Dr. Judy Rowen (Children's Literature)
Robbie Hewitt is the son of the Congregational minister in a small Vermont town right before the turn of the century. A spirited child, he often gets into scrapes that lead the townspeople to shake their heads, especially since he is the preacher's boy. Robbie's faith in his father and in God are both shaken after a near disaster. While hiding out, he gets into the biggest scrape of his life and finally is forced to chose whether to tell the truth or keep on hiding. A well told tale that provides a glimpse into life in 1899. 1999, Clarion, $15.00. Ages 10 to 14.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2000)
Living in a small Vermont town in 1899, ten-year-old Robbie considers himself a free-thinker. A mischievious boy, Robbie rarely behaves in a manner expected of the son of the town's Congregational minister; in fact, he seems hellbent on breaking the rules whenever he can. But Robbie grows emotionally and morally when he begins to see the consequences of his actions, and can come to grips with the relationship he has with his father. Robbie, who is a great admirer of Mark Twain, seems to have more than a little Huck Finn as he recounts his humorous, yet thought-provoking, story. Paterson's distinctive use of idiomatic language helps to add comedic flavor, as well as to anchor the novel in a specific time and place. CCBC categories: Fiction for Children. 1999, Clarion, 160 pages, $15.00. Ages 10-14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1999)
Paterson (Celia and the Sweet, Sweet Water, 1998, etc.) rings out the 20th century with this ruminative tale of a 10-year-old freethinker, set in a small Vermont town at the very end of the 19th century. Hearing a revivalist preacher's dark hints of impending doom, Robbie decides to become "a heathen, a Unitarian, or a Democrat, whichever was most fun," because he "ain't got the knack for holiness." As it turns out, he's not very good at sinning either, bending a few commandments by stealing food for a pair of vagrants, Violet and her abusive, alcoholic pa, Zeb, and feeling a stab of envy over the love his parents lavish on his simple-minded older brother, Elliot. He has a brush with serious evil, nearly drowning a rival who throws his clothes into a pond; the experience leaves him profoundly shocked at himself, and he ultimately earns redemption, in his own eyes, by saving Zeb from a charge of attempted murder. Despite some violence, the tone is generally light; if some situations are contrived, more thoughtful readers will look beyond them to the larger moral questions underlying Robbie's attitudes and choices. Talky, but nourishing for mind and spirit both. 1999, Clarion, $15.00. © 1999 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Elizabeth Bush (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October 1999 (Vol. 53, No. 2))
Reverend Hewitt’s son, narrator Robbie, has always known he’s not the model preacher’s kid his siblings are, and when a visiting minister delivers a fiery sermon hinting at an apocalypse as the century turns to 1900, Robbie decides to throw caution and faith to the wind and have a good ol’ time in his few remaining months on earth. It isn’t easy, though, to chuck away ten years of honest upbringing and innate goodness; readers quickly see that Robbie’s overconfident mouthiness masks a heart of gold and that he will meet the main plot challenge--to help an impoverished girl hiding out in the hills near his home. Paterson captures the warmth and messiness of a close-knit family: the father whose displays of vulnerability sometimes offend critical Robbie; the mother, whose mealtime offerings are concrete, loving responses to family members in distress; mentally disabled sibling Elliot, whose loyalty and affection make claims on Robbie that he can’t always muster the patience to fulfill. Robbie himself is a fully realized character, bristling with adolescent demands for independence and craving affectionate touches from his parents, yet resisting them when they are offered. Leavened with a liberal measure of humor, Robbie’s tale will resonate with readers at another century’s close. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 1999, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1999, Clarion, 176p, $15.00. Grades 4-7.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2000)
Robbie Hewitt has a penchant for mischief but shocks even himself when he almost drowns another boy in a murderous rage. His interactions with a pair of vagrants eventually bring about retribution for his sins and rapprochement with his minister father in a narrative that, shuttling skillfully between sentiment and farce, combines moments of painful insight with uproarious action. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 1999, Clarion, 165pp, $15.00. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Leslie Dempsey (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 12, No. 3))
The setting is a small town in Vermont at the turn of the century, 1899. Many of the same questions arose then as now. Is God there? Will there be a January 1? Robbie, the son of the town's preacher, wants to get in as much excitement and "live it up" just in case there is no tomorrow. This high-spirited behavior does nothing to help his father's image. The author does an excellent job of making the characters come alive with warmth and honesty. The reality of the story will keep most junior high readers interested. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 6 and up. 1999, Clarion Books, 168p, $15.00. Ages 11 up.