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Forge (Seeds of America Trilogy 2)
Blistering winds. Bitter cold. And the hope of a new future. In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstaclesand in the midst of the American Revolution.
The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forgeagainst her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.
Little Isabel and her younger sister, Ruth, have just been set free by the passing away of their master. Isabel's mother had already died of smallpox, and her father was separated from them at an auction years before. In the will of her master, it was written in writing that they were now free, but the master's son insists there was no such will. The lawyer was out of town anyway, so there was no proof of their claim to freedom. In a rush, he sells the girls by auction to a new family. Ruth has an illness that regularly causes her to have seizures, an episode which their new master believes is demon possession. One night, Ruth is sold while Isabel is sleeping, separating the two sisters. With the help of a new acquaintance named Curzon, another slave boy vows to help Isabel search for her sister.
Trying to keep his own life safe while worrying about the fate of the country, his people, his slavery, and his friend's sister, Curzon feels joining the war is his best option for current survival. Isabel wonders how much Curzon will really be able to help after he starts fighting as a soldier, or if he will even make it out alive. As years go by, she never gives up. Will she ever be reunited with her sister once again? Will she ever see Curzon alive again? Would they ever be truly free? This inspiring and award-winning historical fiction story shows the passion, love, and determination of the sisters; while also showing the hardships and battles of physical, emotional, and spiritual war. Each book in this series has approximately 300 pages, and also includes question and answer time at the end of the book. The books also feature vocabulary definitions for some words mentioned in the story. Note: Includes some war and slave violence and at least one profane word in the series; but the books are appropriate and well-done overall.
Product Format: | Paperback |
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Brand: | Atheneum |
Author: | Laurie Halse Anderson |
Grades: | 5-8 |
ISBN: | 9781416961451 |
Length in Inches: | 7.625 |
Width in Inches: | 5.125 |
Height in Inches: | 0.8125 |
Weight in Pounds: | 0.45 |