Gaspar De Portola Middle School

Kids' Book Picks

Blood on the River: Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone.

An exciting adventure, based on the true story of the settlement of Jamestown.

Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone, is a novel about a hard-headed young boy in London, England who has nothing. He is homeless--and is barely making a living-- so he decides to take back “his late mother’s locket. This boy, Samuel Collier by name, gets arrested and thrown into a boy’s home. Soon after, Reverend Hunt, the caretaker takes some of the boys along with Samuel to be slaves to the gentlemen aboard the Susan Constant. These men are going to the New World to seek riches and valuables to bring back to England. On this journey, Samuel’s master: Captain John Smith serves as a mentor to Samuel; showing him how to survive and make peace with some of the natives. He also meets new friends from different colonies, and builds a bond with each of them.

Some of the story’s other interesting characters are: Captain Smith for his leadership; Reverend Hunt for his caring and ability to bring peace within the English; Pocahontas for her friendliness and bravery; and Richard for being a good friend to Samuel in his times of hardship.

The climax happens when Samuel steals John & Ann Laydon’s baby and takes it to Point Comfort. He soon gets caught, and is planned to be hanged; until Ann Laydon stops the execution. An interesting part of the story is when Captain Smith is about to be killed and Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan’s daughter, appears to save Captain Smith.

Students at Portola would find this book interesting because it is about a younger boy who has an attitude, and throughout the course of the story, he changes his outlook on the world and becomes a better person; something we all could do. I would recommend this book because it is full of adventure and is, in some parts, relatable to our lives.

Reviewed by Allan M.

Blood in the River, by Elisa Carbone, is a story about a boy that was a loner and “alley cat”, who lives in a foster home and becomes a passenger on a ship headed for the new world. The main character is Samuel Collier, (the boy). It takes place in London, the Atlantic Ocean, and Virginia, during a time when countries were fighting over every bit of land they could get. The conflict surrounds Sam’s attitude, he wants to be a loner and have no friends and support himself; he quickly learns that this is not the way to go.

The story gets complicated when Sam becomes someone’s page. It takes another interesting turn when the crew finally reaches the new world and is almost immediately attacked by the native Indians. The climax of the story is when Sam realizes that he has to have friends to stay alive in this situation and that he has to change his attitude if he ants friends. In addition to Sam there are a few other important characters. Reverend Hart (Sam and Richard’s foster guardian), Richard (Sam’s enemy at first, but eventually the become best friends) , and Captain Smith( the person of which Sam is page of).

Students at Portola will like this book because it is informative, interesting, and action-packed all at the same time. They could also relate to when they were the new kid in class or school.

The most interesting part of the story was when the Indians attacked the fort. It surprised me because the Indians said they were friends and would not fight, just trade. I recommend this book because it is fun to read and is easy to enjoy as you are learning something.

Reviewed by Ian B.

In the novel, Blood On the River, by Elisa Carbone, Young Samuel Collier, an orphan with an attitude and no place to go. When he's arrested for stealing a locket that had once belonged to his mother, Samuel is put to work as a page for Captain John Smith who is bound for the New World. At first, Samuel is determined to live life as an island, to keep everyone out and stand alone. But soon Captain Smith helps him to realize that one cannot survive alone in the New World. It will take the entire James Town colony working together in order to survive. The problem is that the gentlemen in the colony, sent by the Virginia Company to look for gold or any other profit they can find, don't see things that way. They are determined to let the commoners do the work and hog all the rations, living much as they were accustomed to back in England.

Captain Smith speaks out against this and is immediately disliked by the rich members of the colony. But Smith is the only one able to sustain a tenuous peace with the local native tribes, so he continues to lead. Smith teaches Samuel skills like sword fighting and the native language. And as life continues in James Town, Samuel sees the "savages" save the colonists time and time again. But not all the colonists are convinced that peace with the natives is necessary to their survival...

Blood on the River really takes you back to 1607, to the sights, sounds, and smells of Jamestown. Although it was a bit slow at first, once the colonists got to America and began interacting with the local Indian tribes, I found it fascinating. I especially liked the details Carbone included about the natives' appearance and traditions and the reasons behind them. The looked like "savages" to the English gentlemen, but that's because they were totally different and the Englishmen didn't understand the reasons for what the Indians wore or how they cut their hair. The details were very rich and the story is rife with adventure. There's a sea voyage, fighting with the natives, hunting, and sword fighting. There's a fair share of violence (people getting hit with arrows, dying of illnesses, burning down houses), but it was a violent time.

