An Eye for an Eye: A Story of the Revolutionary War

Jamestown's American Portraits

by Peter Roop, Connie Roop

It is 1775 in Viginia, and 14-year-old Samantha Byrd is an excellent hunter, providing food for her family's table. She knows she will never raise her musket against a person. But when the winds of the Revolutionary War place her fingers on the trigger to shoot an enemy, will she pull it to find revenge?
Titles in this
• This Generation of A Story of the Civil Rights Movement, by Fredrick L. McKissack, Jr.
• The Road to A Story of the Reconstruction, by Jabari Asim
• All For A Story of Texas Liberation, by G. Clifton Wisler
• The Worst of A Story of the Great Depression, by James Lincoln Collier
• Wind on the A Story of the Civil War, by Laurie Lawlor
• When I Dream of Angelina’s Story, by Steven Kroll (1895 Italian Immigrant in NYC)
• An Eye for an A Story of the Revolutionary War, by Peter and Connie Roop
• Sweet An Immigrant’s Story, by Steven Kroll
• The Corn A Story of the Jamestown Settlement, by James Lincoln Collier
• Revenge of the A Story of 1920s Hollywood, by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• To Touch the A Story of World War II, by Karen Zeinert

Genres: Historical Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Peter Roop is an award-winning author and educator who has written over one hundred children’s books including biographies, novels, humor, picture books, and science books. Seven of his books are Reading Rainbow books, including the Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie. In 2013, the Wisconsin Library Association recognized Peter and his wife, Connie Roop, as Notable Wisconsin Authors for their body of work, and Peter has been named a Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year. The Roops live in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Priyanshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read book!!!!!

[Mary L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seemed to be trying to push our feelings back into another time and place. The story was good with Sam (Samantha) being the main character and the narrator. I felt the ending was a little to pat with an almost fairy tale quality to it, but enjoyed reading this book anyway.

[Imari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I am going to switch it up on you guys. The book I have read is called An Eye for an Eye. This book will have you determined to learn more about the Revolutionary War. I'm not actually into these type of books but this one really had me interested. I got to learn something outside of school from my perspective. The genre is Historical Fiction, because the book involved something that happened way before we were born, also the Revolutionary War is happening in the story. My final opinion on An Eye for an Eye is that I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. There were some parts were I couldn't understand so I had to go back over it. I could relate to the character Samantha Byrd because she did love to provide for her family and I do too.

The setting of my book is in Virginia 1775. This setting is important because it revolves around the conflict. Samantha is only a girl but she wants to be able to do what the boys. But around this time woman couldn't do the things men did. * Spoiler Alert*

Samantha Byrd isn't your average 14 year old girl. She rather wear pants and a regular T-shirt than fancy dresses. Samantha is an excellent hunter and loves to provide for her family. Out with her brother she realized the Tabacco had burned down. Her Father figured is was Mr. Wormley, his enemy. So her dad was going to go bother him. Being the girl she was Sam wanting to be nosey. Going to watch her father Samantha had to take her brother Matthew but she accidently wakes her twin brother James and he wants to go. But something happens, A hurricane. Her Fish hawk got destroyed and they were stranded. After all of that happened they got back home. But her Brother Henry who were looking for them was missing. James, Matthew, and her father had got on the ship to find him. She felt like it was her fault so she dressed up like her brother James who she looked exactly a like and tricked the owner and got onto the ship. Then Matthew gets wounded, Will Sam pull the trigger so she can help her sibling?

I liked the title An Eye for an Eye because it is the principle that a person who has injured another person has to receive the value of the injury in compensation. Sam's brother Matthew got wounded so in order to get back at the other Ship she shot at the person who was on the other ship. Which was actually a bad decision. I could relate to the Character Sam because I do not like wearing dresses or anything that's to fancy, because I feel like I am not to girlish and I just like to be simple not to much. My mother likes to see me in those just like her mother, which we both hate. Its to uncomfortable, that we like to take it off real quick.

I was actually surprised when I found out who Samantha shot in order to get back at the people who wounded Matthew. It looks like she was to. All her anger took over and she shot someone who was so close to her. Because of that she thought that everything was her fought again. I loved how the Author left "bread crumbs" because it got me more excited to read more. I was like hurry up, hurry up! I was getting a little to impatient. But I actually think that's helps us because were so anxious to know what is going on that we read more. I also loved that I got to learn more and probably get to let people learn more.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 because it wasn't that bad. I learned some things like lessons and others. I made a lot of connections. I recommend this to people who likes to learn and also who are adventurous. Stop by the library and pick up this book!

