I WROTE THIS REVIEW FOR KIDSREADS/TEENREADS.COM.

MY NAME IS NOT FRIDAY is a superb book and even though it is just the start of 2016, I believe that we will find MY NAME IS NOT FRIDAY on many 2016 best books lists. This historical fiction novel features 13-year-old Samuel, an African-American boy who has spent half his life in an orphanage run by Father Mosely after his mother died giving birth to his baby brother, Joshua. Considering that Samuel is alive during the height of the Civil War, his life in the orphanage is a much better fate than life as a slave as he and the other boys are fed twice a day and have even been taught to read.

Samuel and Joshua are polar opposites. Joshua is described as, “…a thief who won’t even learn to spell his own name” (p. 11). While Samuel is described as, “…a saint, the very brightest and the best I’ve had the pleasure to teach” (p. 11). Joshua is always causing some sort of mischief and is always in trouble. When Joshua commits his most egregious offense yet, Samuel steps in and takes the blame in order to protect Joshua from further punishment. However, Samuel’s selfless act has unimagined consequences that will change the entire course of his life, because as punishment for “his” actions, Samuel is sold to a slave trader.

Gloucester, the slave trader, takes Samuel down south to a slave auction, but before he is given over to the auctioneer he is renamed Friday and presented with forged papers. Friday is paraded before the audience and the bidding begins; his fate is quickly decided. “This boy has bought me. This white boy who don’t even look as old as I am. He owns me body and soul, and my worth has been set at six hundred dollars” (p. 49).

Gerald, the boy who bought Friday, is the heir to a cotton plantation in Mississippi and this is where Friday is destined to spend the rest of his days. It is decided that Friday’s time will be split between working in the house and working in the fields. But more than another slave, Gerald was looking for a friend when he bought Friday, so Friday must navigate the relationship between slave owner and slave in addition to adjusting to his new life.

As Friday wasn’t raised in or around slavery much of the “rules” of the institution are new and shocking to him. Viewing slavery through Friday’s eyes allows the reader to reconsider this institution in a naïve and innocent way that only serves to highlight its horrors. In this way it reminds me of THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS by John Boyne and the innocent perspective it provided on WWII and the Holocaust.
As a literacy professional, one of my favorite parts of MY NAME IS NOT FRIDAY is its focus on the power of literacy. As it is commonly known, it was illegal for slaves to learn to read and write; this was just one of the many ways slaves were oppressed and one of the means of continuing the institution of slavery for so long. However, as Friday was raised in an orphanage for free “colored” children, he was taught to read and write. Friday is unaware of the enormity of this gift and knowledge until he realizes that no other slave around him can read. This realization launches Friday on a new path that provides him with a mission and purpose. The results are both inspiring and heartbreaking.

If I was forced to name one flaw in MY NAME IS NOT FRIDAY I think it would be the fact that the book ends on a positive note with everything tying together nicely. I don’t mean to say that horrible things don’t happen along the way to Friday and others, as they certainly do, but ultimately the ending seems to be a neatly wrapped package with a pretty bow on top. I have struggled quite a bit with my feelings about this ending as I came to love Samuel/Friday and I wanted everything to turn out for him, but many of the ending events seemed too convenient and implausible based upon the rest of the story and the realities of the time period.

I highly recommend MY NAME IS NOT FRIDAY and think that it adds a new perspective on a period of time and an institution that has been extensively examined and written about. I am amazed that the author, Jon Walter, who is British and a white man, writing as an outsider on several accounts was able to capture this time period in American history with so much depth and texture. I will definitely be on the lookout for future books by Walter as I think that he is an author to watch.historical-fiction kr-tr young-adult8 s BAM has no time for doctors anymore let me just hand you $50001,958 431



2017 Reading Challenge: title contains day of week or month african-american-interest audiobooks library5 s Katy Kelly2,199 92

This reminded me of both 'Twelve Years a Slave' and 'Buffalo Girl' - a stolen free child is forced into slavery and survives the ordeal through to the coming of the Civil War to his plantation and attempts at escape and a return to his family.

