Ann TowellBesprekingen

I felt like I was living in Canada while reading this book. Well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Set in the late 1800’s, Grease Town by Ann Towell is the tale of twelve-year-old Titus Sullivan’s coming of age during troubled times in a rough, oil laden city in Canada.

After both of his parents die, Titus and his older brother Lemuel go to live with their Aunt Sadie and Uncle Robert. Titus feels that Sadie is too hard on him and when Lemuel announces that he is leaving to live with their Uncle Amos in the Enniskillen swamp because oil has been discovered there and he plans to become a teamster – Titus runs away from home, stows away on Lemuel’s wagon and his adventures begin.

Titus is a charming, naïve boy and trouble seems to find him easily. The first child his age that Titus sees when he reaches his destination is also the first black person he has ever laid eyes upon. Titus quickly befriends Moses Croucher and they form a bond that will last a lifetime. Titus learns his most valuable lessons from Moses – both because of his wisdom and because he is black and living in a town that is mixed with people who are both for and against slavery.

In the climax of the story, Titus witnesses the radicals in the town burning the homes and haystacks of the blacks and he is traumatized so badly that he cannot speak. Through the love of his family and the strength of his friend, Moses, Titus finds his voice just in time to testify in court about what happened that day.

I found this to be a wonderful read. Quite entertaining and the words just seem to flow together so well that the pages keep turning and the book has ended before you even realize it. The story was well written, and descriptive without becoming over-run. It is a book for all ages and I would highly recommend it.

This is the story of a young boy, Titus, who moves to a rough town built around an oil discovery there. He is living with Uncle Amos and brother, Lem. It tells about his life there and the opposition between black families there and the white townspeople.
I liked the kind of 'Little House on the Prairie' narration, but I don't think that it suited the story. I think the whole black and white separation should have been a bigger part of the story and it was largely absent from Titus's everyday life. It either had to be made bigger or be dropped to a much smaller part of the story. I did like the character's and the view through Titus's eyes was interesting.½

I tried really hard to like this book. It is historical fiction set in Canada, which is interesting because you usually don't find many Canadian historical fiction pieces. I found the book very confusing and lacking necessary details at times, especially when it came to the main character. I picked it up and put it down many times. Wasn't my cup of tea.

Other reviewers have provided terrific summaries of Grease Town, so another will not be offered. Grease Town is a well written and interesting story that can offer readers of all ages interesting and historical perspectives on important issues of race, family and friendship. The location of the book will be especially interesting to residents of southwestern Ontario. I agree with other reviewers that it would have been interesting to hear directly from Moses on his perspective. Uncle Amos and Lem were both warm and wonderful character, but, like a previous reviewer, I found some Aunt Sophie/Sadie switches in the book! The cover summary of my copy references Aunt Sophie, while the novel itself tells us about Aunt Sadie. This book will definitely be shared with an avid young reader!

Wow, amazing book. I give it 10 thumbs up.

Plot: In the middle of the 19th century oil boon, 12-year-old Titus Sullivan follows his elder brother to Oil Springs where they hope to make a life for themselves. They find that the promises of riches were overstated but remain nonetheless. Titus soon befriends a young black boy, the son of one of the escaped slaves who have made Canada their home. But not everyone gets along as well with the escaped slaves and they soon find themselves in the middle of a race riot. And Titus may be the only one who can get justice for his new friends.

There are not enough books about black history in Canada. The libraries I’ve worked for have always had very diverse communities and I’ve found that it can be a challenge to find books that are equally diverse. Still, I wish that this book were from the point of view of a black child rather than yet another book about the brave white man (in this case boy) who saves the poor coloured people. The black characters are not really given a voice at all in this story even though it is purportedly about them; they remain rather mysterious, even Titus’ friend Moses. That aside, it is an interesting book. It has been very well researched and it deals with a lot of serious issues such as racism in an accessible (if occasionally heavy handed) way. The whole story is told from Titus’ point of view and he really does read like a 12-year-old. In fact he has a bit of a Huck Finn feel to him. It’s a story I’m sure 12-year-old boys could enjoy and learn something from. Personally, I’m going back to The Book of Negroes until I find something a bit more promising on the YA front.½

I found Grease Town to be a pretty well rounded book, one that has lessons of history, obviously, seeing as its a historical, and it spells out some harsh realities that some people faced in the times that it took place in. I really enjoyed reading it. I liked Titus's character, especially the beginning where he stows away on his brother's wagon.

