Reuben

Ellie's People #5

by Mary Christner Borntrager

Amish teenager Reuben Weaver wants to do the right thing; it's just that when he and his friends are together, the temptation to follow their mischievous schemes and try to prove himself can be strong. Reuben, the great-great-grandson of Ellie Maust, whom readers came to love in book 1 of Ellie's People, treasures his Amish way of life and tries to use good sense, but he tests his parents patience with fights in the schoolyard and dares involving stilts and barbed wire. When Reuben gets his dream horse, Princess, he is the envy of all his friends. When Reuben agrees to a dare to prove how fast his horse can run, tragedy erupts. Pride may go before a fall, but can any good happen when you pick yourself up?

Genres: Amish, Fiction, Amish Fiction, Young Adult

Paperback

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Mary Christner Borntrager was born to Amish parents near Plain City, Ohio. Her Ellie’s People series is based on her childhood and youth among the Amish. The books bring authentic Amish stories to life for readers interested in Amish fiction and also real depictions of Amish life. Her Ellie’s People novels have sold more than half a million copies and are treasured classics among the Amish and Mennonites.

Reviews

[Kaye Wingo]

Awesome book

[Dusty Brown]

Children's book
Reuben has a hard time doing the right thing

[ANNETTE]

Good story.

[Kristin Hermanson]

Wholesome, about the power of listening to your parents and God and not worrying what others say about you

[Rebekah]

Yep, all I can say is I'm definitely never joining the Amish 😂

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks)]

This is the 5th book from Ellie's People, and sadly it wasn't the best at all. After the previous one being so amazing, this one certainly made sense as a middle grade book that it is, but I guess I was hopeful for better as the story went on. I think it is a GREAT lesson book for kids to understanding how they need to stand up as an individual rather than be like everyone else.

Reuben LOVES horses and has a friend who seems to always lead him towards the world, including giving him worldly magazines with horses in it. He has a dream horse he hopes to even own one day named Prince. This book is about how we should avoid peer pressure and not give into doing things we shouldn't just because we are called names and such. I guess I have a hard time with stories like this because I never gave into peer pressure and never had a hard time saying no to people and not caring if I'd be called a chicken for not doing things and such. . .so I don't know that struggle many people have. It was easy for me as a kid to avoid those things and hurts me to read that so many have a hard time with it. Anyway, this book would be helpful for the middle grade student who DOES have a struggle. There were some definitely sad consequences in this book because of bad choices. Make good ones!

[Sue Klasing]

Book 5 in Ellie's People series. Reuben has a serious problem with not being able to resist the dares and temptations put before him by his peers, until tragedy strikes and he learns a life changing lesson.

[Partridge Public]

Borntrager, Mary C.

[Erin]

Reuben must learn to balance his desire for a fast life with his Plain heritage.

[Cws]

JF-YABor

[The Third Place A Teen Library]

F BOR ep bk. 5

[Anne Dart]

Like many boys in a society that is not the norm for America, Reuben wonders what it would like not to be Amish. He tries to find out and then has to come to terms with his being Amish.