I suppose I had read other history books before I read this book at age 12. However, this is the book that hooked me on history.

Our media, books, television, films, are full of the American Revolution and its heroes and heroines now, but back in 1952, things were pretty quiet on the American History front. We were making our own history with WWII, the Marshall Plan, the Korean Conflict, the red scare et al. In spite of all that, this book set me on fire. I wanted to know more about the foundations of our country, and I went on to read everything I could set my hands to. I am still doing it, but that is another story.

"Johnny Tremain" is still a wonderful book. It tells the story of a teenaged apprentice who learns the hard way what is his real value to his country. Of course, you can't mention silver and the Revolution without bringing Paul Revere into the story. He and many other well known heroes are brought into the story along with the everyday people whose names never make the history books, but who are the real builders and heroes of any tale like this.

Read this book - I've read it a couple of times. Now I am buying a copy for my grandchildren who are just about the age I was when I first opened its pages.

And therein lies the premise for the colonial revolutionaries of the 1770s, as Forbes has written in her storied historical novel of Johnny Tremain.

Decidedly American, this story of the young protagonist Tremain in 1774-1775 colonial Boston could really be enjoyed by any reader who appreciates historical fiction. Though the story's premise is the beginning of the American War for Independence from England, the story has all the elements of a good book, even for those that may not have a stake or interest in the specific elements of American history or independence. There're also the traditional elements of just a good story: love and affection, espionage, conflict, loyalty, tragedy turned to fortune, suspense and a climactic point near the end of the book.

Written to a teen audience, Forbes demonstrates great skill (obviously, as this book has stood the test of time, being copyrighted in 1943) in writing a book easily read and understood by her intended audience, but still very enjoyable to the adult audience. I've now read this book three times (I think the only book I've ever read 3 times), and recently for the first time in 26 years. What impresses me most now is how Forbes doesn't display the colonial revolutionaries - the Sons of Liberty - and their renowned characters, men who became the Founding Fathers of America, as near perfect and saintly men. She developed them as men with flaws, wavering allegiances, questionable faculties, but also men resolute in their cause and demonstrating gifted leadership abilities. Likewise, the British army and occupiers of the colonies were displayed not as disdainful, brash and belligerent, but as men who did not wish for war against what they felt were their fellow Englishmen. Forbes put a face of humanity on the entire circumstance whereby the reader today, even 233 years after the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, can be touched personally by the events in which Johnny Tremain found himself.

I am nearly 24 and this is the first time I have gotten around to reading this book (yes, yes I'm a horrible person but my school system never saw fit to give it to us). So I read it, finally, on my own time. And I adored it. Many people accustomed to modern, ansty writing will not appreciate the sheer awesomeness of this story, but this is an epic told for story and plot and not to disect the mindset of war (leave that to "My Brother Sam is Dead" another excellent but more modern and darker view of the American Revolution.) Esther Forbes is a most distinguished historian, and this is about facts and if I dare say it fun. I actually failed to notice any symbolism, but as I teach 1st grade I'm a little out of practice when it comes to noticing it and I do not doubt that it is there. One might complain about a lack of depth of the characters, but compare them to the likes of Peter Pan and Tom Sawyer and you won't see much difference. This is a beautifully written, action-packed story that draws the reader. It deserves all of its praise.

Intesting book for young readers. I use this book along with the Guide in my reading class. At the end of the book, we watch the Disney movie from 1957 of Johnny Tremain. My students always like the book better as it has more detail and information.

I read this book when I was young. Must have read it 20 times. I bought this book for my 10 year old nephew so he could enjoy like I did.
Book goes a long way to teach some values.

As a homeschool teacher I found Johnny Tremain a wonderful aid in helping my students learn about the events that led to the Revolutionary War. Set in the growing city of Boston, Johnny Tremain is a young teenage boy learning about the trials and tribulations of being a silversmith's apprentice. Johnny learns a hard lesson when he rushes to finish a silver pitcher and burns his hand terribly. Unable to continue his apprenticeship, Johnny is forced with a life changing decision, what shall his trade be now that he has this disfigured hand?

The book gets exciting at this point and Johnny meets Mr Lorne and his nephew Rab. They run a printing shop called the Boston Observer. They take Johnny in and give him a job riding a skittish horse named Goblin. Johnny's new job requires he learn to control his horse Goblin and deliver the Boston Observer to men on the outside of town. Johnny quickly becomes informed about the currents events transpiring in Boston. He attentively listens to the leaders of opposition and becomes an ardent Whig. Very much interested in Politics and wanting to make a difference, Johnny shares that he will do whatever it takes to help his fellow Wig. Johnny becomes a strong force in the Boston Tea Party, gathering young boys and men to dress up as Natives and dump the english tea into the Boston Harbor. These events anger the British terribly and they want the colonists to pay for the destroyed tea. The rest of the book describes the Boston colonists fighting against Tyranny, demanding representation in the English Parliament, the famous words are written Taxation without representation is tyranny.

This is a wonderful book to share with young students, they can relate to the character because he is a young boy that is driven to make something of his life. In addition the students can get a taste of the importance of standing up against tyranny at all costs. Johnny is truly a remarkable boy and participates in the changing of American History.