Grease Town is an historical fiction novel. The story involves two brothers who move by horse and wagon to Ontario to work in the oil business. Their many adventures and mishaps make the story interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Grease Town by Ann Towell tells the story of Titus Sullivan, a 12-year-old meek child who decided to escape his overhearing aunt and stowaway on his brother’s wagon to Oil Springs, the first oil boom town in Canada. Titus was sheltered and impressionable, and his journey and time in Oil Springs showed him that real life was full of hard knocks and injustices. It’s Titus’ responses to these hard times that showed his true character – one of courage and fairness. His development from a boy in a shell to a young man branching out was a delight to read.

The crux of the novel is Titus’s befriending of Moses – a young black boy whose family escaped from slavery. Moses and his family worked on the oil rigs for less wages than their white counterparts. Some of the white workers took advantage of this discrepancy, accusing the black laborers of unfairly stealing “their” work. This discontent eventually led to a riot and the burning of many black workers’ houses, including Moses’ family. Titus witnessed the destruction first hand, and despite his normally introverted manner, Titus knew he had to do the right thing. He alone could offer justice to the black workers who lost everything. Indeed, sometimes the hardest thing to do is the right thing.

Grease Town is written for a younger audience (ages 10-14), and it is an ideal book for this age group. The story teaches important lessons about right and wrong, and the deeply entrenched racial issues that still plague our country. Adult readers could enjoy Grease Town too - it’s a quick but engaging historical read for all ages.

Grease Town is a young adult historical fiction novel. The story is told through 12 year old Titus Sullivan. His parents both died and he is being raised by his Aunt Sophie. His older brother, Lemuel decides to move to Oil Springs , Ontario where their Uncle Amos lives, to try to make his fortune in the oil business. Titus wants to go along to get away from their overbearing Aunt but Lemuel says he's too young.

Titus sees Lemuel off and then sneaks into the back of his wagon. He is discovered much later when his brother stops to water the horse. He figures that he has gone too far to go all the way back so they continue to Oil Springs. However, they take along a passenger, John who promises to pay $20 for the trip. Titus knows right away that John is bad news and Lemuel figures it on soon after. They end up leaving him at their last stop. They figure that it isn't that far to walk or hitch a ride with someone else.

When Titus and Lemuel arrive at Oil Springs they get a big welcome with their Uncle Amos. He is surprised to see Titus and scolds him and makes him write a letter to his Aunt Sophie right away.

Oil Springs is a dirty town in a swamp. The well water has to be boiled before you can safely drink it and there is so much oil in the swamp water that it easily catches fire, as Titus witnesses soon after his arrival.

Titus makes friends with a black boy named Moses and they do just about everything together. However, Titus and Moses runs into John frequently. He is racist and makes trouble for them and later, the entire town.

From the book description, I thought .. Read my entire review at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time.

Breathtakingly beautiful...Towell knows how to pull at the heartstrings...

Grease town is set in Oil Springs, Ontario. Young Titus has had his share of problems in his life. His parents died when he was young, and he can't take his life being controlled by his Aunt Sadie and Uncle Robert. So, he runs away with his older brother Lemuel, and gets caught up in Oil Springs life. He forms friendships and learns about courage. When two men try to ruin everything with a race riot, it's up to Titus to testify in the name of justice. This heartwarming story is the perfect tale of growing up and forming deep friendships.

I got this book free from Librarything Early Reviewers.

I want to say two things up front. The first is that the book has a picture of a black boy on the cover, understandable since the story is about a race riot, but the picture lead me to believe that the protagonist was black and it was awhile before I realized he wasn't. The fact that his name was Titus (the type of name masters often gave their slaves) didn't really help. Perhaps I should have realized the protagonist's race sooner, but I wish it had been more clear from the beginning.

The second thing is that I really hope my copy is an advance review copy (it doesn't say so on the cover) because the book refers to Titus's aunt as Sophie sometimes and Sadie other times. I hope this error was corrected in the final edition because it was very annoying.

This was a decent enough story, and the twelve-year-old narrator's voice generally rang true (except for one small part where he talked about "disparaging remarks"), as did the atmosphere of social unrest that preceded the race riot. However -- I am trying to say this without giving anything away -- the riot seemed whitewashed to a certain extent. It seems like it could have and should have had more severe and far-reaching consequences than it did.

That said, I'm sure many children in the target age group (especially boys) will find this an enjoyable read.

Rumor has it that people are able to strike it rich in the oil business. Could it be that common men are made into kings in a place where liquid gold pours from the ground? This and the promise of adventure are what propel Titus to stow away in the back of his brother’s wagon in an effort to make it to Oil Springs, Ontario an oil boom town in Canada. His Aunt has already decided that he cannot go but he can’t bear to know that Lemuel will set out on an adventure while he remains within the clutches of his caring though overprotective Aunt. Though Lemuel finds Titus in the cart he does not take him back. Along the way the pair meets Mr. Longville and agrees to take him along to Oil Springs. It is not long before the boys become suspicious of Longville. They do however make it to their destination and take up with their uncle. Titus is not a likely hero, he is young, sickly and meek but this is his story about a series of events that have a great impact on his life and illustrate the tension present in a place and time like this one.