Buffalo Girl follows its protagonist, as this does, through the ordeal of what it was to be a slave and through to the battles facing them after 'emancipation' as the war did little to help former workers into equal lives with their former owners. It was also aimed as young adults, as I believe this is.

Samuel is a boy himself when he is taken from his orphanage (and education, and brother), blamed for something he did not do, finding himself with a new slave name and having to pretend illiteracy, working in the cotton fields, owned by a boy no older than himself.

It isn't as brutal as I had feared, which makes it much more palatable for a younger audience than Twelve Years a Slave. Samuel/Friday uses his beliefs to try to make the best of his situation and to try and find a purpose in it, something I personally can't understand, but it works in the context of the story.

Samuel's own talents and background show that he can make a difference to others, we all can - the power of an education is shown to be a wonderful and enviable thing.

There are some surprising scenes in here, some involving female characters acting in unexpected ways, and while this does keep away from graphic violence and sexual acts that surely would have occurred, there are deaths, there is savage injury, and there is the expected language towards the slaves (occasional and again, not overly graphic).

I found the ending uplifting if slightly contrived, though I was glad it closed as it did. This could open the way to KS3/KS4 lessons on American history/slavery and issues of civil rights discussions.

I would read more by Walter, this captured Samuel's voice very well and took you into the period and danger of the setting. Suitable for ages 12 and above.4 s Maya White-Lurie498 7

I tried really hard to this book because it got great and has a good premise. But I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. The opening lines are great. They grabbed my attention and I wanted to read more, but characters weren't as strong as they could be

Also, I found it really unrealistic that race was not a part of describing characters. The first mention of race occurs on page 39 with the use of the n-word. Very poor execution. I think race differences would have been taught to Samuel at a very young age and he would make note of race when describing characters.

Also, the cover with the figure is problematic. Why is he jet black? His pants can be brown but he has to be the color of ink. Really?

This book might be good for teachers as part of a curriculum, but there's very little chance a child/teen would pick this up on their own.4 s BumfuzzledNerd652 34

Keine leichte Lektüre, da es sehr viel Rassismus und Gewalt enthält. Es schockiert mich zutiefst, wie man damals People of Colour behandelt hat und wie man sie als Eigentum betrachtete. Es ist wirklich bitter davon zu lesen.
Die Geschichte wirkt dadurch erschreckend real und sehr spannend.3 s Abendstern977 30

Das war wie schon vermutet eher eine düstere Geschichte. Gerade der Anfang war schon sehr beklemmend. Aber gerade im Mittelteil hat man das Leben der Sklaven zu dieser Zeit sehr gut nachvollziehen und mitfühlen können was ich sehr spannend fand auch hatte man feste Charaktere die ausgearbeitet wurden und man dadurch mehr mitgerissen wurde von deren Geschichte. Dabei ist es den Autor auch gelungen nicht alles komplett in gut und böse einzuteilen sondern auch ziemlich graue Charaktere gerade unter den weißen in dieser Geschichte zu schaffen wodurch man deren Handlungen auch eher nachvollziehen konnte. Das Ende wird dann wieder düster und dramatisch und nicht unbedingt was für schwache Nerven. Ich würde das auch nicht als Kinderbuch ansehen auch wenn unser Held sehr jung ist. Mir hat es aber sehr gut gefallen.1_königskinder-v 2021 2021-sub-challenge ...more3 s Kaitie538

I’ve never read a book about the Civil War or slavery, and I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction… but when I saw this cover, I instantly knew I would love this book. It was such a touching story about a free boy who gets sold into slavery and spends years trying to make his way back to his brother, and I absolutely flew through this book. I felt for each of the characters, and I was so invested in Samuel’s story that I NEEDED to know what would happen and couldn’t put it down. The way everything wrapped up at the end was sweet, and I really hope this author writes more books in the future, because I’d definitely read them! physical-read2 s JürgenAuthor 2 books56

Spannende und berührende Geschichte zweier Waisenjungen in Zeiten des amerikanischen Bürgerkrieges. 2 s Beth231 4

"And I could be Moses. I really could." p.170

Friday, whose real name is Samuel, is on a mission from God. It may sound hokey or preachy to you but it's actually quite poignant by the end of the book.

