It's not one I would read again, but I'm not the intended audience. However, I only gave it three stars because I also wouldn't recommend it to my nieces/nephews.
The author writes vividly and makes the setting/story seem very real. I was strongly reminded of the movie "Newsies," in fact. ( )

Not my favorite book in the series, but still worth the read, for sure. I did enjoy it and I'm glad I read it, even if I didn't connect with Finn as well as I would have liked. It's still a great book, just not for me. 3.75 out of 5 stars. I would still recommend it! ( )

SUMMARY: A young Irish-American keeps a journal of his experiences of living in New York City in 1899.

REVIEW: This book is a great look into history, particularly the struggle of life in 1899. It contains language that is simple enough for children to understand, yet is also slightly challenging. The main message of this book is to keep going despite and challenges you might face in your lifetime. For example, main character is faced with many people who either do not care about him or wish him harm, but he keeps persevering in his newspaper business despite all of this. I believe that children will find this book a very interesting, thoughtful read. ( )

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.