The story is set during the American Civil War, a time when states are fighting to maintain the right to own slaves and many slaves are daringly attempting to escape bondage and inhumane treatment. Both black and white families have settled in Canada with the hope of making a life for themselves.

One of the first young boys that Titus meets is Moses, the son of a former slave who, like so many other people, is in Oil Springs to make a better life. They become fast friends and quickly come up with their own scheme to make money and skip school in the process. Not everyone approves of this relationship but certainly not of Titus skipping school. Another agitator in the community is the misconception that former slaves are taking jobs from white workers by working for little pay. There are a group of laborers with Mr. Longville as their ring leader who believe that black laborers are intentionally working for little pay. It is not clear what others in the story believe but Titus is aware that blacks have no choice in setting their own wage. In a fit of ignorant rage Longville and his followers torch the cluster of shanties where black laborers live with their families. Moses lives in this community with his father, mother, and baby sister. Titus and his uncle are desperate to save them. What ensues is the reason Titus is telling his story. He wonders if such a small person can do big things, namely standing up for what is right.

Though this book is geared toward younger audiences, I think adults will enjoy it too. I read a good bit of young adult fiction and wasn't particularly blown away but I did appreciate a young boy as narrator and I think young kids will appreciate a person reflective of themselves and hopefully will come away knowing that they don't have to be great at everything in order to make a difference. While not earth-shattering, Grease Town provides a good moral but is not overdone or heavy.

Also crossposted at my blog

Grease Town by Ann Towell is a children's historical fiction novel. Upon receiving this book in the mail, I had thought it was a book with a PoC main character, because there was a person of color on the cover. I was wrong in that regard, however, an African character does play a large role in the story, as do race relations.

This book takes place in Canada, which meant I learned something. All this time I thought Canadians were remarkable because they ride around on mooses and have healthcare. Turns out other things happen in Canada too, and they don't actually ride mooses, that's just a fantasy I have. Anyways, back to the story at hand. The main character, a pre-teen named Titus, decides he's sick of living with his prim and proper aunt, and he wants to stowaway to a Canadian oil provinces on his brother's wagon. His brother is an adult who goes to the province to make some cashola. This province is remarkable because black people live there too. Many of the black people who live in the province are escaped slaves. Many references are made to the war in the south, which basically means what we Americans call The Civil War. So anyways, Titus becomes great friends with this kid named Moses, who I think is the PoC character on the cover.

Anyways, race riots occur because people are dumb enough to believe everything they are told. Titus is courageous, and his family is endearing. You see, Titus doesn't run off to the wilds, his uncle actually has a homestead at the oil province. Anyways, his uncle is rather progressive, and kind-hearted. The book is first person, and Titus's voice definitely feels authentic.

I felt the book was a bit juvenile for me, however, I'm in my mid-20s, some children's books appeal to me, some don't. That stated, I think this book would be a great addition to any middle school history classroom. I think this will appeal to male readers and would work wonderfully for reluctant readers.

The story takes place in Oil Springs, ON, in 1863. Although this is a work of fiction, the author brings the setting to life quite convincingly, blending blending fact into the narrative. The story is told from a young boy named Titus's perspective. Titus sneaks out and witnesses a violent assault on the shantytown where his friend Moses and his family live. The incident horrifies him, and he is struck dumb for weeks, a situation which becomes dire when his testimony is needed in court.
There is a great cast of supporting characters, including Mercy, a young maid who wants to learn to read and has no qualms about wrestling against boys, Uncle Amos, a thoughtful man who was once a military doctor but has since given up on medicine and the army after witnessing how cruelly the native peoples were treated, and Mrs. Ryan, a teacher who doesn't doing instead of telling others what to do.

This book was an unexpected surprise to read. I was not particularly interested in it when I received it but read it because I agreed to do so for the Early Reviewers. Once I started reading, I finished it in one evening, then gave it to my 14 year old son to read. He did and later told me that it was a great book. He wants to clear this book for a book report at this Junior High School. This is high praise indeed!

Young adult novel, based on local legends current in the author's area of Euphemia Township, Ontario, has three late-20th-century children encountering the ghost of an escaped slave child whose family lived on their farm in the 1840s. Unique, interesting time-slip book but needed a more competent copy editor.

Grease Town is a book that would be suitable for a child of 10-12 years I think. It is about the discovery of oil in a town called Oil Springs Canada and takes place very early in drilling history. It is a lesson of racism and hate and is one that should be taught to young people. The main characters are boys about 12 years old one white, one black who develop a friendship.

