Bert Breen's Barn

by Walter D. Edmonds

A young man attempts to claim ownership to an old barn rumored to contain a hidden treasure.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Childrens

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Walter Dumaux Edmonds has been a National Book Award winner and recipient of the Newbery Medal. He is the author of Bert Breen’s Barn, The Boyds of Black River, In the Hands of the Senecas, Mostly Canallers, Rome Haul, Time to Go House, and most recently the autobiographical Tales My Father Never Told, all available from Syracuse University Press.

Reviews

[LaRae☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Dolan, at 13, sets a goal for himself to move Bert Breen's barn to his family's own property. The goal seems bigger than he can manage, but his slow, steady pursuit of the goal ultimately changes his life in ways he could not imagine.

With the exception of a few passages with too much detail about the physical structure of barns, I loved this book. It truly exemplifies the adage, "Slow and steady wins the race."

From the book:

"Don't run scared, Tom. Most jobs seem a lot bigger than they are until you've got into them. Then they look a lot more possible."

"... Tom realized that Mr. Armond didn't recognize who he was. That made Tom feel good inside. Having things happen bit by bit you didn't realize how big the changes were."

[Art the Turtle of Amazing Girth · Rating 5 out of 5]

as close to a perfect book as I've ever read, easily in my all time top three

[Maeve Mccarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about 13 year old Tom Dolan is set in the early 1900s where Tom is a young boy who one day is shown to a beautiful barn. He wants to have this barn so he gets a job at a mill and when he gets enough money he buys the barn and moves it to his own house. Also the people that he bought the barn from both died leaving a fortune somewhere on there property which Tom finds while on construction in the barn. The theme of this story is about handwork and determination gets you toward your goals.

[Eliza Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book for kids! First read when I was in junior high and stumbled across it again at a garage sale. A nice family story with good morals and an excellent ending that involves treasure!!!

[Kristin Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bert Breen’s book is an rewarding story of a young man coming of age in upstate New York. Tom’s focus and strong work ethic even at a young age is inspirational for every reader. The lure of buried treasure hangs over the whole story as many in the community seek out rightfully and wrongfully the hidden treasure. Tom and his mother’s final trip to locate the money and bring it safely to the bank was a hair raising trip that kept the reader on the edge of his seat. The book’s characters and small town life come alive with the accurate descriptions of everyday life in rural New York in the early 1900’s. The reader is cheering from the sidelines for Tom as he faithfully puts one foot in front of the other to seek out his barn raising goal and support his family. A taste of early rural life is accurately described by the author from how to snowshoe to pinning balsam fir bough on a barn. The reader enters eagerly into Tom’s rural life and the climax barn raising is visualized down to the last pie crumb consumed by the rambunctious children at the barn raising. The conclusion at the end of some suspenseful chapters leaves the reader contented and happy for the much deserved financial changes for Tom and his family,

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A right good book. Mr. Edmonds is an incredible writer. And very exact. He knows his words, and his subject.
A wonderful story about a boy who has a big dream and works hard to achieve it.
I love the characters in this here book - Tom, the main character, and his mother, Birdie and Mr. Hook, who took interest in Tom's work and gave advice and tools to him, the mill people, and Widow Breen. The way they're all described shows who they are without straight out telling you, and they're believable characters.
Also, this story shows what honesty and good hard work can do for oneself.
I wanted to share a quote in this review, but looking for one makes me just want to quote the whole book! If you're looking for an interesting, well-written story, and one good for reading in winter, read Bert Breen's Barn. You won't regret it.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally finished this one! It took me a long time to get through this one. I would read for a bit and then put it aside and then come back. It began as a read-aloud to my kids but they did not engage with it so I finished it on my own. I was sad about that because it portrays well just what life was like back near the turn of the last century. I enjoyed the story but this is a character and description driven work, it is not really about the story. That usually captures me as I am a character lover but this one didn't grab me as much as I hoped. I was grateful for a decent ending, I needed that!

[David Orenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book. coming of age story of Tom Dolan, growing up in upsate NY, in the early 1900s, poor, but with a loving family (minus the no-good father, who's long gone). Tom's quest to own Bert Breen's barn unfolds over several years, and is aided by several good, salt of the earth folks, including Birdy, an old, physically twisted, but strong and knowledgeable, the owners of the local mill who provide Tom with his first job, and others, led by Tom's mother, Polly Ann. This is a slow, gentle read, well worth it.

[Suey Nordberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book! If you are looking for a book of values demonstrated through the life of a brave young man, this is it! Set in upstate New York in the 19th century, young Tom decides to work and save to acquire an abandoned barn to move it to his family's homestead. Strong themes of family, community, hard work, overcoming fear, and persistence, plus a hearty serving of construction details make this a great choice for a teen boy (although, as a middle aged lady I also thoroughly enjoyed it)!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovered this book after reading The Matchlock Gun. What luck! This story was even better. Can't go wrong with a tale of a young person succeeding through his hard work and help from friends and family. Throw in some turn of the century American history and buried treasure intrigue and I am hooked. My only hangup is the lack of discussion on whether it is moral to keep something that doesn't really belong to you.

[Rodney Haydon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other than this was written by the author who wrote The Matchlock Gun, which I enjoyed, I knew nothing about this book. I'm so glad I decided to read it. Wow, what a great story of a determined boy who sets his mind up to take down Bert Breen's barn and move it to his mother's place. I love how Tom is rewarded for his strong work ethic and determination. Recommended.

[Marcia Lusted · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is ostensibly a young adult book, and won the National Book Award for children's literature when it was published in 1975. However, I found it to be engaging and a wonderful story, sparely written and very atmospheric. I highly recommend it.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely story of a boy and a barn. We were restoring an old bard on our property, so it was fun to read.

[Lynda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a rather slow moving book filled with what I think is too much description. It takes place at the beginning of the 20th century and is about Tom Dolan, a 14 year old boy who quits school and goes to work to try to improve the life of his 1 parent family. He wants to move a well-made barn to his property and the plot includes a treasure hunt of sorts. The plot was good, but too slow due to the detailed descriptions of taking down and putting up a barn.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in 3rd grade, and the story has stayed with me. I read this again, excited to read this book to my children. Great feel good book, with an obvious happy ending. But, we all need happy endings in this time we find ourselves in.

[Cws]

JF-Edm

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must still be a kid at heart because I enjoyed every minute of this book. The ending was a little unbelievable but the journey was worthwhile.

[Hannah Victoria Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming book. The story is so real with everyday struggles and concerns but remains positive and engaging.