The Barn Burner

by Patricia Willis

Fast-paced and stirring, this historical fiction captures the grit of the Depression, as seen through the eyes of a resilient young boy.

The words echo in Ross Cooper's head. "Get out of my sight," his mother said; so fourteen-year-old Ross took to the road. But it's 1933 - the Great Depression. Families are pushed to their limits and hope is necessary to survive. And Ross can't muster much hope. After taking shelter in a barn for the night, he awakens to blazing bushels of hay-and is then seen running from the fire. The barn is one of many that have been burned, and now Ross is the prime suspect. Luckily, he finds a haven with a loving family while he searches for the real barn burner. Can he clear his good name in time?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2000

About the author

Patricia Willis is the author of several well-received historical novels for middle-grade readers, including DANGER ALONG THE OHIO, winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award. She lives in North Canton, Ohio.

Reviews

[Kaelan Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very interested in the way the author, Patricia Willis wrote this thrilling book. This book is about a young boy named Ross who was kicked out of his house by his family. After he left his home things became escalate very quickly. Ross stayed in a barn one night when he woke up to the barn burning. He was seen running from the barn by the owner. So the question is can Ross find out who the real suspect is before its too late? You find out.

[Matt Trussell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the worst thing I've ever read, which is kinda what I was expecting going into it. My son brought this home from school and was very excited about it and wanted me to read it. I'll be honest, I wasn't real excited about it and it didn't seem like my thing, but it wasn't too bad. The plot was a little basic and predictable but I was interested in solving the whodunit nature of the story. A solid 3 stars.

[Daniel Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I personally don't like historical fiction, but this book was alright. The time period drives the book's plot for the most part, but the era the writer chose to write about wasn't very interesting. This is reflected in the main story of the book, the main character, Ross, is accused of burning barns and now he must find out the real barn burner to clear his name. Although this is the main conflict, it isn't the main focus and is usually referred to by the characters rather than them trying solve the problem and in the end the conflict isn't resolved or at least wasn't a satisfying end. What I did like about the book was how the characters had clear motivations and personalities, although they could suddenly change or feel that way because the length of the book shortened all of the character's developments. Overall The Barn Burner is an okay book, but the plot is to convenient for Ross and the focus isn't on the mystery most of time which brings down this book.

[Eugene Kernes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wrong place and wrong time caused Ross be seen as a barn burner. Ross did not burn the barn but is seen at the crime. Due to a family argument, Ross was on the move and spent a night at a barn which altered his decisions. Unable to leave the county for fear of being caught, he fortunately helps a family move who lets him stay a few nights. Until the real barn burner is caught, Ross has to hide.

The morale of the story is not as simple as telling the truth is better than lying. Knowing who to trust with information is key to being understood. Throughout the journey of hiding, Ross meets people who help him understand what it means to be a family.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

1930's mid=west America. Ross has run away from home, and is living on the road, barely getting by. One day he awakes in a barn that is on fire. The barn owner sees him running out and assumes Ross is the culprit. Luckily a family takes him in and believes he is not the barn burner. Ross helps the family and eventually the barn burner mystery is solved. Likable characters, interesting plot, overall very enjoyable story.

[Brandon]

I read this book for the first time in the third grade, when I checked it out from the school library. It's the first book I have a specific memory of re-reading. The mixture of mystery and historical fiction captured my imagination. For many, many years, I picked this book as my favorite. I'll always fondly remember how I felt reading this book as a kid - the interest in Ross helping out the family, the tension at the book's climax - and maybe someday I'll re-read it again for old time's sake.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this several times & just recently picked it up again. I think this is so well written I rank it right up there with Faulkner. As it is I often come up with his name when I try to remember who wrote it. (Sorry Patricia!)

[Leigh Hargett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

Set during the great depression. Boy runs away from home, is taken in by a mother with small children to help with chores. Someone in the area is burning bands and everyone thinks it's the boy who ends up catching the real guy to clear his own name.

He works in the brick making ovens.

[Diego Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a good book. There wasn't anything that made me have a spark like any other book I read in the past. I liked the story arc, on how a teenager had to fend for himself, in a horrible time to be alive. There weren't that many jobs open for anyone and being a kid still was very hard for him to find and get a place to stay or work. All the characters that were in the book were great and the mystery of the bran burner was intriguing. This book was a good book, but I don't think I would ever read again.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning to survive in a not-always-friendly world helps our young hero persevere.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barns burn, kids escape.

[Sahara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a great storyline to it, especially as the time period helps drive the conflict. This mystery isn't that great however, but everything else is!

[Lianna Kendig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly average middle grade book.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 5-9 196 pgs

1933 14 year old Ross is on his own. After his father wrongly accuses him of stealing and his mother tells him to get out, Ross roams the countryside sleeping in barns and doing odd jobs. When the barn he is sleeping in catches fire, Ross is afraid people will think he did it. He decides to stay with the family that's taken him in until the barn burner is caught. Staying with the Warfields reminds him of his own family. As time passes, Ross wonders will he be able to go home some day?

A lot of period detail about the search for jobs and the difficulty of making ends meet.

[Dotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ross, 14 years old, has run away from home after fighting with his father.  He hopped trains across the country and slept wherever he could, along with many other men who are out of work during the depression. Ross is suspected of arson. We know he was in the barn when the fire broke out. He was found helping save the horses trapped in the burning barn. Ross has escaped and avoided questioning but there have been more barn fires. He is thought to be hiding with the Warfield family who went west to find work.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good historical novel about the Great Depression. It was about Ross, a 14-year-old boy, who was kicked out of his house and became a vagrant. He is finally able to find a family who cares for him and treats him with love. He is accused of burning down a barn and knows he has to find the real barn burner.

The thing I didn't like about the book was that it seemed to be saying that if you are under a lot of stress, it's okay to beat your children and wife, it's okay to steal money, and it's okay to destroy other people's property to get revenge.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A family is kind of like a picture puzzle. All the pieces fit together to make something special." After a family disagreement, Ross Cooper leaves home with only a knapsack and the clothes on his back. This story captures the spirit of determination and hope boys like Ross needed to survive during the Great Depression. Ross finds haven with a loving family which helps him make an important decision.

[Rani · Rating 2 out of 5]

It began as a gripping story of a young boy, run away from home and finds that he is accused of arson in a farming community. But too soon, he sees Mary and her kids and he goes on to stay with them. Somewhere at that point, the story became more of the social fabric than Ross's journey.

[Joseph Haggerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book if you are looking for a survival novel.

[Tyler Adcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome i think everyone should read this book if possible!!! this book starts off slow but it gets way better towards the middle i think you would like the book!!!

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely love the book read it three years ago and still making an impression on me