The Burden

“Whose burden do I bear now?” he said out loud. If it’s Sam, he could get hurt or even killed! And if it’s Caroline’s – if I don’t tell what she heard Alexander say – Sam could get hurt or even killed!

Book: The Burden (Christian Heritage Series: The Williamsburg Years #9) by Nancy Rue, Focus on the Family Publishers, 1997

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 11-15

Subjects: Revolutionary War, Politics, Friendship, Reputation, Anger, Relationships with family, Secrets

Summary: The Fearsome Trio are not much of a trio these days. Secrets are doing them in. Each of them know something that could hurt a loved one if the word got out, so when the pastor preaches that they are to bear one another’s burdens, they keep quiet and do their best to bear up under the weight of these burdens. But these secrets are heavy burdens - life or death matters and that’s proven when Thomas finds himself at the wrong end of a gun being held by a man who is mentally ill.

Notes: This story focuses on the life of a young boy growing up as a patriot during the time of the Revolutionary War. His best friend and teacher are loyalists – some of the only ones in town, so he finds himself in the midst of much tension there. Then there’s tension within his own home as his father tends towards a more peaceful approach and his brother is determined to run off and join the army. It’s a story of growing up, and a story of growing in knowledge of and relationship with God. In this book, Thomas and his friends all three learn what it means to carry one another’s burdens and how that relates to trusting the adults in your life with the secrets you’re holding. At the end, Thomas’ father calls all three of the children before him and explains that God gives us crosses to bear, but wants us to be free from burdens weighing us down, keeping us from drawing near to Him.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.