A Buss From Lafayette

By Dorothea Jensen

Fourteen-year-old Clara Hargraves lives on a farm in Hopkinton, a small New Hampshire town, during the early 19th century. She has a couple of big problems. First of all, she has a stepmother, Priscilla, who used to be her spinster schoolteacher aunt. Clara resents that her late mother’s older sister has not only married her father but is about to have a baby. To make matters worse, “Prissy Priscilla” keeps trying to make the rambunctious, clever, and witty Clara act like a proper young lady. Secondly, Clara has red hair, making her a target for teasing by a handsome older boy, Dickson Weeks, and by her pretty seventeen-year-old Dread Cousin Hetty. Clara, however, has a secret plan she hopes will change this. During the last week of June, 1825, Clara’s town is abuzz because the famous General Lafayette is about to visit their state during his farewell tour of America. In those eventful seven days, Clara learns a lot about her family, Hetty, Dickon, herself, and about Lafayette. She comes to understand the huge and vital role the young French aristocrat played in America’s Revolutionary War and to see that her problems might not be quite so terrible after all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BQB Publishing
• Release date: Apr 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781939371911

Dorothea Jensen

DOROTHEA JENSEN is a former teacher of English. She wrote The Riddle of Penncroft Farm to make the American Revolution come alive for her own children. She lives in southern New Hampshire.

Reviews for A Buss From Lafayette

[lawonder10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Buss from Lafayette was so different than I anticipated. Never dull nor dragging, this historical fiction was a complete delight to read!The story unfolds on Clara’s fourteenth birthday. She was so angry not even her father remembered. If her mother were alive she would have remembered. This is just one reason she did not have high esteem for her former school teacher -pregnant – aunt who was so different from her mother. Still grieving over her mother’s death and angry that her father married her mother’s sister just one week after her mother’s death, Clara was full of resentment and feelings of rebelliousness.Although Clara appeared to be introverted, this unruly young woman held strong opinions and determination within herself. She refused as much as possible to be the “proper young woman “Prissy” tried to make her into. She had “pumpkin head” red hair which brought her much grief and she would do almost anything to get rid of it. Why could she not have chestnut-colored hair like her father and her brother or blond like her mother and aunt?Clara has many plans and is unnaturally interested in news events. During the course of events which unfold. . ., Clara makes new discoveries about herself, her family, and the famous General Lafayette. She becomes aware that life isn’t all that it seems and discovers strengths within herself she never knew were there.Many points were brought up – some factual, some fictional – which causes the reader to reflect and contemplate himself/herself, life in general, and historical events.At first, I felt the Book Cover and title were not the best, but after reading the story, they were a great fit and eye-catching enough to entice the “browser”. The characters were so real. one felt as though he/she were there associating with them. The Scenes were equally portrayed and drew the reader into the story plot.A great book for family/book club reading. Older elementary-age will surely enjoy this book!