I highly recommend this book to any teacher who is interested in integrating Social Studies topics with English and Writing activities. Our school used this book to write a paper about the events that lead to the Revolutionary War and how Johnny Tremain helped his fellow colonists overcome the Tyranny of the British.

When I read the first page of this book, I think I actually groaned. The author starts off describing how gulls wake up in Boston. However, as the story builds, I began to realize that the author was only showing the reader the setting, and the trivial gulls were no longer a part of the story.

Johnny Tremain is a silversmith's apprentice, who is good at what he does, although a little arrogant. While making a silver cup for John Hancock, Johnny burns his hand because one of the other jealous appretices gave him broken tools. He spilled molten silver on himself, permanantly crippling his hand.

While looking for work that can be done with one hand, Johnny is hired by a printer, delivering papers on horse back. The printer is a Patriot, and even holds meetings of the Sons of Libererty in his attic. Johnny finds himself an avid participant of the Revolution, even hoping to join the fight so that "a man can stand up...". He hacks open tea chests during the Boston tea party, and acts as a spy for Paul Revere.

I highly recommend this book. It teaches you a lot about the American Revolution, and offers an interesting story as well. I enjoyed this book because I saw a bit of myself in Johnny, something I wasn't expecting at all. A surprisingly entertaining look at the past-I highly recommend.

The moment I began to read Johnny Tremain, I was hooked. The way the author describes the setting and characters makes you feel like you're really there. In fact, this book felt like a window to the past that I could climb through and experiance Boston during the American Revolution.

Throughout the whole book, you love the main character, Johnny Tremain. Being a very bright, slightly arrogant, young silversmith, he is immediantly swept into the action of the Revolutionary War. He plays a large part in events such as the Boston Tea Party, the midnight ride of Paul Revere, and secreat meetings going on between the Sons of LIberty.

The only part of the book that I found was dissapointing was the fact that the book is too short! If you like books with a bunch of action, a little romance, some suspence, and plenty of American history then you should check out Johnny Tremain!

The book Johny Tremain was a hard book for me to get into simply because the subject matter does not interest me in any way. That doesn't mean I think it is a horrible book though. This book is well written and filled with a great deal of historical information. The book also has a lesson to it and that is, don't be arrogant because you never know what might happen.

This book is like caviar. Even though I find caviar to be quite gross, many people find it amazing and are willing to spend a lot of money for it,because it is their acquired taste. That's how I describe Johny Tremain. Even though I don't like it, many people will because historical books is their taste in topics.

I recommend Johny Tremain to anyone who likes to read about the times in Boston and revolutionary war, or just anyone who likes to read about historical events.

It is a sad commentary that a book as long-lived, as rich and readable, and as useful as a window on life in Revolutionary America (albeit only as detailed as appropriate for a young-person's book) is trashed by "readers" (if indeed they read the same book I did) whose sub-literate spew is as empty of content as apparently their minds are.

Although the story line was very good, I was very dishearted by the use of profanity, slang terms, and the use of gory details that just didn't need to be there. I would not let my child read this book because of it. The profanity and slang terms were not needed. If you don't have time to read the book check out these pages 5, 26, 37, 49, 70, 108, 115, 121, 128, 129, 146, 168, 193, 212, 214, 222, 235, 236, 245, 246, 278, 286, 301, & 308. I know we each view things differently so you be the judge.

A great book to read aloud to one another as a family or just read by yourself. Tells the story of one boy's life in the time of the revolution of our country. He was filled with a pride that was brought low. His character developed into someone who could go on after a tragedy and be a benefit to those around him. Nothing boring in this book and will keep you turning the pages until the end.

It makes me so sad to see how many kids find this book boring. I remember reading it to death as a kid, and loving it even more when I read it to my then-11-year-old daughter (though I have to admit that I loved it more than she did). The prose is crisp and vivid, the plot incredibly exciting, and the characters leap off the page. Johnny and Rab are hot! Come to think of it, that's why I kept rereading it as a kid.

This is a book for anyone who loves to read, and maybe that's why so many kids didn't like it. From my adult perspective, I was struck by how witty and nuanced Esther Forbes' observations of life in colonial Boston were -- perhaps beyond the grasp of most kids. I came away thinking about how ambivalent most characters were about the constraints placed on their lives by the mandates of Puritan belief, yet how fundamental faith was to them. I also admired the way Forbes contrasted Johnny's two crushes, the rich and snobbish Lavinia and the honest and loyal Cilla. The scene in which Johnny finally confronts Lavinia, revealing her to be a vulnerable human being rather than a goddess -- and thus letting the air out of his crush -- is masterful.

I would categorize this book as young adult rather than children's literature. I find I really like many young adult books because they're not afraid to be about something, and they leave your head full of ideas. Of course, that's like giving your kids tofu when they want a cheeseburger. (I like tofu, too.) But Johnny Tremain is way better than tofu. Read it for your own enjoyment, and if your kids are very good, let them borrow it.