Reviewed by Alonzo R.

In the story, Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone a boy named Samuel Collier goes from nothing to traveling to Virginia, the new world of America. The story takes place in London, England, 1606. Sam was no more than a thief before he became a page for Captain John Smith aboard the Susan Constant, it is almost too good to be true for the young orphan. On board he meets two boys named Richard and James. The voyage was miserable but then they finally make it. One of the gentlemen on board, Sir Wingfield, gets mad at Captain Smith and plans to hang him. But Reverend Hunt, the Missionary who wants to bring to bring Christianity to the natives, convinces the gentlemen that without Captain Smith as a translator they would perish in Virginia. So they are in Virginia when the Indians, the Algonquain to be totally correct, come and, beyond popular belief, are friendly and they give the new settlers food. But a few days later they raid the village! They shoot arrows at people and James was killed. As it turns out the tribe that attacked them were the Paspahegh not the Algonquain. Many people die from starvation but then the Algonquain come back and give them more food in return for beads and copper they also bring a young Algonquain boy called Namontack to live with them. A young girl named Pocahontas or "Playful One" comes with them too and she is a princess. She tells Samuel how Captain Smith was adopted into her tribe by her father, the great Powhatan. Samuel goes to live with the Algonquains for a while; He learns a lot about their culture and beliefs. He also meets Kainta, an Indian boy about his age. He lives with him for a time until Richard comes to fetch him back to Jamestown. A few new settlers show up on the next supply ship. A young woman came with them, Ann. She soon marries John Laydon and has a baby named Virginia. A few days later Reverand Hunt dies and tells Samuel that he will not always be a page. Soon Captain Smith decides to go back to England and let Sameul be an apprentice carpenter for John Laydon. Captain Smith takes Richard with him and the new president runs Jamestown into the ground. They even raid the Indians who were their friends and dig up bodies to eat them but he also sets up a new fort, Fort Comfort, in the woods. Ann decides to stay in Jamestown and keep baby virginia with her. But then Samuel steals the baby and takes her to Fort Comfort. Ann is furious but everyone is safe.

This book was a very interesting read and you can relate to Sam a lot. He is totally clueless on how to survive in such an alien place as Virginia, it's kind of like that for a kid going to a new school for the first time. But, in both situations, they both find a teacher, in Samuel's case, Captain John Smith. I believe that even though he is a little awkward at first he eventually gets the hang of things, as we all do. My favorite part of the book is their journey, by ship, to Virginia. This part of the book eases into the rest of the story by giving tons of descriptions and immense amounts of detail. It is as if you are on the Susan Constant and you feel the air of the sea and smell the rancid oder of things unspeakably nasty on the tween deck. I would recommend this book to all age groups young or old they will all love Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone!

Reviewed by Preston S.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a boy who is sent

to Virginia to be Captain John Smith’s assistant. The main character

is Samuel Collier, a boy who goes to Virginia to help make a settlement in

Virginia for England. It takes place in 1607 during a time where

England was coming to the new world. The conflict centers around

Samuel, the colony of James Town and the Indian tribes. The story gets

complicated when the Powhatan tribe’s ruler, Chief Powhatan, takes

Captain John Smith hostage. It takes another interesting turn when

Samuel goes to learn from the Indian tribes. The climax is very

interesting because Captain John Smith sails back to England without

Samuel.

Students at Portola would find this story interesting because many

students would love to hear what happened when we came to the new

world. They could also relate to learning something new or working

hard.

The most interesting part of the story was when Samuel becomes a

carpenter. It surprised me because he was a street kid and now he can

make a living and he’s making a better life for himself. I recommend

this book because it’s an interesting story.

Reviewed by Valeska T.

Blood On the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a boy taking a journey to find a “new world” with his co-workers. The main character is Samuels, a boy who is about an orphan who leaves his life of poverty to a new life. It takes place around Jamestown & the Atlantic Ocean during a time where the English found Jamestown (1607). The conflict center around Samuel’s difficult adventure.The story gets complicated when Samuel encounters sickness, food shortages, & disease. It takes another interesting turn when they find out that Master Wingfield stole all of their food. The climax when Captain Smith becomes the leader of Jamestown & when they figure out their problems to the disease, sickness, etc.

In addition to Samuel Collier there were several other great characters. For example Reverend Hunt who brought Sam with him to the adventure, Captain smith who served a role as Samuel’s teacher to the New World.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because they would see how difficult peoples life were during the 1600s & how lucky they are of what they have now. They could also relate to how they learned about how America was found.