[Jacob Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book to show an event that could've happened and gives us a good perspective on what it was like or what itt could've been like.

[Marine Captain Kimberly Landen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fictional Story but good, I like reading about tall ship adventures

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Williamsburg is the city where market day is.

[Stacy Croushorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Little boring in parts, but there is some action.

[Arixel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a person who loves to read historical fiction books, this one is for you! In my opinion, this book will have you wondering what will happen next, It made me not want to put the book down! I enjoyed reading this book because it gives a lot of detail and a better understanding of the Revolutionary War.

***spoiler alert***
The setting of my book is in Virginia, 1775.
Samantha Byrd is way different than any other 14 year old girl. She doesn't like dresses, she's more of a tomboy. Sam loves to hunt, although she says she isn't quite as good as her brother James. Samantha lives her life with the "if only" phrase because she thinks everything she does is her fault. One day while being with her brother, Matthew, she realized the tobacco was all burned down. Her dad had found out it had been his enemy, Thomas Wormley and because her father was furious, he planned to go feather and tar him. Like the curious girl she is, she wanted to go see, but she knew she had to take her brother, Matthew. While trying to wake him up, she accidentally woke up her twin brother, James, who is annoying and practically begged her to take him, they all went, but when they came back they knew very well their mom would be mad at them, So they decided to take sam's boat, "Fish Hawk" to go fishing but something tragic happens, a hurricane. At that point they have no clue what they are going to do! Parts of the boat have been destroyed. After their disastrous journey they all came back home safe, on the other hand, Henry, he was Sam's other brother, he tried looking for them, but went missing. Then, their father goes on a ship to go look for Henry, her dad said it'd be best if he took James and Matthew. Sam was angry and said it was unfair just because she was a girl, time for plan B.. turn into her brother James to go look for Henry since she thought it was her fault he went missing, but will she be able to complete her mission in finding her brother?? She also promised she'd never raise her gun against a person, but if that's the only thing she had to do in order to save Henry, would she pull the trigger?
This type of conflict involves person vs person since she tries to save Henry without her getting hurt during the shooting that happens while she's on the ship and the other ship approaches with the enemies.


As I said before, Samantha would always think that everything she did was wrong yet, she would never give up her hope. The character, Sam, was very unsure of herself, but still managed to try and save her brother. No one forced her to, she chose to and I thought that was a brave decision she made, let's be honest. Another example that shows she never gives up hope is while they got trapped in the boat by a Hurricane and she'd say everything will be okay, and they'll get home safely. The character's actions were believable when she had to disguise herself as James in order to sneak into the ship that was trying to find Henry. Even the Captain believed she was truly her twin brother. It's believable since they practically had the same red hair, green eyes and kind of dressed the same way.



I understood every part of the book. The author gave great detail that I was able to visualize in my head. For example, when the author was describing the incident about the hurricane with the ship, it states, "a fistful of win smashed the Fish Hawk and yanked the tiller from Samantha's hands. The Fish Hawk skittered sideways, broadside to the waves." It gave me a better understanding of how it happened and how the boat looked like afterwards.
I think I have an idea as to why Sam would always say, "if only." I think she would say that because it gives us the reader a better understanding on how Sam is as a person. She is always doubting herself and is always negative about herself too. In one of the chapters it says, "If only I were a boy, if only," it shows how life would be easier if she was a boy. Also, she'd have more rights since back then, girls didn't have a lot of freedom.


In the end I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars because it's such a must continue reading book, since almost at the end of every chapter it makes you want to keep reading it. It also has a good theme that fits well with the story, see if you can figure out the theme and the life of Samantha by reading this book! Most likely you'll enjoy the book, whether you like reading historical fiction books or you might as well try this one out.

[Elizbette Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like historical fiction books, this is the book for you! In this book, 'An Eye for an Eye' is a book about the Revolutionary War. In the perspective of Samantha Byrd.I really enjoyed this book because it has great detailing and leaves cliffhangers, so you just keep on reading. The main character is fourteen years old and Samantha has a very interesting mind. She thinks differently than any other fourteen year old girl in the year 1775 in Virginia.This book made me realize that us women are very lucky, the girls back then barely had any rights as much as men had.

