May B.

May B.

By Caroline Starr Rose

3 ratings 5 reviews 7 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 3 - 7Grades 3 - 8V4.314441
"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder-inspired ode to the human spirit." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return. 
Something's happened.


May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.
Publisher: Yearling
ISBN-13: 9780385374149
ISBN-10: 0385374143
Published on 1/7/2014
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 240

Book Reviews (5)

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I would recommend this book to thrill seekers and adventurists.

ok reading this description makes me want to read it. it's all my favorite things: deep, romantic, and poetic. i'm a sucker for poetry :)

The book that I am reading is called MayB by:Caroline Starr Rose. This book takes place in the 19th century and it is about a 12 year old girl named Mavis Elizabeth Betterly (May B) who lives on the prairies of Kansas. Her parents send her 15 miles away from her home to help a neighbor with some chores just until Christmas. But the people she was staying with abandoned her, so she is forced to prepare for the long and harsh winter alone. I thought that MayB was a book to help the reader if they had struggles too because May B was always afraid and insecure about her abilities, later on in the book she has to overcome her fears and insecurities. And this was supposed to show that the reader or anybody can do the same. This genre is realistic fiction because the things in the book didn't actually happen to that specific character (s), but It could have happened to anybody during that time period. The kind of audience that would like to read this book is the audience that likes survival stories.The kind of audience that would like to read this book is the audience that likes survival stories because May B has to survive the long and harsh winter. An internal conflict in this book is when May B struggles to overcome her fears and insecurities. An external conflict in the book was when May B had to prepare for the long and harsh winter when she was abandoned. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars because it was interesting but also a little boring(especially in the beginning).

I read a book called May B. by Caroline Starr Rose. This novel in verse is about a Kansas girl who is dropped out of school due to her dyslexia and is sent away to a family that is in need of help. Due to desperate conditions, May is left alone in their poor shelter and she is forced to fend for herself. This book was average. It was a quick read that was sometimes interesting but for the most part boring. This book is realistic fiction, this scenario could happen but it is a work of fiction. I think this book is meant for 4th and 5th graders. The vocabulary is basic and a third grader could comprehend it. An internal conflict in this book is when she is trying to fight her dyslexia and she is struggling internally.This is internal because May is fighting against herself and is fighting within. An external conflict in this book is when May and her mistress altercate. This is a man versus man conflict because May is fighting with another person.

Dancer Dancer

I am reading this book and May has to make a lot of decisions to make thru the hard times