WALTER, Jon

A multilayered epic that weaves together history and humanity while confronting the elusive grays between right and wrong, this work proves to be a significant, resonating addition to the Civil War canon for middle grade audiences. ["Lyrically written historical novel": SLJ 11/15 starred review of the Scholastic/David Fickling book.]

Pair this lyrically written historical novel with the informational text Stolen into Slavery: The True Story of Solomon Northup, Free Black Man by Judith Fradin (National Geographic, 2013) or Northup's own Twelve Years a Slave.

Many readers may find the lack of historical context and place a distraction; those who can move past it will find richly developed and empathetic characters.