***Spoiler Alert ***

In summary, this book was about a fourteen year old girl named Samantha Byrd who isn't very much of a dress type of girl. Her favorite thing to do is hunt and she doesn't have much manners. So one day, Samantha's dad's worst enemy decided to burn all his tobacco. Samantha overheard that her father was going to tar and feather him.
Of course , Samantha wanted to see it happen because she wasn't a major fan of him anyway. While she was trying to wake up her twin brother , she accidentally woke up her annoying , younger cousin. They all sneaked out , trying to be quiet not to wake up their mother. Once they sneaked out and they were far into the forest , they saw their father. They all quickly hid near a log. They all ran back home but decided to just tell their parents that they went early fishing. While they were fishing all of a sudden a hurricane came and they couldn't come back to land. They lost their paddles and some of the boat broke. They were stuck on an island and they figured out there was a British boat there too. Samantha decided to ask them if they can get some food and some type of axe. They told them they were loyal to the king just so they can actually give them those stuff. During all this . Henry was looking for them but got captured while they were coming home. Her father decided to go on a Tory ship and try looking for him. Samantha couldn't go obviously because she is a girl. Of course , she decided to go on the ship with her twin brother but she cut off her hair. In the end , she promised she wouldn't kill a person, but would she keep that promise ?

I admired the way the author first started off this book. It had great detailing and you can really picture everything that is happening in this story. I couldn't even put the book down, I just had to keep reading. An interesting thing that I learned from this book is that , you don't always have to be like how everyone wants you to be. It's ok to be different. I thought the ending of this book was really good because it's a little twist at the end that you wouldn't expect.
I noticed how the author repeated the phrase , "if only " . For example , in one of the end on the chapters it says "if I was dead this wouldn't have happened. If only". In other chapters it says similar things to that. I really enjoyed how the author repeated that phrase a lot because it just makes you feel like you are in the story or the main character.

Overall, I give this book four stars out of five. I give this four stars because it was an excellent story and had a very good moral to it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction or anyone who enjoys kind of a short story. Like Samantha always says , " An eye for an eye ." But will she keep that promise ?

[Ahmed]

This book is about a girl. Her name is Samantha. She always carries her musket to shot the fox, but she cannot shot any person. She lives with her family, but she like to go to the farm with her papa. In the farm she likes to hunt and shot the fox. In addition, Samantha has many friends such as Henry and Wormley. The action in the story is some people come to Samantha’s farm and they shot her papa’s leg. She could not shot those people. Actually, some of those people are British sailors. Finally, Samantha shot them and tried to get help with some people to attack the enemies. The enemies tried to steal Samantha’s land, but Samantha, her friends, and her papa was able to attack the enemies and kicked them out of the land.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

gr 4-6 168 pgs


American Revolution 1775, Virginia. Samantha Byrd can hunt and sail much better than her twin James. Sometimes she wishes she were a boy too and could spend all day fishing and hunting. At first, the war seems far away and Samantha, even though she and her family are Patriots, wonders why there must be fighting. When her cousin Henry is impressed into the British Navy, Samantha disguises herself as her twin James so that she can help with the rescue.

I think this wouldn't been a much better story if it had focused on Samantha's time on the privateer's ship. I found that part a lot more interesting.

[Cordellya Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my fourth grader daughter. She struggles in reading and had difficulty with some of the less familiar language regarding ships. However, the main character (Samantha) and her story were so interesting that they made wading through the unfamiliar terminology worthwhile for my child.

The main character in this story is a smart, witty, independent young woman at the time of the Revolutionary War. That is something you do not see often. If you have a daughter in fourth or fifth grade or a child that loves history, this book is a must read!

[TickleThyElmo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked to see Samantha's adventures, on the Liberty, with her family, etc. I also thought that Sam was angry and thought everything was unfair (but for women it was in the Revolutionary Time. But because she was angry all the time, she did some questionable stuff, like shooting her brother on a ship because she wanted to get revenge on the ships crew when they "killed" her cousin when they really didn't. But her brother is OK, and now they live happy in their home.

[Nathan Paret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read with Ridley for 5th grade.

[Trent Van Gilst · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was very exciting!!

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book about a girl and a boy who were out hunting and were faced with the difficult decision to shoot a red coat.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to this on our American Revolution road trip. It had same scoring ending and the kids loved it.