The following review is in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for LS5603.20, Genre 5—historical fiction.
1. Bibliography
Avi. 1984. The Fighting Ground. New York: Harper & Row.
ISBN 0-06-440185-5
2. Plot Summary
The Fighting Ground is the story of one twenty-four hour period
in the life of one thirteen-year-old boy. The boy is Jonathan
and the day is from the morning of April 3, 1778 until the morning
of April 4, 1778. Against his parents’ wished, Johanthan goes off
to fight in a battle, is captured by enemy soldiers, escapes, and
manages to get back home. He is physically unhurt, but his ideas
about war are changed forever.
3. Critical Analysis
Avi says that he was inspired to write The Fighting Ground when
he passed a roadside sign that told about a skirmish that had
occurred on that spot during the American Revolution. He says
that even though it was a small battle, it must have impacted
some lives since people were killed. He wanted to recreate that
day and tell about some of those people. He has chosen to tell
the story through the eyes of a fictitious young boy named
Jonathan. None of the other characters are named. They are
identified as “the Corporal,” “the Hessian,” “the woman,” etc.
If they are actual historical figures, the reader does not know it
and it does not matter. The story is about Jonathan.
The plot of The Fighting Ground is realistic to the time period,
and timeless as well. During the Revolution, there were small
battles fought and very young people were involved in the fighting.
It is timeless and universal because the story is more about
Jonathan’s battle within himself than it is about the skirmish.
As the story progresses, Jonathan must face the realities of
war as opposed to his preconceived ideas of what it would be.
The dialogue in the story is natural and realistic. One example
of that is that when the Hessian soldiers speak, their dialogue
is written in German. It is not translated in the story itself, but
there is an appendix at the end of the book with the translations.
Avi includes enough historical details to make the story seem
authentic without boring the reader with them. He goes into
great detail about the gun that Jonathan carries—its length,
weight, the processes of loading and shooting. This information
is interesting, and it also serves to show how young and
inexperienced Jonathan is. He can barely lift the gun and it is
taller than he is. He has to concentrate on each step of the
loading and firing, while the men around him do it automatically.
Avi describes the clothing and uniforms of the period, as well.
He has combined all of these elements to create a timeless
story set in a significant period in history.
The Fighting Ground won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical
Fiction.
4. Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: “The compelling story of a young boy's first
encounter with war and how it changes him.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “A small stunner.
This book makes the war personal and immediate: not history
or event, but experience; near and within oneself, and horrible.”
School Library Journal: “Avi has accomplished his intent: to
have readers experience, minute by minute, what it’s like to
be involved in war.”
5. Connections
● Write a newspaper account of the battle in which Jonathan
fought.
● Invite children to write and/or talk about a time when they
got something that they thought they wanted, only to have
it turn out in a way they never expected.
● Have students keep a journal of a 24-hour period in their lives.
● This book would be a good addition to a study of the American
Revolution.
● Use a map of New Jersey to find the towns mentioned in the
story.
Other books about young people in the American Revolution
●The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.
ISBN 978-1-580-49586-8
● A Young Patriot: the American Revolution as Experienced
by One Boy by Jim Murphy. ISBN 978-0-395-60523-3
● Phoebe the Spy by Judith Griffin. ISBN 978-0-698-11956-7
● The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson by Ann
McGovern. ISBN 978-0-590-43052-4
● Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins Forbes.
ISBN 978-0-395-90011-6
for LS5603.20, Genre 5—historical fiction.
1. Bibliography
Avi. 1984. The Fighting Ground. New York: Harper & Row.
ISBN 0-06-440185-5
2. Plot Summary
The Fighting Ground is the story of one twenty-four hour period
in the life of one thirteen-year-old boy. The boy is Jonathan
and the day is from the morning of April 3, 1778 until the morning
of April 4, 1778. Against his parents’ wished, Johanthan goes off
to fight in a battle, is captured by enemy soldiers, escapes, and
manages to get back home. He is physically unhurt, but his ideas
about war are changed forever.
3. Critical Analysis
Avi says that he was inspired to write The Fighting Ground when
he passed a roadside sign that told about a skirmish that had
occurred on that spot during the American Revolution. He says
that even though it was a small battle, it must have impacted
some lives since people were killed. He wanted to recreate that
day and tell about some of those people. He has chosen to tell
the story through the eyes of a fictitious young boy named
Jonathan. None of the other characters are named. They are
identified as “the Corporal,” “the Hessian,” “the woman,” etc.
If they are actual historical figures, the reader does not know it
and it does not matter. The story is about Jonathan.
The plot of The Fighting Ground is realistic to the time period,
and timeless as well. During the Revolution, there were small
battles fought and very young people were involved in the fighting.
It is timeless and universal because the story is more about
Jonathan’s battle within himself than it is about the skirmish.
As the story progresses, Jonathan must face the realities of
war as opposed to his preconceived ideas of what it would be.
The dialogue in the story is natural and realistic. One example
of that is that when the Hessian soldiers speak, their dialogue
is written in German. It is not translated in the story itself, but
there is an appendix at the end of the book with the translations.
Avi includes enough historical details to make the story seem
authentic without boring the reader with them. He goes into
great detail about the gun that Jonathan carries—its length,
weight, the processes of loading and shooting. This information
is interesting, and it also serves to show how young and
inexperienced Jonathan is. He can barely lift the gun and it is
taller than he is. He has to concentrate on each step of the
loading and firing, while the men around him do it automatically.
Avi describes the clothing and uniforms of the period, as well.
He has combined all of these elements to create a timeless
story set in a significant period in history.
The Fighting Ground won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical
Fiction.
4. Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: “The compelling story of a young boy's first
encounter with war and how it changes him.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “A small stunner.
This book makes the war personal and immediate: not history
or event, but experience; near and within oneself, and horrible.”
School Library Journal: “Avi has accomplished his intent: to
have readers experience, minute by minute, what it’s like to
be involved in war.”
5. Connections
● Write a newspaper account of the battle in which Jonathan
fought.
● Invite children to write and/or talk about a time when they
got something that they thought they wanted, only to have
it turn out in a way they never expected.
● Have students keep a journal of a 24-hour period in their lives.
● This book would be a good addition to a study of the American
Revolution.
● Use a map of New Jersey to find the towns mentioned in the
story.
Other books about young people in the American Revolution
●The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.
ISBN 978-1-580-49586-8
● A Young Patriot: the American Revolution as Experienced
by One Boy by Jim Murphy. ISBN 978-0-395-60523-3
● Phoebe the Spy by Judith Griffin. ISBN 978-0-698-11956-7
● The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson by Ann
McGovern. ISBN 978-0-590-43052-4
● Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins Forbes.
ISBN 978-0-395-90011-6
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