Early Thunder

by Jean Fritz

In this engrossing novel set in Salem in 1774, a young boy must learn to make the decisions of a man. Daniel West is faced with questions of patriotic loyalty; follow his journey from loyalty to the king, to dangerous confrontations with British troops, to proud support for his new country.

Genres: Historical Fiction, American Revolutionary War, Childrens, American History, American Revolution, Fiction, Juvenile

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Jean Guttery Fritz was an American children's writer best known for American biography and history. She won the Children's Legacy Literature Award for her career contribution to American children's literature in 1986. She turned 100 in November 2015 and died in May 2017 at the age of 101.

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

My impression is that Fritz created a very interesting crisis for her young protagonist, then built a well-researched historical novel around it. Fourteen-year-old Daniel West is the son of a loyalist doctor, and for the first three-fifths of the book he is proud to share his father's views. There are a number of incidents and people who unsettle Daniel's position, and Fritz does a great job of introducing them and showing his conflicted mind. Even when one thinks everything is fixed, she brings in new situations that stress how much this is not a simple black-and-white situation.

In terms of juvenile Revolutionary War novels, I didn't find this quite up to the high level of Johnny Tremain, and there were a few points where the interpersonal relationships in Daniel's family felt a little too much like they could have been plucked from 1967 instead of two centuries before. I suppose this could have been intentional on the part of Fritz, to connect with modern readers and to show how family strife is nothing new.

This book ends on February 26, 1775, when the British troops were turned back without a fight at the North Bridge in Salem. It therefore perfectly sets up April Morning, which tells of Lexington less than two months later. In terms of audience, this book seems aimed just a little younger than Fast's novel. That no blood was shed makes a big difference.

Lynd Ward's distinctive illustrations (large chapter heads) are an asset - maybe not as good as his work for Johnny Tremain, but still very evocative.

[Deigan Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! I read as part of my literature and finished it in a little under a week. There was a mention of a dead catarsonist being punished by a whipping

[Addie D.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book. There weren't very many good female characters except for Tillie and Hannah, which I found frustrating, but I'm guessing Daniel just isn't good with girls. :)

[Andrea Renfrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my favorite Jean Fritz yet, and I love them ALL. I thought it would take us longer to finish, as I was reading it out loud to my fourth grader, but we were both riveted and ended up binge reading for hours. It follows our underlining theme for our history studies this year which is mainly: It's Complicated. I loved how perfectly it addressed all the emotions people in Salem must have felt as they wanted to be good citizens but also govern themselves. It really helped my kid wrestle with the idea that we can cast hindsight judgements on historical figures all day, but do we really KNOW what we would do and what we would choose placed in their shoes? It was a roller coaster ride of deep thinking for young minds and I don't ever want to be without this gem.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from the perspective of a boy living in Boston at the time of the Boston Tea Party. It does a good job of highlighting the views of the Loyalists and the complexity of neighbors turning against neighbors.

[Annarino K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was assigned to my 8 year old 3rd grader, who is in an advanced class, but still, this is a long, challenging, and plodding read.

It is obvious that the point is to lecture young readers on the socio-political atmosphere among colonists just prior to the revolution, in the guise of a young adult novel. To achieve this, we get to hear a lot of long ramblings about what our hero Daniel is thinking, and a lot of conversations between concerned citizens, both teen-aged and adult. Even when he and his chums do something, guess what? It's politically motivated.

It fits as part of a school unit on the revolution, but it was written in 1967 and it shows. If submitted to a publisher today, it would be edited much differently and would probably flow better.

[The BookSeeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book full of conflict. Conflict not of physical fighting, but of loyalties. It comes between friends, between neighbours and even family. Though he always stood for the King, Daniel comes to see how dangerous one man with all the power is (be he a king, or a governor). He understands how an ocean may come between ruling rightly, and then stands for the people to have a voice and vote.
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The BookSeeker- Early Thunder

[Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite young adult books.

[CLM]

Perhaps for my nephew but I must read it first.

[Caroline Cawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome. read it.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made this period in history come alive.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no easy choice when the "good guys" are rabble-rousers, arsonists, and worse! Lots to think about in this revolutionary story.

[Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

slow-paced and I found myself skipping parts and being lost. Not one I recommend. Though it had it's moments

[Brook Maturo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with Sam - excellent for its teenage boy protagonist with real struggles and moral dilemmas who makes a brave choice in the end.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is very boring and I didn't like it. The End.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love Jean Fritz, but not this time.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great piece of historical fiction by Jean Fritz (my kids have read several books by Fritz) about a boy named Daniel West living in pre-Revolutionary Salem, Massachusetts. Daniel is from a Tory family, and is increasingly scornful of the rebellious Whigs and the trouble they are causing in Massachusetts, as events spiral out of control leading up to the beginning of the Revolution. Daniel sees how the division of loyalties divides his town of Salem and colony of Massachusetts in every way, from which school kids play together to how adults in town treat each other. But his Tory beliefs are increasingly challenged. Will Daniel become a Whig? There is a (historical) confrontation that took place at a drawbridge in Salem about 2 months before "the shot heard 'round the world", and Daniel is a witness to that . . .

[Sunday Hollis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Youth historical fiction at it's finest. Daniel is a 14 year old in Salem trying to find his allegiance in 1775, just before the onset of the Revolutionary War. Well written and well researched, the story moves well and Daniel's confusion and mixed loyalties is something most people can relate to.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

n pre-revolutionary Salem, 14-year-old Daniel begins to re-examine his loyalty to the King as the conflict between Tories and patriots increasingly divide the townspeople. Another compelling story by Jean Frtiz! Candace read 4/09,,,lots of "coming of age" thinking.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle grade to early high school read on the days leading up the American Revolution.

[Private Account · Rating 3 out of 5]

My ten year old thought this book was good/fine. Not all that special.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and thoughtprovoking

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay.

[Sam Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading Early Thunder and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Jean Fritz did an excellent job portraying the political troubles in an exciting manner. Also, she did an extraordinary job developing the characters and why they chose the political sides they did.