This is a very interesting book set at the beginning of the American Revolution. It's told from the viewpoint of an apprentice silversmith who lives in Boston. It's a coming of age story that the whole family can enjoy. Good character development and realistic scenes make for a great read.

This is a very interesting book set at the beginning of the American Revolution. It's told from the viewpoint of an apprentice silversmith who lives in Boston. It's a coming of age story that the whole family can enjoy. Good character development and realistic scenes make for a great read.

JOHNNY TREMAIN is not an easy read though it is a worthwhile one. The book was first published in 1943 (think that was during World WarII!) so it may seem a bit dated to the youngest readers but the well realized setting of Revolutionary War era Boston and Johnny's many adventures stand up to time. Forbes writing style is not difficult to follow once the reader or listener is engaged with the story though the vocabulary she uses is quite advanced for a book purported to be at the fifth grade reading level. And the book can be rather detailed especially in regards to some of the finer points of 18th century silversmithing. Yet I despair of the readers who give this a one star review saying it has no plot! The book is extremely rich in plot, characterization, historical detail, adventure etc. Consider it as a read aloud if you are a teacher or parent whose kids just can not "get into it". They will be pleasantly surprised once they meet Johnny and the other residents of colonial Boston.

Johnny Tremain is the absolute worst book I have ever read in my entire life, hands down. No book has filled me with such a sense of dread as I opened it like Johnny Tremain has. The way this book is written is as follows;
*30 Pages of Filler
*One page of plot
For the entire book. That's really it. This haphazardly thown together clump of ink and pulped wood is like a swirling vortex of bad writing and mediocrity. I would not wish this book on anybody. not even my worst foes. I promise you if Amazon had a way to input stars lower then one, that vote would be mine for this book. Teachers; Don't let this be used in class. Everybody else; Spare yourself the misery and torment you would otherwise bring upon yourself by so much as reading the first paragraph.

This book's title is Johnny Tremain, written by Esther Forbes, which got a 3 star rating from me.
Johnny Tremain is about a poor boy named Johnny Tremain who works for a silversmith. He injures his hand making a special sugar basin. Then while looking for work he meets a boy named Rab. After having no luck finding work, he remembers that his mother had said that he was related to the merchant Mr. Lyte. When he tries to reveal his relation, Mr. Lyte accuses him of stealing the cup from his home and takes him to court. Luckily Johnny had shown his cup to Cilla Lapham before the date of the robbery. So he was found innocent of the crime. But later in his time of need he tries to sell the cup back to Merchant Lyte, but Mr. Lyte steals the cup from him.
After this horrible event, Johnny gets a job with his new friend Rab as a horse boy. Getting this job gave him a place to live, people to clothe and feed him. While working for Rab's Uncle Lorne, he starts to get involved with The Sons of Liberty. Although Johnny was too young to be a son himself, he was still allowed to help. Johnny's main job was to blow a whistle to alert the Sons whether to go and dump the tea off the ships or too go home. Then Sam Adams had signaled to go in for the attack on the ships. I don't really want to give away the entire story though, you'll have to see for yourself what happens if you're interested. I gave this book a 3 star score because for me it wasn't all that great to read all the time. But besides that it is a good book to read in your spare time.
Some other titles I'd like to recommend would be Number the Stars, The Tale of Desperaux, and Maniac Magee. My name is Marquis and I'm 11 years old. I hope that you'll really enjoy the book Johnny Tremain. I enjoyed it myself and I might look for other books by Esther Forbes, maybe you could too.

"Johnny Tremain," by Esther Forbes, is a novel set in Boston during the start of the American Revolution. When we meet the title character, he is an indentured apprentice to a master silversmith. The novel follows Johnny as he becomes involved in the revolutionary movement.

Forbes skillfully weaves together the story of a boy's journey to manhood with a slice of the story of a new nation's birth. Johnny is an intriguing character. He's an admirable but flawed hero who encounters serious misfortune but keeps striving on his quest towards responsible manhood. The book is filled with fascinating details about life in Johnny's 18th century world--its economics, food, politics, clothing, social structure, and more. Particularly fascinating is the author's exploration of the craft of the silversmith. Forbes seamlessly blends the historical and cultural details into the overall story.

The story involves a number of additional interesting characters. Also noteworthy is Forbes' presentation of the military situation, particularly the implications of a clash between Britain's professional army and a force that is seen as consisting of "peasants" and "yokels." The novel looks at the impact of war upon society without sugarcoating the situation. "Johnny" is both a gripping tale and a significant volume in the canon of American novels about war.

Esther Forbes' award-winning novel of a youth caught up in the turmoil of the American Revolution is a timeless classic that today's parents can enjoy again with their kids. Educational as well as entertaining with its portrayal of colonial "job training" (apprenticeship), the tragedy of Johnny's injury in an era of primitive medicine, the rise of the Minutemen and patriotic fervor, and the valuable relationships between friends. Highly recommend for any age group

Johnny Tremain is a great book it will catch the eye of anyone who loves reading.The book is about a boy named Johnny he is an a appertince at a sliversmith shop. His friend goes to war does he die find when you read the amazeing book Johnny Tremain.