Independent Reading Level: 4th-5th
Awards: none

Reading Level: Grades 4-7 Guy

Matt and his friends, Quentin (Q), Hooter and Tony, organize The Adventure Club. The object is to get together and talk about real adventures people have had in history. They are having an overnight camp out in Tony’s backyard, for their first meeting. There is only one downside — Matt’s 7-year-old sister is a tag-a-long.

The topic for the night is Washington and his crossing the Delaware. They decided to take a hike along the lake to get the feel of what it might have been like.

While hiking, they come across an old boat. Something about it draws them to it and then into it. From there they suddenly find themselves on a river in the middle of a harsh winter. Snow, freezing cold and strong winds surround them. They have somehow time travelled back to December 26, 1776, where Washington is to cross the Delaware!

They get a close-up experience of the harshness of the times, the meaness of the war and the fear that goes with it. What the rebels accomplished at the time may have been heroic, but the rebels aren’t always heroic in actions.

There are some difficult scenes involving war, conditions, people’s reactions, behaviours and death.

It is a good read, but one that is not all sweetness and light. Could be good for a group read when kids could discuss what they read as they go along. ( )

Matt and his friends started a book club. They went to one of his friends house. Then they took a hike to the lake and then they got in a boat that took them to the 18th century. Matt marched with George Washington's army and George Washington. Later Matt met a farmer named Mr. Horebe. Later Matt rode his mule Black Jack to meet his friends at the bank of the river. At the shore Katie got a pair of George Washington's socks and then they got to the boat and went home. I like the book because it had a lot of details. The other thing is all the long words the author put in the book. ( )

This is one of those books that the teacher assigned to us to read...the title alone captured my 8 year old mind and I delved into it. I'm now 25...and I have never forgotten the title. I confess I don't remember the entire story, but I remember enjoying it greatly and reading it again on my own, independent of a teacher telling me to. :) ( )