First published 1990
Johnny Tremain works as an apprentice in a Boston silversmith shop when a terrible accident burns his hand and destroys his craft. Cast out from his secure position, he must find new purpose in a city growing restless under British rule. Johnny discovers work as a newspaper delivery boy and gradually becomes involved with the Sons of Liberty, the secret organization planning resistance against the Crown. He witnesses the Boston Tea Party and other pivotal moments as colonial anger builds toward open rebellion. Through his friendship with Rab Silsbee and encounters with historical figures like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, Johnny transforms from a proud, sometimes arrogant boy into a young man who understands sacrifice and finds his place in the fight for American independence.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, young-adult, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Boston, America, Britain
Period: American Revolution
Paperback · Houghton Mifflin