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The River Between Us Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,969 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Richard Peck is a master of stories about people in transition, but perhaps never before has he told a tale of such dramatic change as this one, set during the first year of the Civil War. The whole country is changing in 1861-even the folks from a muddy little Illinois settlement on the banks of the Mississippi. Here, fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt frets over the fact that her brother is dreaming of being a soldier and that her sister is prone to supernatural visions. A boy named Curry could possibly become a distraction. Then a steamboat whistle splits the air. The Rob Roy from New Orleans docks at the landing, and off the boat step two remarkable figures: a vibrant, commanding young lady in a rustling hoop skirt and a darker, silent woman in a plain cloak, with a bandanna wrapped around her head. Who are these two fascinating strangers? And is the darker woman a slave, standing now on the free soil of Illinois? When Tilly's mother invites the women to board at her house, the whole world shifts for the Pruitts and for their visitors as well. Within a page-turning tale of mystery, adventure, and the civilian Civil War experience, Richard Peck has spun a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact that one person can have on another. This is a novel of countless riches.
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"The River Between Us is about a bother and sister during the Civil War. Some strange girls came to there town one night and their lives are forever changed. The town is split in half because of the war. Which side will Tilly take?"
— Caroline (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This unusual Civil War novel really boosts Peck’s credentials as America’s best living author for young adults. Not only is it a gripping yarn…but it is nearly as intricately structured as Wuthering Heights, with multiple narrators and tales-within-tales enhancing both the mystery and the wistfulness of long-ago events.”
— Washington Post -
“Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly’s marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war, and history. A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“The author crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that shed light on the complicated events of the Civil War.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“The harsh realities of war are brutally related in a complex, always surprising plot that resonates on multiple levels.”
— Horn Book (starred review)
Awards
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Winner of the 2004 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
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A 2006 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Nominee
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A 2003 Publishers Weekly Best Book for Children
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A 2003 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature
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A 2003 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Young Adult Fiction
The River Between Us Listener Reviews
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" At first this book was confusing, but it got a lot better. At the end I couldn't put it down. "
— *Megan*, 2/12/2014 -
" SAD in middle and end. "
— Miah, 2/12/2014 -
" A good middle-grade historical fiction about the civil war. Good look at both sides of the war, focused on a citizens POV. Full review to come. "
— Amy, 2/1/2014 -
" This book was about a time period I was quite unfamiliar with, which is part of the reason I picked it in the first place. I do feel that the atmosphere was authentic, and the characters intrigued me, but I couldn't help feeling that some things ended rather abruptly, or came up and then were dropped with little development. My favourite parts were the beginning and the end, which are narrated not in the past but in the present, by a teenage boy who is hearing the story from the elder Tilly herself. A note I have that relates not to the print version but to the audio version is how much I enjoyed and appreciated the talents of the respective narrators! They were easy to listen to, evoked a good mood, and made for a wonderful listening experience. "
— Victoria-Lynn, 12/19/2013 -
" i love this book, but it had some very grusome/gory details about the civil war! but hey! it was still good! "
— Polly, 10/25/2013 -
" This book was good--but it was a bit of a downer for me. The story is so poignant and I enjoyed the twist at the end. Overall, it's good--but not my favorite. "
— Amanda, 10/20/2013 -
" A solid Civil War story for kids. "
— Elisabeth, 9/18/2013 -
" I love how Richard Peck gives a different view of historic events than the ones we always see. This book told great stories of the Civil War time. "
— Sue, 7/25/2013 -
" It was interesting and I learned "
— Jeanette, 4/13/2013 -
" Fascinating, haunting. Learned about some Creole history I'd never heard of before. My favorite Peck book so far. Loved it! "
— Jami, 2/10/2013 -
" Interesting story set in civil war times about a girl and her experiences, some surprises! "
— Wendroz, 9/6/2012 -
" I have heard that this is a very good book with a surprise ending. "
— Sarah, 5/25/2012 -
" this book was just ok. it had a interesting bigging about a poor girl who gets to befriend a rich girl, but i thought i was kind of stupid that they had servant character be the rich girls sister, it was confusing. "
— Krystle, 4/23/2012 -
" A haunting little story, but some of it's historical facts seemed off. I felt like it needed more details to pull off the dramatic finish it tried to create. "
— Connie, 9/23/2011 -
" One of the best historical fiction books I've read "
— TaNaZ, 8/14/2011 -
" Not my absolute favorite Peck novel, but I still couldn't put it down. It's one of those where I can't stop thinking about the characters, even though I know they are ficticious. "
— Emily, 8/6/2011 -
" I would really give this book 3.5 stars. I little bit of a different look at the civil war and the kinds of people who lived then. Worth reading. "
— Ragan, 7/14/2011 -
" a delightful YA book about how the lives of a single mother and her 3 children in Illinois change after they take in 2 visitors from New Orleans, one of whom may be a freed slave, during the time when the Civil War's starting to break out. "
— Cameling, 7/10/2011 -
" 6.5 -- Not for all young people. Brings up topics such as mistresses,quadroons, etc. May bring up discussions.... "
— Joy, 7/1/2011 -
" SAD in middle and end. "
— Miah, 5/23/2011 -
" This book was a really quick read for a book club. It provided a different perspective of the civil war era. Not a bad read, but not extremely compelling either. "
— Chanté, 5/7/2011 -
" Richard Peck isn't just an author. He's a great storyteller. "
— Rebecca, 5/3/2011 -
" Love, love, loved this book. But then it's Richard Peck. Of course it's wonderful. "
— Mary, 4/27/2011 -
" Civil War times...historical fiction...passing as white...rules about slavery...what Southerners do and do not find acceptable...good story. "
— Jody, 4/6/2011 -
" Really liked it - great historical fiction. Could be used in CIvil War unit or multicultural. "
— Bob, 3/7/2011 -
" A good middle-grade historical fiction about the civil war. Good look at both sides of the war, focused on a citizens POV. Full review to come. "
— Amy, 2/26/2011 -
" I really like Richard Peck, but this book was different from his other books I've read. It was more serious, less witty and funny. I liked it okay, though. "
— Julia, 1/31/2011 -
" Lots of interesting historical detail, but the characters and the story just didn't interest me much. "
— Emily, 1/31/2011 -
" this book was just ok. it had a interesting bigging about a poor girl who gets to befriend a rich girl, but i thought i was kind of stupid that they had servant character be the rich girls sister, it was confusing. "
— Krystle, 1/14/2011 -
" This book had so many opportunities to be great. It was frustrating. It went off in so many directions, that I would love to take one of those directions and continue on! It had a great backbone, but was just not fullfilling enough. "
— Jenn, 1/5/2011 -
" Fascinating, haunting. Learned about some Creole history I'd never heard of before. My favorite Peck book so far. Loved it! "
— Jami, 12/27/2010
About Richard Peck
Richard Peck has won almost every children’s fiction award, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Newbery Medal, the Scott O’Dell Award, and the Edgar, and he has twice been nominated for a National Book Award. He was the first children’s author ever to have been awarded a National Humanities Medal.