The most interesting part of the story was when they found dry land after months on spending on a boat. It surprised me because I remember going on a boat one time and how bad it was so I can’t imagine how they felt during that time. I recommend/don’t recommend this book because recommend this book because it’s a book that has a lot of things that would keep your reading the book.

Reviewed by Keon M.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about early settlers traveling to the New World, specifically to the state of Virginia. The main character is Samuel Collier, a boy who came from nothing and boards the ”Susan Constant”, a ship headed for the New World, as a page under Captain John Smith. The story takes place in Virginia during a time of exploration. The conflict centers on Samuel dealing with difficultly facing his life in Virginia. Then the story gets complicated when the natives become friends with the English after several attacks by the natives. It takes another interesting turn when the entire fort becomes engulfed in flames and houses, food, blankets, and extra clothes were destroyed. The climax of the story occurs when Samuel Collier survives the first winter at the Virginia colony.

In addition to Samuel Collier, there were several other great characters that played important roles in this story. Captain John Smith, the man Samuel served, played an important role in acting as Samuel’s mentor. Captain Smith teaches Samuel how to engage in battle with a sword, to fire a musket, and the native Algonquian language. Another important character in the story was Richard, whom later in the story Samuel accepts as a friend. Richard was there for Samuel to be close with him during periods of great hardship and of great happiness.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because the narrative keeps you on the edge of your seat, meaning it is really exciting. For example, when the natives first attack the colony, one of the characters named James gets scared and runs for the ship. Samuel tries to stop him, but after the attack is over, he discovers that James turns out to be found dead. They could also relate to this book because Samuel Collier was trying to be accepted as a part of the Virginia colony. This is similar to some students at Portola trying to fit into life at middle school.

The most interesting portion of the story occurs when Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan’s daughter, saved the life of Captain John Smith by putting her head on top of Captain Smiths’ before the natives bashed his head in. That surprised me, because I thought the natives were not true friends of the English colonists. I would recommend this book because it is very exciting and is full of adventures!

Reviewed by Brandon N.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a boy named Samuel who was taken an orphanage after both of his parents died. One day, a worker at the orphanage decides to take Samuel and another boy named Richard on an adventure of a lifetime. The main character of this story is Samuel Collier, a boy who changes his way about living his life. The conflict of the story is that Samuel doesn’t understand how to control his anger. He needed to change on the inside. The story gets complicated when their group is being attacked by the other native tribes. They are dwindling in population as each person dies from starvation. The climax of the story is when Captain Smith leaves with Richard to go back to England. This is the climax because this is when Samuel has finally learned how to control his anger. Now, he has to put this to the test because no one understood him more than Captain Smith did.

In addition to Samuel there were several other great characters. Reverend Hunt, the worker from the orphanage who served as a spiritual guide for Samuel. He always taught him to make his decisions from his heart. Another character is Captain Smith, who served the role as the translator for the group. Captain Smith taught Samuel many valuable things for his survival in Virginia.

Students at Portola would find this book interesting because it is about a boy who is just about their age. They could also relate to this story because they might have gone through a time in their life when they couldn’t channel their anger.

The most interesting part of the story was when Ann got married to one of the men that lived in Virginia. It surprised me because Ann didn’t seem like she wanted to marry anyone. In addition, she was a very young girl. I recommend this book because it takes you through a journey of what it was like in Virginia

Reviewed by Michelle K.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone, was an action-packed story about a young male adult named Samuel. This story takes place in James Town 400 years ago. The conflict centers around James Town’s delicate and fragile relationship with the neighboring Indian tribes. The story gets complicated when they first arrive in Virginia because they have to prepare supplies to live and some to send to the Virginia Company. The story takes another interesting turn when the gentlemen attack the friendly Indians that which saved them from death and starvation. The climax is when Samuel steals Virginia, a new born baby, from her mother.

In addition to Samuel, the cast of characters includes Chief Powhaten, Pocahontas, Namontack, Captain Smith, Captain Ratcliffe, Reverend Hunt, Richard, Ann, Virginia, and Captain Newport. The Captains were usually leaders for some time; Chief Powhaten was the ruler of the Powhaten Empire, Ann, Virginia, and Richard were settlers on James Town, and Pochahontas was the “gift” to the settlers of Jamestown because they were “adopted’ by the empire.

Students at Portola would love this book because it is not some boring history textbook; it gives an insight on how the settlers of James Town survived. They could also relate to the delicate relationship, because some kids barely can keep a friend.

