragraph 1. - Omit phrase.

My God:
- Ch. 19, P. 189, Paragraph 2 - Omit Phrase
- Ch. 20, P. 199, Paragraph 6 - Omit Phrase

Indian:
The word Indian is used throughout. If you feel uncomfortable with this term replace with a more politically correct term of your choice.


Field Trip Opportunities:

http://www.visit1812.com/historic-sites/

Visit Brock’s Monument
http://www.friendsoffortgeorge.ca/bro...


Parental Warning:

See Teacher Application for questionable language.

There is a scene where Jeremy becomes drunk, it goes badly for him and he gets himself into trouble and becomes sick.

There is a battle scene where Jeremy kills a man with a bayonet in chapter 19.

[Jeel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Jeremy Fields, 15 year old boy who joins the war of 1812. He started put to be on the lower level of the war. General Issac Brook needed a new batman. Which simply means that he needed his own servant or assistant who would help General Brook send messages during the war. Jeremy has learnt a lot from the General Brook. Will Jeremy survive the war? Read the book to find more about it!!

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember much about the book but I do remember being on the edge of my seat and wondering what was going to happen next. I had to keep going and wasn't happy until it was over.
I plan to re-read it in the future. After that I will be able to give a far better review.

[Diana Sandberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done. An account from the point of view of a fictional colonial 15yo who joins up with the army and becomes Brock's batman in 1812. Well written, a good story first but also sheds light on the events of that time. Nominally a kids' book, but it kept me reading.

[Brendon Haithcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, started out slow, but near the end I couldn't get enough.

[Jacob Hurd]

I liked the book because of the fact it is relatable. It is relatable because the main character is only a fifteen-year-old boy, also because it is a common story of two parents dead and a kid who doesn't know what to do with his life so he runs off in search of a calling. In this case the calling is serving General Isaac Brock's side until the end. Throughout the story Jeremy's parents die so he runs off to York, falls through a bridge, and hits his head off a rock. Whence Jeremy wakes up he is in a bar and the army is there so he says that he is eighteen and wants to join the army. The military officer who is recruiting the soldiers there knows that Jeremy is under age but there were now other people volunteering to join so he accepted Jeremy into the army. after a few weeks Jeremy gets brought to the general to become his new batman. When Jeremy settles in to being brock's new batman there has been much planning for war so as the time passed Jeremy found out about all of the planning that Isaac Brock has done. The time had come for the attack to start so all of the men that Brock had gathered were waiting at the beach. All of the best men had got into the boats and started sailing out to battle, when the boats all unloaded at shore general brock lead the battle with Jeremy at his side. As all of the men charged up the hill at the Americans one lucky American soldier brought up his rifle, looked straight down the barrel at General Isaac Brock, and fired. Brock fell to his knees right beside Jeremy but Jeremy had to keep moving so Jeremy and a few others grabbed Brock and brought him back down to the boats. The battle had been won because of Brock but he was not there to celebrate the victory.