On the outside, Johnny Tremain seems a little dated and old-fashioned, a big yawn. Plus, it's required reading about a historical time period. Who cares, right? But the thing is, it's actually a really good story, a story that's interesting in its own right, even if some of the language just isn't in vogue anymore, like "the Webb twins were learning how and fetching fagots for him" (5.1). But the many virtues of the book render the challenge of the old-timey language one well worth taking on.

The main character is interesting and all the historical facts are thrown in casually and not shoved down your throat. There's lots of running around, horseback riding, and fighting for your active kiddos, love and relationships for those so inclined, and the plot keeps everything moving along swiftly. Really, we're a bit giddy about how great this book is even though it's old enough to be our grandfather and tells about events from centuries ago.