The most interesting part was the attack on the Indians because the Indians helped the gentlemen survive, and the gentlemen attacked the Indians for no good reason. I recommend this book to people who either want to know a little more about James town or just want a good, action-filled read to fill their day.

Reviewed by Tyler G.

Blood on the River, by Eliza Carbone is a story about a boy who takes a expedition to the “New World”. The main character’s name is Samuel Collier whose parents have died and is now living on the streets. It takes place in the new world (Jamestown) during the time 1607. The conflict centers around the men when they get the Indians diseases, sicknesses, and shortages of foods. It takes an interesting turn when Master Wingfield steals all of the food.

In addition to Samuel Collier there were also other great characters. Captain John Smith is a role model for Samuel and teaches him many things. Reverend Hunt, who stole all the food also sadly dies.

Students at Portola would find this story interesting because it takes back 400 years ago and it would be a very exciting book for many people. They could also relate to kids now a days with their difficult lives.

The part of this story that interested me was when Reverend Hunt stole all of the food. It surprised me because I never thought Reverend Hunt would do such a thing. I recommend this book because it is full of adventure and any teenager or pre-teen would like this story.

Reviewed by Justin E.

Blood On The River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a young orphan who leaves England for the new world in search of a better life. The main character is a boy hates his life of poverty in England and goes on an adventure to the new world with captain John Smith, to set up a settlement in Virginia. It takes place in England, on a boat, and in Virginia in 1607. The conflict centers on getting to the New World safely, and once there, making peace with the Indians. The story gets complicated when people are first killed by the Indians. It takes another interesting turn when James dies. The climax happens when John Smith makes a deal with chief Powhatan before he leaves.

In addition to Samuel, there were several other great characters. Richard, a boy the same age as Samuel, who served a role as Samuel’s best friend and stood with him throughout the entire book.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because there is a lot of blood and a high body count. They could also relate to the hardships he has at home.

The most interesting part of the story was when Samuel went to live with the Indians. It surprised me because of how much some of the people in Jamestown hated the Indians for killing their peers. I would recommend this book because it is fun to read and very interesting.

Reviewed by Max C.

Blood on the River is a book written by Elisa Carbone. It’s a story about a boy named Samuel Collier and his adventures in Jamestown in 1607. He starts out as a street urchin, and is later put in and orphanage. He was called names, and in his anger, he beat up two boys, Richard and Collin. Later, Samuel became Captain Smith’s page and Richard is Reverend Hunt’s page. Both boys accompanied Captain Smith and Reverend Hunt on the voyage to the New World. They didn’t get along well during the long, unpleasant boat ride. When the ship landed, Samuel and settlers began to learn about the new settlement and how to survive. Samuel and Richard later became friends. When a hard winter hit, Reverend Hunt died. Soon after, Captain Smith and Richard returned to England. Samuel was left alone but with the new friends he made. Students at Portola would find this interesting because Samuel is about our age, and has arguments and fights like we do. I thought this was a great book and I recommend this book to everyone.

Reviewed by Audrey D.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a European orphaned boy who takes a voyage to the “New World.” The main character is Samuel Collier, a boy whose parents died and was living on the streets. It takes place in Jamestown and London in 1607. The conflict centers on Samuels journey to the new world. The story gets complicated when Indians attack the fort, food shortages, and sicknesses start to spread. It takes another interesting turn when the crew found out that Master Wingfield stole all of their food. I think the climax of the story happens when Captain John Smith has to go back to England.

In addition to Samuel Collier, there were several other great characters. Captain John Smith is like a role model to Sam and taught him lots of things. Richard hated Sam, but during the voyage, they became close friends. Reverend Hunt, who was the holy man, who sadly died in Jamestown. Also Ann Burras, a woman who is brought to Jamestown.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it takes dramatic turns and is full of details. They could relate to this because it’s about a kids who has difficult times in his life, which some kids at Portola also have.

The most interesting part of the story was when a lot of trouble had happened when they had landed. For example, the Indians attacking and the food shortages. It surprised me because it looked like they were prepared for this, but it turned out to be a big disappointment for everyone. I would recommend this book because it has lots of twist and turns, which will keep you reading to see what happens next.

Reviewed by Sharona T.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a kid that takes a glamorous and theatrical expedition to the “New World.” The main character is Samuel Collier, a boy who experiences life on new land and leader of a colony, which happens to have a mentor, named John Smith. The story takes place in 1607 in James Town during a time of progress and prosperity, in both Europe and James Town. The conflict centers around when Samuel has to learn to survive on his own because of the death of Reverend Hunt.

