The Trouble with Jeremy Chance - Softcover

Grade 4-8--In the winter of 1919, 12-year-old Jeremy Chance is living with his father and cousin Sadie in rural New Hampshire. Eagerly awaiting the return of his brother Davey, who was fighting in World War I, he passes his time visiting neighbors, especially old Mr. Cutter. When Cutter and his father argue over a walnut tree, the boy is forbidden future visits. When Jeremy disagrees with his father about the dispute he is given his first serious whipping for disrespect. Hurt that his father would punish him for speaking his mind, Jeremy hops a train to Boston hoping to find his brother, whose ship is due at any time. He happens to be in the North End during the Great Molasses Flood at the moment the distillery tanks burst and spill two million gallons of molasses and becomes a hero when he rescues a man trapped beneath a wagon. His father arrives shortly after the incident and is too proud of his heroic son to punish him for running away. The story ends a bit too neatly and predictably as Jeremy and his father happen upon the recently returned Davey in a local tavern. This appealing story about the need to know when to forgive is rich in period detail. An afterword provides historical context and explains which of the events depicted are true. A good coming-of-age story, set in an interesting time and populated with engaging characters.--Edward Sullivan, White Pine School, TN
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Gr. 4-7. In 1919 in rural New Hampshire, 12-year-old Jeremy's mother has died from the flu, and Jeremy is waiting for his older brother, Davey, to return from the war in Europe. After infuriating his father by daring to say that Pa has done wrong in a dispute with a neighbor, Jeremy takes off, jumping on the train to Boston to meet the ship bringing his brother home. The city is strange and exciting to the country kid, especially when he is caught in the dangerous flood of molasses that explodes from a distillery. Harrar has done a good job of researching the history (an afterword fills in more background), but it's the coming-of-age story that provides the drama here, particularly the fierce anger and love that are part of Jeremy's war with his dad. The son must break from his father, but he finds himself using what he's learned from Pa to save someone's life. Hazel Rochman
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