Initially, his mission is his younger brother, Joshua. Since his mother dies birthing Joshua, Samuel is tasked with taking care of his brother and making she he behaves at the orphanage while they are placed. But that act of protection is what lands Samuel in the hands of a rogue slave trader, who renames the boy Friday.

He is then bought by young Gerald Allen, who is Friday's age and simply wants a friend. But Mrs. Allen, Gerald's stepmother, has other ideas. Friday feels indignant about not only being captured but being enslaved by the Allens and doesn't feel he should be a slave. It isn't until he finds purpose in his new mission - teaching the other slaves to read and write - that he accepts his placement at the Allens as an act of the Lord.

I admit that I love historical fiction but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. Especially when it's that it's a difficult issue slavery to boot. I can't lie, I read this book thinking, "I'm going to be mad by the end of this." And there are several places in the book where they use language that definitely rubs me the wrong way. But the pros outweigh all that. You get to see this whole other side to the experience of a young man living in captivity through Samuel. If you're a sucker for an uplifting story, this is it. I don't want to say it glamorizes slavery, because there really is nothing glamorous about that dark time in history, but it focuses on this kid's humanity and the fact that he's more than just someone's property, basically taking some of the ugliness away from his experience. Friday has hope and dreams of becoming a teacher, so he plays that out by teaching other people to read he can. He's angry, of course, but he's also humble and smart and just... real.

I also think it's cool that it lays reference to another famous book in a round about way. One of the other characters, Lizzie, references the story of Nat Turner, a rogue slave who rouses a posse and goes around killing white people during that time. William Styron wrote The Confessions of Nat Turner, which is an American classic. So the book gives you reading suggestions without even trying. For me, that's something I'm always looking for.books-of-20162 s Deborah190

I loved this book! I the cover of the version I read better than the one featured above, though.

Samuel is abducted from an orphanage sometime during the Civil War. Time and place are intentionally vague, though the author based scenes and dialogues on primary source documents. Samuel and every character in the novel resonate with authenticity. The story follows Samuel as he is betrayed and enslaved and sold to a widow and son with a struggling slave labor camp of cotton. If I have one quibble, it is that Mrs. Allen and especially young Gerald are more empathetic to people of color than someone in their stations normally would be. Gerald's kindness softened Samuel's experience in unrealistic ways, not receiving punishment for hitting his white "master". That said, the quite moments of cruelty, when Mrs. Allen stole the enslaved woman Lizzie's chickens, my heart ached. Readers will immediately feel Lizzie's grief and anger at losing her valued property, property that provided the meager sustenance upon which everyone in her shack depended. Yet the language and torture of the period are either omitted or gentled enough for younger readers.

I loved the pacing and how the story and plot continually advanced. It did not remain mired in the futile existence of the enslaved, but carried Samuel into the war efforts, from a carpetbagging undertaker to an existential Union major.

I also love the shape of this novel, how it wraps around on itself. Although for anyone familiar with how thoroughly and systematically the forty acres and a mule offer was savaged and reversed after Lincoln's death, the hopeful ending will read as bittersweet.

Seriously, a fabulous book filled with heart.abuse adventure african-american-history ...more2 s faith69 5

My Name is Not Friday was a good book, it made me feel so many different emotions at the same time :/

I could never decide whether I d Mrs. Allen or not... she was relativity nice to the slaves, caring for Samuel when he got hurt. but she also did not hesitate to whip or put chains on Hubbard, so I am unsure of how I feel about her.

the last one and a half-ish sections of the book were the saddest parts. I was so upset when Gerald died, even though he and Samuel weren't exactly on good terms. Gerald actually tried to be decent to Samuel and teach him to read. I was also upset when Hubbard "died," but was glad he was able to meet Samuel again because I feel he really needed someone to guide him along.

I really d Samuel because he went through so, so much. I feel as if, while reading through his story, it gave me a better understanding of the hardships slaves went through. I know some slaves went through much harder conditions, but Samuel really had so many things happen to him. I was so angry when Father Moses sold him into slavery for something Father Moses did himself. he spent two whole years away from Joseph, got shot in the face, could no longer get a job, and had to experience his friend die all because of Father Moses.

all in all, My Name's Not Friday was a good read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone out there.3 s Zara Rahman197 93

I had to read this for the Literature Festival, and upon finding out that the story - told from the perspective of a young black boy, sold into slavery - was written by a white, British man, I was a little uneasy. For me, the whole book brings up many issues around representation that I thought about for a long time afterwards.