The story gets complicated when Samuel finds out he has to become John Smith’s servant and join the makings of the “new world.” It takes another interesting turn when he meets new friends and finds out Master Wingfield stole all the food. The climax of the story is when Captain Smith becomes president and discovers difficulties running the colony.

In addition to Samuel Collier, there were several other great characters such as Captain John Smith, Samuel’s mentor, Richard, another servant who happens to be Samuel’s friend, and Reverend Hunt, a religious holy man who held the Sunday services.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because of the action packed and exciting scenes that make you want to know what happens next. They can also relate this book to teens and young teens because like Samuel, as you grow up you have more responsibilities and later on in life no one to rely on.

There were many interesting parts, but the one that interested me the most was when the Native American Indians attacked the new colony and Pocahontas rescues Captain John Smith. It surprised me when Reverend Hunt dies and Samuel lives on his own without help. I recommend this book because of the great description and plot.

Reviewed by Sean G.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about an orphaned boy who gets an amazing chance to take an adventure to the “New World”. The main character is Samuel Collier, a boy who lost both of his parents and was living on the streets, and then he becomes a slave for Captain John Smith. Captain Smith takes this ratty boy who came from nothing to James Town, a town that settlers created in the “New World.” For Samuel this is a miracle, but Jamestown was yet to undergo many hard times. It takes place in Virginia and London in 1606. The conflict centers on how they will survive in this new place. The story gets complicated when John Smith is no longer in charge. It takes another interesting turn when Ann Burras, a woman is brought to Jamestown.

In addition to Samuel Collier there were several other great characters. Some other characters are Captain John Smith, the smart man who served in the government, Ann Burras a servant who married Samuel’s friend, John Laydon, another servant who married Ann, and Reverend Hunt, the reverend who died in James Town.

Students at Portola would find this story interesting because it is full of interest, discovery, and very detailed. The story is about a boy who is their age, and some student’s whose parents have died or are divorced relates them to this story. They could also relate to how to adapt to a new place you are not used to, maybe if the students moved from somewhere far and are not used to their new environment.

The most interesting part of the story for me was when war takes place between the natives and James Town. It surprised me because it was so unexpected. They were good friends with them and James Town would trade with them, so it was a complete shock. I recommend this book because most people can relate to parts of it, and it really is just an interesting book of survival and adventure.

Reviewed by Roya N.

Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone is a book about a jouney to the “New World”. The main character is a boy named Sam Collier who was orphaned after his mother died. It takes place in the 18th century during 1607 in Jamestown. The conflict centers when the men have difficult times on their journey. The story gets complicated when they get threats of Indians attacking, sicknesses, and food shortages. The story takes another interesting turn when they find that their food is gone because Master Wingfield stole it. I think there are many different climaxes, but one of them is probably when James dies during an attack.

In addition to the main character, there are several other important characters. Like Reverend Hunt, who brought Sam with them, but later dies, and Captain Smith, who taught Sam about swords and armor. Also there is Richard, a child who hated Sam, but soon becomes great friends with him. Students at Portola would find the story interesting because this book involves many action scenes. They could relate to it because it is about a boy with hard difficult times like if you have difficult times at school.

The most interesting part of the story was when the Indians attack and James dies. It surprises me because before, they were very peaceful. I recommend this book because it can be really exciting if you are into the book.

Reviewed by Arya D.

Blood on the River, a book written by Elisa Carbone is a story about a voyage to the “New World”. The main character is an orphan boy named Samuel Collier. It takes place in the 18th century during 1607 in Jamestown. The conflict centers on the hardships of the mens' journey. The story gets complicated when they get threats of Indians attacking, sicknesses, and food shortages. The story takes another interesting turn when they find that their food is gone because Master Wingfield stole it. I think the climax of the story is when the main character, young Sam, nearly dies because of the harsh weather conditions.

In addition to the main character, there were many other important characters. Like Reverend Hunt, who brought Sam on the voyage, but later died, and Captain John Smith, who taught Sam a lot. Also there is Richard, a younger servant who became friends with Sam.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because Samuel Collier’s voyage is adventurous and exciting. They could relate to it because it’s about a boy who is or nearly is the same age as them.

The most interesting part of the story was when the Jamestown citizens attacked the Indians. It surprised me because it was unexpected since before the Indians attacked them. I recommend this book because even though it starts off very boring, it gets exciting and interesting later on in the book.

Reviewed by Targol M.

