Historical Fiction- Heron Street

Heron Street

Author: Ann Turner

Illustrator: Lisa Desimini 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Grade Level: Fourth

Have you ever want to know about the American Revolution? Did you ever wonder what the land was like? Were you curious about what it was like before the war? If so, then Heron Street is the book for you! This book is a magnificent story about what the land was like before, during and after the American Revolution.

Heron Street by Ann Turner is a story focused on the American Revolution time. The story starts off by introducing peaceful animals in their habitat. We hear the sounds the author would hear if listening to the animals and the wind. Men are putting up marshes and cows graving in a meadow. We also learn that children go to church and they look happy doing so. Then the times change in the book and it cuts to the war, where men are dead on the ground. It’s very dark and sad. We learn that the British got cheers when they got home and people were shouting. Then we see what happens after the war. The animals left and the land was a place where houses were being built. Cars and trolleys were brought to the land and taken over by people. There was not much grassland left for people. We see a heron again and watch it fly over the small amount of grassland. 

I consider Heron Street to be accurate. The setting and people look like they fit the times of the American Revolution times. For example, when the people were putting up the marshes, they were dressed like traditional people from the time would dress like. Also, there are a lot of animals roaming around and a lot of grassland. After the war it is typical of the times now. A lot of houses, buildings, and transportation. The language is easy to understand. There are no characters that are portrayed in this story that actually have a voice. The war is quickly mentioned, but not much detail on it. This story portrays the American Revolution, but it is not very evident. 

I did not enjoy this story. I think it was hard to understand what war was being portrayed. The fact that there are no characters that speak is hard for me because I cannot connect with people in that way. I did understand that they author was trying to focus on that change in life that occurred after the war, and I think that was understood. This story is something that I would have in my classroom library in case my students want to learn more about the changes.

RL 4.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,and poetry, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

RI 4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI 4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.