{"product_id":"nightjohn-isbn-9780440219361","title":"Nightjohn","description":"\"To know things, for us to know things, is bad for them. We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it's bad for them. They thinks we want what they got . . . . That's why they don't want us reading.\" --\u003ci\u003eNightjohn\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I didn't know what letters was, not what they meant, but I thought it might be something I wanted to know. To learn.\" -- Sarny\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSarny, a female slave at the Waller plantation, first sees Nightjohn when he is brought there with a rope around his neck, his body covered in scars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe had escaped north to freedom, but he came back--came back to teach reading. Knowing that the penalty for reading is dismemberment Nightjohn still retumed to slavery to teach others how to read. And twelve-year-old Sarny is willing to take the risk to learn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSet in the 1850s, Gary Paulsen's groundbreaking new novel is unlike anything else the award-winning author has written. It is a meticulously researched, historically accurate, and artistically crafted portrayal of a grim time in our nation's past, brought to light through the personal history of two unforgettable characters.\"\u003ci\u003eNightjohn\u003c\/i\u003e should be required reading (and discussing) for all middle grade and high school students.\" \u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal,\u003c\/i\u003e Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Among the most powerful of Paulsen's works, this impeccable researched novel sheds light on cruel truths in American history as it traces the experiences of a 12-year-old slave girl in the 1850s.\" \u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly,\u003c\/i\u003e Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Paulsen is at his best here.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003eBulletin of the Center for Children's Books,\u003c\/i\u003e Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults\u003cb\u003eGary Paulsen\u003c\/b\u003e is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people, including three Newbery Honor books: \u003ci\u003eThe Winter Room, Hatchet,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDogsong\u003c\/i\u003e. He won the Margaret A. Edwards Award given by the American Library Association for his lifetime achievement in young adult literature. Among his Random House books are \u003ci\u003eRoad Trip\u003c\/i\u003e (written with his son, Jim Paulsen); \u003ci\u003eFamily Ties\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eVote\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eCrush\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eFlat Broke\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eLiar, Liar\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003ePaintings from the Cave\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eWoods Runner\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eMasters of Disaster\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eLawn Boy\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eNotes from the Dog\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eThe Amazing Life of Birds\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eMolly McGinty Has a Really Good Day\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eHow Angel Peterson Got His Name\u003c\/i\u003e;\u003ci\u003e Guts\u003c\/i\u003e; and five books about Francis Tucket's adventures in the Old West. Gary Paulsen has also published fiction and nonfiction for adults. He divides his time between his home in Alaska, his ranch in New Mexico, and his sailboat on the Pacific Ocean.\u003cb\u003eAn Excerpt from\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNightjohn\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        Listen to Gary Paulsen read this excerpt \u003cbr\u003e        from \u003ci\u003eNightjohn\u003c\/i\u003e. The file is in RealAudio format and the playing \u003cbr\u003e        time is 1:22. To listen to it, you need to download the RealAudio Player, \u003cbr\u003e        available for free at www.realaudio.com.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        A\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"Tonight we just do A.\" He sat back on his heels and pointed. \"There it \u003cbr\u003e        be.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        I looked at it, wondered how it stood. \"Where's the bottom to it?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"There it stands on two feet, just like you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"What does it mean?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"It means \u003ci\u003eA\u003c\/i\u003e--just like I said. It's the first letter in the alphabet. \u003cbr\u003e        And when you see it you make a sound like this: \u003ci\u003eayyy\u003c\/i\u003e, or \u003ci\u003eahhhh.\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"That's reading? To make that sound?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        He nodded. \"When you see that letter on paper or a sack or in the dirt \u003cbr\u003e        you make one of those sounds. That's reading.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"Well that ain't hard at all.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        He laughed. That same low roll. Made me think of thunder long ways off, \u003cbr\u003e        moving in the summer sky. \"There's more to it. Other letters. But that's \u003cbr\u003e        it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"Why they be cutting our thumbs off if we learn to read--if that's all \u003cbr\u003e        there is?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"'Cause to know things, for us to know things, is bad for them. We get \u003cbr\u003e        to wanting and when we get to wanting it's bad for them. They thinks we \u003cbr\u003e        want what they got.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        I thought of what they had. Fine clothes and food. I heard one of house \u003cbr\u003e        workers say they ate off plates and had forks and spoons and knives.... \u003cbr\u003e        \"That's true--I want it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"That's why they don't want us reading.\" He sighed. \"I got to rest now....\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        He moved back to the corner and settled down and I curled up to mammy \u003cbr\u003e        in amongst the young ones again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \u003ci\u003eA\u003c\/i\u003e, I though. \u003ci\u003eAyyy, ahhhh.\u003c\/i\u003e There it is. I be reading.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"Hey there in the corner,\" I whispered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"What?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"What's your name?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"I be John.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        \"I be Sarny.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        But I didn't I snuggled into mammy and pulled a couple of the young ones \u003cbr\u003e        in for heat and kept my eyes open so I wouldn't sleep and thought:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e        A.","brand":"Laurel Leaf","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302585290981,"sku":"NP9780440219361","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780440219361.jpg?v=1767733734","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/nightjohn-isbn-9780440219361","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}