Blood On the River, by Elisa Carbone is about a boy living on the streets in England who's name is Samuel Collier. He is smart and a bit of a trouble maker who isn't afraid of anything. He takes an adventure to a place called America. He is living in the time of 1607. Sam is surprised to notice that when they make it to America they get threatened by Indians. There is great conflict between them but there are other things such as disease, etc.

Like Sam there are a few other semi- main characters such as Captain Smith. He is the president of Jamestown and is a great role model to Sam. Also there is Richard. We could say he is Samuel Collier's best friend. Pocahontas was there too. She saved captain smith a few times from certain doom! Lastly, there was Reverend Hunt a very religious man who fostered at the London Orphanage.

The climax of the story was definetly when Captain Smith becomes president of James Town, the story becomes stronger and easier to comprehend after that

Portola Kids would find it interesting because there is action and its an all around great story. Portola Kids could relate because we are all becoming more understanding and wiser, just like Collier.

The most interesting part in the story is when Sam becomes one with the wilderness, it was cool the way he adapted. I would not recommend this book because it didn't really hook me at the beginning.

Reviewed by: Adam E.

Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone, is a story about an expedition from London bound to get to “a new world” on the coast of Virginia. The main character is Sam Collier, a 10-year old boy who is surprised that he is suddenly going to a place he would never dream of, after having to live in a London orphanage. The story begins in late 1606 but progresses through a few years as the story goes on. The conflict centers around the fact that right after making it ashore, they are threatened by Indians who themselves feel threatened, and the climax is when they discover the problems that might arise if they continue to live there-disease, war, and confusion.

In addition to Samuel, other characters played important roles in the story. Captain John Smith was like Samuel’s mentor throughout the story, and at one part is assigned leader of the whole colony. He knows a lot about surviving and taught Sam many things in the story. He very much disrespected almost everything the commoners would do. Reverend Hunt was a very religious person who would break up arguments in a calm way and was among the leaders on the ship taking them to Virginia. Captain Newport, another leader, spent quite some time searching for rumored gold along the shore.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it tells what life use to be like. They could relate to real life lessons in the story.

My favorite part of the story was when diseases hit the village in 1607 and men not only had to eat their food quickly, but they also had to barter supplies to get more food to keep themselves alive. They would have to work harder, even if half of them were dead. I recommend this book because it is a fun read and one event always leads to another exciting one.

Reviewed by Andy W.

The book, Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is about a boy named Samuel Collier who used to live on the streets that goes on a journey to the new world, which is America. It takes place in 1607 when the Europeans are traveling to the New World. Samuel’s mother had died so he was living on the streets and when he wanted his mother’s locket back from the store that it was sold to, he breaks in and is forced to go on this journey as a servant.

The story gets complicated when Reverend Hunt tells Samuel that he has to go on the journey to the New World with him and be a servant to Captain John Smith. The climax is when Captain John Smith has to go back to England. There are many other important characters like Richard, James, Reverend Hunt, Captain John Smith and many others. I think the students at Portola would like this book because there is a lot of action and adventure. Also it is a true story. I recommend this book because it is exciting and hard to resist reading it in one day because it is so good.

Reviewed by Jacob G.

Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone, is about a young European orphan boy, Samuel Collier, who is headed nowhere in his life until the day that he is chosen to go to the New World, America, by Reverend Hunt. Reverend Hunt, a Christian administrator of a church, is going to the New World to try and convert the Native Americans to Christianity. He chose Samuel out of all of the orphans to take this voyage with him because he saw the fight in him and noticed this might be beneficial because he hoped to use his fighting spirit to help out with the massive amount of work they were going to have when they got there.

This adventure takes place during the early 1600’s when the Europeans were just arriving in the Virginia settlement. The conflict centers on the original Virginia settlement pioneers and how they survive the Native American attacks, disease, and hunger. The story really ramps up when the Native Americans stop their attacks and finally become friends with the colonists. Together they establish a trade network between them that helps keep each other alive. This is appealing to me because it gives a little hope for the Virginia settlers and it shows that maybe the Europeans and the Native Americans can work and live together.

The turning point in the story happens when Captain Smith, who was the best leader the Virginia settlement ever had and to whom Samuel was a page, left back to England and apprenticed Samuel to John Laydon. John Laydon is a kind hearted man who specializes in carpeting. This is the turning point in the story because it now allows Samuel to improve his life and maybe escape from being in the low social class all his life.

