Burg, Ann E. Unbound. 352p. Scholastic. Sept. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780545934275.

Gr 4-8 –Grace is a light-skinned, blue-eyed slave who is called to work in “The Big House,” leaving behind her family and friends in the fields. What she sees of the Master and Missus gives Grace even more motivation to escape, including Missus’s decision to sell members of Grace’s family at the auction block. Soon, Grace and her family flee to the Great Dismal Swamp and become “maroons” who survive independent of society. This is a historical novel in verse written in a Southern patois. Though some might find the language challenging, strong readers will appreciate the rhythmic flow of the poetry and the well-executed pacing. Shedding light on a period of U.S. history that is often ignored, Burg’s portrayal of the Great Dismal Swamp and the runaways’ sanctuary reads like a testimony—the book is, in fact, based on narratives of the formerly enslaved. VERDICT This is an ideal selection for classrooms and libraries and would incorporate easily into history and social studies curricula across a wide grade range, from upper elementary through middle school.–Shalini Miskelly, St. Benedict Catholic School, Seattle