This book tells a coming of age story, involving a boy who befriends a black boy during uncivil times. Their town is at an unease, and the races are clashing and lashing out against each other. However, there are those that do believe the two races should just be at peace with each other because the blacks are simply humans too. In a turn-paging novel, this book was simply hard to put down. I'd recommend it to anyone, especially boys around the age of 8-14.½

Grease Town is the story of Titus, a twelve year old white boy, and his friendship with Moses, a young black boy. Early in the book, Titus stows away in his brother’s wagon and heads to Oil Springs, Ontario where he eventually meets Moses. Unhappy with the freed and escaped slaves in the area, bounty hunters stir resentment within the community. As the resentment builds and goes out of control, Titus is faced with decisions. He knows what he must do, but he is frightened of the consequences.

Grease Town is a quick and easy book to read. It is an interesting story about two boys who come together in friendship and are faced with adult decisions at an early age. I would have liked to see Moses’ family more developed in the book. They are primary to the story, however we know very little about them. All in all, it was a good historical novel and gives readers a glimpse into the lives of the workers in Oil Springs.

Titus is a white Canadian boy who moves with his brother to the first oil-boom town in his country. While living there with their uncle they become caught up in the racial tension that was spilling out from the United States and the civil war there. Titus becomes personally involved when the family of a black friend of his is put in jeopardy.

While the writing is a bit clunky, and the characters not too memorable, the story is thoughtful. I'm glad I read it and would recommend it to a young adult of 11-12 years.

Grease Town
By Ann Towell
Published by Tundra Books
Copyright 2010
Juvenile Historical Fiction

Titus Sullivan is a twelve year old boy who stows away on his older brother’s wagon to escape life under the thumbs of his domineering Aunt Sophie. The two siblings arrive in Oil Springs, Ontario, in 1863, to live with their Uncle Amos and seek their fortune in black gold. Titus befriends Moses, the son of freed slaves, on the cusp of a racial riot that changes their lives forever.

I really liked Titus. He’s a plucky sort with a good heart and strong sense of justice. All of Towell’s characters are well drawn and multi-dimensional. The town of Oil Springs and its inhabitants comes alive in all its smelly, oily, rambunctiousness.

I was eagerly reading along until the last third of the book when Titus picked a fist fight with Mercy and then later I just couldn’t quite believe Titus’ silence after the riot. There seemed no justification or repercussions for the fist fight. It left me really puzzled. And the silence seemed more a plot manipulation so that Titus would not have to testify.

But the book does give insight into a little known historical event through the eyes of a charming and likable character. I would recommend it to my young friends.
http://howlingnsilence.blogspot.com½

I won't summarize the book, since that is done very well in the previous reviews.
I thought this was a good read and the subject matter was very interesting. The cover gave me the wrong impression on who the main character was going to be. I thought the main character would be the son of escaped slaves, not a young white pre-teen. It took me awhile to realize that Titus was white. I agree with the reviewer that said that Moses's family could have been developed more. I to refresh my memory on Moses's last name to realize that Mrs. Caruther was his mother when she appears towards the end of the book.

I will be handing this book off to my 11 yr old son to read, I think he is the perfect age for this story. It is a very well written novel aimed at the 10-14 year age range. A good historical novel that will introduce pre-teens to that time period. I highly recommend it.

In Grease Town a boy named Titus stows away with his older brother, who is moving to an oil town in rural Canada. Titus comes to feel at home in Oil Springs, and the reader is treated to a cast of characters including Titus's formerly-reclusive uncle, a school teacher who isn't afraid to get her dress dirty, and Moses, Titus's best friend and the son of a former slave who escaped to Canada from the United States.

At times Grease Town reminded me of reading the Little House on the Prairie books as a kid in that it vividly recreated a historical place and period, populated it with characters that I felt familiar with by the end of the book, and in doing so made me half-wish I could go into the world of the book even though it was a pretty rough place to live.

The book was narrated in the first person by Titus, and I enjoyed his distinctive voice. Titus would sometimes jump ahead or mention events that hadn't happened yet, which I felt was an effective way to foreshadow the end of the book and keep the reader intrigued (it certainly worked on me!), and was simple enough that I don't imagine a young reader would have much difficulty. I also appreciated the opportunity to read a historical fiction book set in Canada - I don't think I've ever read one before!

Although I enjoyed the book as a whole, I wished that the author had allowed the reader to learn more about Moses's family. For instance, we see in detail how Titus's family reacts to his friendship with Moses, but we don't see how Moses's family interacts with Titus until nearly the end of the book. I feel that the tension between black and white townspeople might have been better portrayed if we saw more of the black characters, and that the climax would have had more emotional impact if there were more black characters that the reader cared about. However, my overall experience with the book was a positive one.