There were several other great characters that helped shape the story to the great book it has become. Richard, a young boy, about the age of the main character Samuel, was also picked to go to the New World at the same time. At first they were sworn enemies but soon enough they become best friends. Then there’s Master Wingfield, a high class gentle man who was bossy and expected everything to be done for him, to never have to work, and to be in charge. He thought that Captain Smith was a horrible leader and tried to do everything to become the leader himself, including trying to kill him! Finally, Namontack, a Native American who helped teach Samuel the ways of his people, taught Samuel how to speak their language, hunt like them, and even walk like them. Namontack plays a great role in shaping Samuel’s life.

Students at Portola would find this story interesting because there is war and violence. I think this would appeal to at least half of the Portola students because they are at the age when these things are attractive. The other reason Portola students would enjoy this book is because it has hope which fills you up and makes you hopeful as well. They may even relate to the story and feel how Samuel felt when his friend died, or how he felt like his life was going nowhere but ended up doing something good. It demonstrates that you should always be positive and look forward.

The most interesting part of the whole story in my opinion was the part of the story where Samuel stole the Laydon’s baby and fled to Point Comfort in an attempt to make Mrs. Laydon follow after her baby so that she will be with her husband in a safer area where they were less likely to starve. This surprised me because I did not expect Samuel to go so far as to steel Mrs. Laydon’s baby to help them. I recommend this book because it is thrilling and filled with twists and turns, constantly keeping you on your toes.

Reviewed by Kendall M.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a boy named Samuel Collier and how he live a life alone and survives. It takes place in James Town during 1607. The main character is Samuel Collier a boy who learns how to live in a world all by himself.

The conflict is when Reverend Hunt dies and Sam has to deal on his own. The story gets interesting when he has to meet new people and learn new things. It takes another interesting turn when one of his friends die and he has to live knowing that he has to survive by himself. The climax is when Sam almost dies because living in the cold, but he do so do to his amazing talents and survival skill.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it is a book that is based on great information and a great story written by the author. The most interesting part of the story was when Sam was beginning to understand the wilderness and becomes ready for everything they give him. It surprised me because I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I do recommend this book because love how it is written and all of its action and mystery in it.

Reviewed by Michael S.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is about an orphan named Samuel Collier and his adventures in the "new world." He was chosen by Captain John Smith to serve him along with other boys from the orphanage to serve others. After the long and rough journey to the Americas, they start to build a fort that they named Jamestown after King James. Later on, John Smith starts to trade with the Indians and he teaches Samuel to speak Algonquian and how to use a sword. Eventually, Captain Smith's advice paid off when he had to go to a Native tribe and live with them for a while. While with them, he learns their ways, how to hunt, fish, and skin their game. Sam teaches them English while he learns better Algonquian from them.

After he returns to Jamestown, they suffer many food shortages and disease-filled food, so everyone can only eat a certain amount of food. When he returns to England, Reverend Hunt, who took him to the "new world," dies, and Captain John Smith had been in a gunpowder accident. He stayed with the Laydon Family, who had recently welcomed two new members of that family, a newborn and Samuel Collier. They were very nice to him and treated him like their own.

Students at Portola would definitely enjoy reading this book because it tells a story about America's history and personally I find Historical Fiction one of the best genres of books to read.

Reviewed by Ben H.

First of all, Blood on the River is a book about an orphan who is living in England in 1607. This orphan, Samuel, is quick-witted and isn't afraid to do the unthinkable. Samuel wishes to go to a place called the New World, to Virginia. Of course the whole mission to the New World will take three ships, in order from largest to smallest- Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. The Captains are Captain Newport, Captain Wingfield, and Captain Smith. A man named Reverend Hunt says the real importance of the mission is to bring the good news of Christ to the native people who live in Virginia.

The expedition is difficult enough, a lot because the gentlemen on the ship complain and think too highly of themselves, and because the servants like Samuel go hungry some days. The gentlemen want off the ship to be in their comfortable England houses. Captain Smith says no, and that they should just wait, considering they signed a 7 year contract. Once they all sail to a Carib island, there are natives who are friendly, and look odd. There are many difficult things to watch; hangings, spears, mad people who seek killing their enemies, etc. Samuel must survive to get to Virginia unhurt. There are many battles and hardships on this journey.

Closing the middle of the book, to nearing the end, in Chapter twenty-two, winter sets in, and the people must work hard to produce enough crops for winter. Chief Powhatan, a chief of a native land, commanded his tribe not to trade with the England group. Samuel talks about what his mum used to make at Christmastime, since he is an orphan, he thinks much of his family. Now, closing off the book, there is no sense in worrying about James town, and Samuel is safe-yes, safe. All is well, and the rest is history.