In essence, I think that if the issue of writing from a perspective far from one's own is done with thoughtfulness and a deep level of self-awareness, it might (*might*) be done well. And particularly in a case this - where black writers have been vastly under-represented in comparison to white writers, where someone who in earlier times, would've been the oppressor, is telling the story from the perspective of the oppressed. But in this case, it felt the author hadn't thought as much about as those issues of representation and privilege as they should have done.

I would've loved to have read this story told by someone with a more nuanced (perhaps more personal) perspective on the topics at hand.2 s Maria Kramer681 23

Something about this book just failed to click with me - the characters, the narrative style, the audiobook reader - something just didn't work. Stopped right away. Maybe I should give it another chance later.african-american amazing-audiobooks-list audiobook ...more2 s Jolien172 5

I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come!2016 books-i-own2 s Charlotte6 1 follower

Definitely one of the most amazing books I have ever read. Very sad, but beautifully written and filled with so much heart. Samuel's hopeful perspective is a fantastic and fresh take on the perspective of slavery.
It’s a quiet story told at a gently pace from Samuel's point of view. Samuel meets many interesting people, each of them complex and ambivalent. I was so involved with the characters from start to finish and It had me thinking about them long after I finished the book.
Characters Hubbard or Gerald are masterful literary figures that perfectly reflect the contradictions of the time.
I am amazed that the author, Jon Walter (a white man), was able to capture this time period in American history with so much depth. He refrains from exaggerated brutality and still manages to portray the suffering in an impressive way.

definitely recommended! inlove1 Maya Holdaway10

The book “My Name is Not Friday” by Jon Walter is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. Samuel was a well behaved black kid at the orphanage, destined to be free, but after taking the blame for someone’s mistake, he is sold off to an auction and given the name Friday. That’s where a young, white boy purchases him to not only be his slave, but his friend. When Samuel arrives at his new home, he can think of nothing other than getting back to his younger brother, Joshua. But being who he was, he couldn’t simply ask for a ride back to the orphanage. He had to find his own way. The story follows Samuel’s journey in finding freedom again. I would rate this book a full 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in historical fiction and black inspired stories.1 Zaiga127 2

I always find books about slavery hard to read, and this was no different. Slogging through the pain and injustice Samuel endures was rough. When things are going ok, I am constantly on tenterhooks, waiting for the other shoe to fall. But it's an interesting story that shows the nuances of relationships in the American South during the Civil War. It was also interesting to read a YA novel about a young African American written by a British author. As far as I could tell, he only betrayed himself once, when he used the term "full stop" in the place of "period!" ya-lit1 Will Keach19 4

Samuel is a 13 year old African American and is very smart kid. He gets taken from an orphanage where he lives with his 6 year old brother Joshua. They live in an orphanage for “colored” boys run by a priest. Samuel takes the blame for something he didn’t do in order to protect Joshua and he get's in trouble and sent to be sold at auction to a slave plantation. The book tells a story about how he works through problems and meets new people a long his trip.t11 Isabel Landuyt2

Very sad, but beautifully written. Samuel's hopeful perspective is a fantastic and fresh take on the perspective of slavery.1 Chinook2,289 19

This book is just fine, but it didn’t always hook me enough as I went to stop me from taking long pauses from reading it. I think a big aspect of that for me came from the fact that Samuel is a very religious character and I had a hard time conmecting to that. america1 Madison Agel4 8

I think that a theme in this book is that you can achieve what ever you work hard for because Friday really wanted to see his brother again and he did1 Saoirse Milotte80 6

Samuel always strives to be good. Living in an orphanage, he prays daily, studies hard and does all he can to keep his wild younger brother, Joshua, out of trouble. Then one day Joshua does something so terrible that Samuel knows the punishment will be excruciating, and decides to take the blame upon himself. Suddenly everything he has ever known is stripped away as he is re-named 'Friday' and sold into slavery in the deep-south during the Civil War. Thrown into a surreal situation where he is owned by a boy his own age, and where his education is seen as a threat, Samuel has to learn how to protect himself as the world around him crumbles. Two things keep him sane; his faith and his determination to get back to his brother.

