{Book Review} Oscar’s Gift: Planting Words with Oscar Micheaux

Author: Lisa Rivero

Genre: MG historical fiction
Published: August 21st 2011
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 136
Source: Ebook from Author

Goodreads Summary:

The year is 1904 on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, and eleven-year-old Tomas, the son of Swedish immigrants, thinks that life is a game of chance. Now you see it. Now you don’t. His father. School. Dreams for the future. It doesn’t matter how hard he tries or how much he hopes. In the end, everything he loves can disappear with the delivery of a telegram.

Then one hot day, on a dusty street in Bonesteel, South Dakota, he sees a tall, dark, city-slicker of a man as they both are trying their luck in a land lottery. Tomas does not know that he has just met the man who will one day write novels about his homesteading life on the Great Plains and be known as America’s first African-American feature film maker. Oscar will also become his friend and mentor.

Could it be that Tomas’s luck is changing?

OSCAR’S GIFT uses a classic style and historical photographs to bring the diversity of history alive for modern young readers.

My Rating of this Book – 5 out of 5 Stars

My Review:

You can tell just by looking at the incredible detail Lisa Rivero has put into the format of this book that she is a professional. She has put her heart and soul into her work. Lisa weaves a charming tale about the life and times of a young Swede, Tomas, living in South Dakota during the early 20th century. Oscar’s Gift focuses on a unique friendship between Oscar Micheaux and Tomas, highlighting the power of words. Far from the ordinary, Oscar’s Gift has twist and turns that will keep you engaged.

Tomas was the character who drew me into this story. He bravely withstood the loss of his father, his mother’s new husband, and the arrival of two stepsisters. I could relate to him and the different experiences he had gone through. You also learn so much from this book. I loved the blend of different cultures and personalities.

The story was so realistic, I felt myself slip into its pages. It made me feel like I was there. I think this is a book that the whole family can really enjoy and I would highly recommend it!