Reviewed by Monique M.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about an orphaned boy named Samuel Collier and his life living in James Town, Virginia. This novel takes place in 1607. In this novel, Samuel has an adventurous and exciting story. Samuel and a few other boys that lived in an orphanage in England had to go to the “new world” to serve the people on the journey. Samuel Collier had to serve a man named John Smith. Later on in the novel, John Smith happens to be Samuel’s mentor. In the story, the Indians attacked the colonists and a little boy named James was killed, but Samuel also gained a friend. His name was Richard. Both Samuel and Richard had to do chores to help the colonists and the colony to survive in the “new world”.

While living in James Town, Captain John Smith teaches Samuel how to handle a sword and he also teaches Samuel how to speak in Algonquian so that Samuel can talk to the natives to either make friends with them or to trade with them. After that, Reverend Hunt (the person who took Samuel, Richard, and James to the “new world”) dies. Then, Captain John Smith and Samuel are sent back to England. After the journey, Samuel was assigned to a man named John Laydon and his family.

I think that students at Portola would like this novel because, they can relate to the story by doing chores and doing things that they do not want to do. They might also like this novel because of all of the action in this story and the culture of the natives. To me, the most interesting part of the story was when Captain John Smith became president of the colony because he was a commoner and all of the gentlemen hated him. I recommend this novel because it has a lot of action, history of the natives, and it makes people want to keep on reading.

Reviewed by Andrew L.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about the New World in the 18th century. The main character is an orphan boy whose name is Samuel Collier. The conflict centers on survival in Jamestown, a fledgling Virginia colony. The story gets complicated when the people of Jamestown are suffering from attacks from the Indians, sicknesses, and food shortages. It takes an interesting turn when they found out that Master Wingfeild stole their food.

The climax is at the point when Captain Smith becomes president of Jamestown because that is when things become more interesting, they meet more Indians, and English Families, Woman, and Children arrive in the New World.

In addition to Samuel Collier, there were several other great characters. For example, Captain Smith, who was the president of Jamestown and taught Samuel very important life lessons. There was also Richard, a servant boy, who became good friends with Samuel. Another interesting character was Pocahontas, an Indian Princess, who saved Captain Smith at times when he was about to get killed. And last but not least, Reverend Hunt, a Religious man, who held the Sunday morning services and was foster parent at the orphanage.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it is about a boy who is at the average age of most middle school students. They could also relate to Samuel Collier because students at this age are starting to take more responsibility just as Samuel did in Jamestown.

The most interesting part of the story was when the new citizens of Jamestown attacked the Indians. It surprised me because usually it’s the other way around and the Indians attack the English men. I recommend this book to others because it is an interesting story, it has a great deal of action, and a good message. This book is not boring and well worth reading.

Reviewed by Amanda S.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a boy who gets to go to the new world and discover it, but during his adventures, he meets new people and learns new things. The main character is Samuel Collier a boy who learns about how to make good decisions and also live in the big world by himself. It takes place in James Town during 1607. The conflict centers when Reverend Hunt passes away and Sam gets very sad. The story gets complicated when he has to meet new people and learn new things. It takes another interesting turn when one of his friends die and he has to live knowing that. The climax is when Sam almost dies living in the cold, but he doesn’t thanks to his amazing skills.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it is a book that is based on historical events and some people like books like that. The most interesting part of the story was when Sam was beginning to understand the wilderness. It surprised me because I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I don’t recommend this book because I don’t like historical fiction.

Reviewed by Noa V.

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a story about a colony trying to survive in new lands and they name there colony James Town. The main character is Samuel Collier,a boy who's parents died and his mom left him a locket and a pound takes it from him. He then later "steals" it causing him to get in trouble and a explorer named Captain John Smith chooses him to help him while at the new world. It takes place in Virgina shore during the time of 1607 as the beginning of the journey. The conflict centers around James Town trying to survive in the new world. The story gets complicated when it starts getting hard to survive.

In addition to Samuel Collier there was several great characters. Captain John Smith is one of them. He is the guardian of Samuel now. He helps a lot during the story. One of this things is he learns the Indian's language.

Students at Portola would find the story interesting because it has something to do with the founding of our country and people have to survive harshly. They could also relate this to other survival books.

The most interesting part of the book was how when the ship got there, the author describes it very vividly I could almost really see it. It surprised me because i thought she would only explain it saying they showed up in shock. I highly recommend this book for many reasons.

Reviewed by Daniel Molina

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