Close

Login

Lost Password     Register

Close

Register

Lost Password     Login

Close

Lost Password

Login     Register

Book Review

Purchase Book at Amazon

Publisher's Note:

A New York Times bestseller! Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush–if they can survive the journey. It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own. So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger. And then there’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention—and more trouble—than any of them need. All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home—but is a strong will enough to get them there?…

This review may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using these links, then Compass Book Ratings may earn a small commission.

Will’s Race for Home

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Reviewer: Cindy M
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 9+

Overall Book Review:

Will sets out for the adventure of a lifetime with his father as they travel from Texas for the 1889 Oklahoma land rush. Both historical fiction and adventure rolled into one, the pacing of this book is quick, with complimentary illustrations and short chapters. The engaging cover captures the spirit of the book. Told in first person, the reader is with Will every mile of his physical and emotional journey, which is transformative in every aspect. It feels like it has been a while since recent historical fiction novels spent much time in the pre-1900’s so this feels refreshing.

This novel comes on the heels of the Newbery Honor book One Big Open Sky, which is complimentary in many ways. Both of these books are filling in middle grade historical fiction’s gap in the Black homestead experience. Will’s Race for Home is for slightly younger readers and has a male perspective. One Big Open Sky, because of its writing style, leans towards slightly older middle grade readers and has a female perspective. Both are excellent choices.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: Bloody fingers from picking cotton; character kills snake with a log; report someone died from cholera; attempted robbery in which grown men grab boy and there is a struggle (hitting, kicking, pushed to the ground and stepped on); characters threatened with a gun; verbal threats of harm; brief scene of a fist fight, on character’s hand is cruelly stomped on (implied broken), some description; gunfight/ambush in which characters are shot, severe injury with brief descriptions of blood; brief description of removing a bullet, mention of blood; character recalls a prior time where there was a struggle and someone was shot and they tried to remove the bullet, but a person died; scene on a river bank of injuries, etc. from attempted river crossing; brief scene of land rush with men being trampled, bloody whip, punching and fighting; scene in which characters threaten each other and character uses gun and threatens to shoot someone.

Sex/Nudity: None

Mature Subject Matter:

Racial discrimination and prejudice, Civil War (mention), economic and physical hardship, slavery (references to).

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Drunk characters are scene; saloons mentioned; adult men drink from a flask.

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
0
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
2
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
0
10

Share This Post

About the Reviewer

Cindy M
An accountant and CPA by profession, I found myself a book reviewer for Squeaky Clean Reads by happenstance. When the opportunity came to transform that website into Compass Book Ratings, I was excited to seize it and meld my business background with my love of books. As the mother of three teenage sons, I have read a large number of children and young adult books and I believe that there is great value in a content review service. As much as we would love to read everything our children read, there just isn’t enough time. I also appreciate being able to select books for myself that are really worth my precious and limited reading time. I believe there is a book out there for everyone–they just have to find it!

Share Compass Book Ratings