This is an extraordinary book that brings an incredibly dark period of American history into sharp focus for teen readers. Samuel is a fantastic character, and one so able that you will find yourself emotionally invested in his survival. Set in Mississippi during the last years of the Civil War the book is drenched in the threatening atmosphere of uneasy change. It is extremely well researched, well written and gripping. Deserving of its place on the Guardian's Children's Fiction Prize 2015 longlist.1 Jill920 14

This book had enough nuance that it wasn't just another story about the civil war. I thought Samuel's conversations with the plantation owner's son were interesting philosophically speaking. I also found Samuel's dedication to his faith even in the face of everything he'd gone through (especially juxtaposed with his brother) was both challenging to (some) modern readers and yet believable. There wasn't anything that I said "yeah right" to, and it kept my attention steadily without being flashy. The section near the end after working for the undertaker (trying not to create a spoiler here) was definitely a surprise, and I wasn't exactly sure why the author put that in, but I found the reason the solder gave for saving him to be touching and thoughtful.

This is a terrible review, but a great book. ;-) diversity historical-fiction young-adult1 Karen Barber2,715 70

This reminded me quite a lot of 'Buffalo Soldier' in terms of setting, but I felt this was quite a warm-hearted story.
When Samuel is sold as a slave he isn't sure what is happening to him. We follow him on his journey to his new home, where we gain an insight into the lives of slaves. I felt this was, to a degree, quite sanitised-Samuel is lucky enough to end up bought at auction by a fairly progressive plantation owner.
He teaches the slaves to read, and he eventually finds his way back to his brother.
With such subject matter it seems odd to describe this as an enjoyable read, but it drew me in and I thoroughly enjoyed it.1 Sarah-Jane39 2

A wonderful book deserving of it's praise, definitely a re-read. I was so involved with the characters from start to finish. There were some characters I loved and some I loved to hate. The settings fired the imagination. Only downside is that I wish it was longer.
Please, Sir, can I have some more?young-adult1 BookBrowse, Davina290 51

"My Name is Not Friday feels necessary. Walter has crafted a wonderfully moving young adult novel that deserves mentioning alongside M. T. Anderson’s recent classic Octavian Nothing books." - Bradley Sides, BookBrowse.com. Full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com//in...1 Jane Branson133 1 follower

Wow! A gripping story that moved me to tears. It's the voice that makes it - Samuel is utterly convincing. With a few choice but subtle linguistic and grammatical flourishes, a whole world, mood and era is created. 1 Tillie8

Important and utterly heart-wrenching.1 Ricarda Scola474 9

Meine Meinung:

„Mein Name ist nicht Freitag“ von Jon Walter ist ein berührender Roman, der die Geschichte eines zu Anfang 12-jährigen, schwarzen Jungen erzählt, der im Zuge der Sklaverei nicht nur seiner Freiheit, sondern auch seines Namens beraubt wird.

Auch wenn es auf den ersten Blick den Anschein erwecken mag, dass die Geschichte der Sklaverei an Brisanz verloren hätte, dass man diese schon in unzähligen Varianten und doch immer gleich erzählt bekommen hätte, so könnte diese Ansicht nicht falscher sein. Mag sein, dass die Sklaverei in diese Form abgeschafft wurde, doch es gibt noch viele andere Formen der Freiheitsberaubung, ebenso sind Geschichten wie diese in Zeiten, in denen der nie ausgestorbene Rassismus dermaßen hochkocht, alles andere als antiquiert.

„Mein Name ist nicht Freitag“ ist allein schon deshalb so kostbar, weil es als Jugendbuch konzipiert ist. Eine Zielgruppe, die sich in weiten Teilen der Welt vermutlich nur auf einigen Fakten aus Geschichtsbüchern ausruhen und sich insgeheim denken, dass es für sie keinerlei Relevanz hat. Geschichte eben.

Jon Walter macht sich das zunutze und verzichtet ganz bewusst auf ebenjene harte Fakten. Seine Geschichte ist weder zeitlich noch räumlich klar zu verordnen, ist aber dennoch historisch akkurat. Ebenso verzichtet er auf übertriebene Brutalität und schafft es dennoch, das Leid der Sklaven eindrucksvoll darzustellen,

Samuel und seine Leidensgenossen leben nicht im Dreck. Sie werden nicht gepeinigt oder gedemütigt. Nein, sie müssen „nur“ Schwerstarbeit für lau erledigen; erhalten keine Bildung, weil Menschen zweiter Klasse damit ja sowieso nicht umgehen könnten, und müssen ertragen, wie Vieh behandelt zu werden, dessen Kinder einfach so weiterverkauft werden und dessen erarbeitetes Eigentum im Endeffekt dann doch von den Besitzern beschlagnahmt wird.

Samuel glaubt an einen gerechten Gott. Er glaubt daran, dass alles einen Sinn hat, selbst die Tatsache, dass der Pfarrer, der ihn aufgezogen und ausgebildet hat, ihn in die Sklaverei verkauft. Ein Opfer, das Samuel bereitwillig auf sich nimmt, um seinen kleinen Bruder zu retten. Doch selbst mit der Rettung seines Bruders gibt er sich nicht zufrieden, nein, Samuel hat eine Mission. Er möchte den anderen Sklaven das Lesen beibringen und damit beweisen, dass auch Schwarze lernen und für sich selbst sorgen können.

„Mein Name ist nicht Freitag“ ist eine ruhige Geschichte, die in einem gemächlichen Tempo aus Sicht von Samuel erzählt wird. Seine Stimme ist gefasst und eindringlich, sodass man sich ihr kaum entziehen kann. Im Laufe dieser wenigen Jahre, die wir Leser ihn begleiten dürfen, trifft Samuel auf viele interessante Personen, ein jeder von ihnen vielschichtig und ambivalent. Die Geschichte spielt in einer Zeit des Umbruchs, mitten im Sezessionskrieg. Die Sklaven können die Freiheit schon fast riechen, fürchten sich zugleich jedoch davor und die Weißen haben ihre ganz eigenen Beweggründe.

Charaktere wie Hubbard oder Gerald sind meisterhafte literarische Figuren, die die Widersprüchlichkeit dieser Zeit perfekt spiegeln. Hubbard ist ein stolzer, schwarzer Mann, der sich so weit hochgearbeitet hat, wie es ihm als Sklave möglich war. Als Vorsteher überwacht er die anderen und hat auch keinerlei Skrupel die Peitsche gegen seine Leidensgenossen zu richten, wenn sie sich nicht an die Regeln halten. Gleichzeitig hat er ein großes Herz, das vor Liebe für seine Familie überquillt. Im Endeffekt tut er also nur, was getan werden muss, um sich die Privilegien zu arbeiten, die ihn zu seiner Familie führen.

Gerald hingegen ist der Sohn der Plantagenbesitzer und als Erbe auch der Besitzer der Sklaven. Er ist in demselben Alter wie Samuel und wünscht sich nichts mehr als einen Freund. Für einen Weißen ist er erstaunlich aufgeschlossen, was an seinem fortschrittlichen Vater liegt, der selbst an die Befreiung der Sklaven glaubt. Dennoch kämpfen Vater und Sohn am Ende für die Seite, die für die Sklaverei ist.

Fazit:

Jon Walters „Mein Name ist nicht Freitag“ ist ein Jugendbuch, das tief berührt und zum Nachdenken anregt. Es erzählt die Geschichte der Sklaverei aus der Sicht eines gottesfürchtigen Jungen, der uns eine einzigartige Perspektive liefert. Der Plot ist nie übermäßig brutal, was die hier dargestellten Gräuel nur noch eindrucksvoller beleuchtet. Auch ist die Relevanz dieses auf den ersten Blick verstaubten Themas deutlich spürbar. Ich kann es nur empfehlen: 5/5 Bücher!

©die-fantastische-buecherwelt.de Sabrina859 15

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