Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Summary: This 2005 Printz Award Nominee is about a minister's son, Turner, and his family that have been relocated from Boston to Phippsburg, Maine in 1912. Turner is bullied for being a minister's son even when he doesn't always act like one. He makes friends with Lizzie Bright Griffin from Malaga Island, much to the community and his parent's dismay. The townsfolk try to send all the Island folk packing because they want to turn Malaga into a tourist attraction. Turner stands up for them but things take a deadly turn when his father realizes he needs to do the right thing too. Ms. Cobb leaves her house to Turner in her will.  He hoped it give it to Lizzie and her caregivers, when her grandfather died.  The townsfolk burn down all the houses on the Island and the remaining residents of Malaga are sent to the insane asylum. Turner later finds out that Lizzie died a few weeks after she left Malaga.  He had hoped to save/free her, like touching a whale saved and freed him.

Schmidt, G. D. (2004). Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster boy. Boston, MA: Clarion Books.

Commentary:  The strengths of this book are that it is well rooted in history, one that we cannot change but would truly like to.  The author builds the likability of both young protagonists, Turner and Lizzie and their friendship.  Turner may not change much in the book but he certainly helps others in the book to change, like his father, his friend, Willis, Ms. Cobb and many of the townspeople.  The issues of the time were discrimination and placing people who are different from us or elderly whom we no longer wanted to deal with into asylums.  A sad time, indeed. 

Connections:  I would consider this book a Realistic Historical Fiction novel being that it based on a real event that occurred in 1912 in Maine, illustrating very similar events that take place in the book. Although it mainly focused on the characters and their development, the events that take place truly tug at your heart strings so much so that I wanted to jump into the book and scream at the injustice. I found this book to be an endearing Young Adult Literature book where the young protagonist places himself into direct confrontation throughout the book despite being warned numerous times to stay away from Malaga Island and his friend, Lizzie Bright. 


Link to the author's page for Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Book Trailer

Interview with Gary D .Schmidt (this interview references his book Okay for Now) but helps us to get to know this author.

Teacher's Guide