My Name's Not Friday

Set in the American south during the American civil war, this book is about a boy who believes very much that he is being guided by the hand of God even when he is lead into a path of slavery and hardship. Although not altogether unlike other books set during this period, what is compelling about this book is the perspective of the young boy Samuel, through whose eyes the novel is experienced. Samuel begins his journey, seemingly, blissfully unaware of the experiences of thousands of black people around him in America at this time. The use of a child's voice to tell the story allows for subtleties when addressing sensitive and challenging issues around the topic of slavery. This viewpoint also affords a level of objectivity as Samuel judges situations with a naivety perhaps only a child can. In order to get the most out of this book and truly explore issues which are touched upon by the author, I would highly recommend this book for ages fifteen and over; the language and content would be unsuitable for a younger reader. The style of the novel creates a pace which would hook those reading for pleasure but equally hook a classroom of children were this to be a class novel being studied in greater depth. There is an air of hope in the book which encourages the reader to turn the pages and get to know Samuel as indeed he gets to know himself. The younger reader will effectively mirror the protagonist as his journey, just like theirs, is one of discovery of the world around him during a sometimes unfathomable time in history. A fantastically gripping and at times harrowing read. 370 pages / Ages 15+ / Reviewed by Katie Lancaster.

Suggested Reading Age 11+