Shades of Gray

by Carolyn Reeder, Tim O'Brien (Illustrator)

Overview

COURAGE WEARS MANY FACES
The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven't ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?
And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will's uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.
At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor -- or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439106808
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	06/20/2008
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	159,253
File size:	673 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

Orphaned by the Civil War, 12-year-old Ben learns some unexpected truths from his Uncle Jed, a ``coward'' who refused to fight in the war; PW said, ``thoughtfully told, the novel captures the hardships that followed the last war fought on U.S. soil.'' Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Reeder's ALA Notable tale takes on the Civil War after the fact, and on the side of the Confederacy. It's a narration of the trials and tribulations of young Will Page, orphaned rebel extraordinaire. After losing his Virginia family, Will is taken from the city of Winchester to live with his aunt and uncle in the country. He doesn't mind the unexpectedly hard labor around the farm, and he rather likes his younger cousin, Meg. What he can't accept is what he sees as cowardice in his Uncle Jed, who refused to fight for the South. Will has a lot to work out, and a huge chip to get off his shoulder, but finally learns the difference between cowardice and choosing to live by one's beliefs. This is a book that should elicit strong and useful debate in the American History curriculum.

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr