Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Raw, well-researched story of young enslaved girl.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a powerful and educational read that tackles heavy themes such as violence, sexual assault, and the brutal realities of slavery with rawness and honesty. Though it addresses mature topics, many reviews highlight its importance for young adults, advocating for discussions about these issues as essential to understanding history and fostering empathy.
- educational value
- powerful themes
- maturity required
- raw storytelling
- historical significance
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Amari lived a beautiful life once. She was engaged to be married to a kind and handsome man, she had the love of her family, and she lived in a peaceful village. After strangers arrive, her life becomes something she could have never imagined -- not in her worst nightmares. Now Amari must try to live long enough to find freedom.
Is It Any Good?
COPPER SUN is a beautiful, gritty, horrific story. The characters that author Sharon Draper introduces are complex but still real and relatable. Families may find the violence, habitual rape, and cruelty described here a challenge to read about, but the story does succeed in connecting modern teens to a period in time that many view from the jaded distance of a textbook.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about slavery's impact on America. Why does it continue to be important to read books like Copper Sun? How does reading one person's story -- even a fictional story -- bring history to life?
This book describes violence and inhumane treatment. How do these details impact you? Are these descriptions necessary to bring Amari's story alive?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon Pulse
- Publication date : January 3, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 14
- Number of pages : 306
- Award : Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors
- Last updated : May 11, 2024
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