LitPick Review
Morning Star is story in two times told from two points of view: Flower, a slave on a plantation in the 1800s, and Felicia, Flower's descendant living in modern times. Twelve-year-old Flower has been working hard on a plantation ever since she was born there. She lives with her mother father, and her baby brother in a cramped cabin. One morning, Flower's parents wake her early and escape into the surrounding forests with help from a fellow slave. Flower must keep up with the fast pace of her new life and face the dangers lying ahead, such as being captured, auctioned, and even separated from her own family. Flower is a very brave girl who stands up for her rights.
Years later, Felicia, a descendant of Flower, is living with her mother, Delia, and her grandmother, Nana, in Plainsville, Canada. Delia has lost her job, causing the family to move again and forcing them into financial hardship. She has to adapt to her new school in the middle of the school year and deal with the prejudice that her classmates present. Unlike Flower, Felicia is very timid and shy, and allows herself to be bullied.
Opinion:
I like this book because it has both historical fiction and realistic fiction, two of my favorite genres. The plot is beautifully written; it is like the two stories are two threads that are braided together, then knotted at the end. The chapters are short and simple, but this contributes to the building suspense at the end of each chapter (you have to wait another chapter to find out what happened next to the certain character). The characters are nicely described. I liked that the story had two points of view. But, I only gave this book an eight for one main reason. The vocabulary is pretty basic and easy for me; the book is not a middle school level! I think that only children grades 3-5 should read this because of the easy comprehension. Otherwise, it's a really great book!
