Black Angels [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Linda Beatrice Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2009

The compelling story of three young orphans who must survive on their own during the Civil War.

It?s near the end of the war, and rumors of emancipation are swirling. Eleven-year-old Luke decides to run away to freedom and join the Union Army. But he doesn?t find the Yankee troops he was hoping for. Instead, he finds nine-year-old Daylily, lost in the woods after suffering an unspeakable tragedy. Her master set her free, but freedom so far has her scared and alone.

Also lost in the woods is seven-year-old Caswell, the son of a plantation owner. He was only trying to find his Mamadear after the Yankees burned their house with all their fine things. He wanted to be brave. But alone in the woods with two slave children, he quickly loses all his courage, and comes to greatly depend upon his new friends. In the chaos and violence that follows, the three unrelated children discover a bond in each other stronger than family.

A touching, beautifully written narrative, Black Angels is a riveting, special read.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—At the end of the Civil War, three children leave their homes and embark on a journey together. Luke, 11, runs away from his master to try and join up with the Union army. Nine-year-old Daylily was hiding in the woods when her older sister and babies were killed by men she assumes are Yankees. Caswell, the youngest and the only white child, was left to fend for himself when his mother died on the plantation. Their paths converge, and these three unlikely compatriots head to where they think they will be safe. The story itself is somewhat contrived, and the violence these children witness is intense. Daylily's sister is graphically butchered like a hog and all of her babies are murdered as well. Scenes like this are sprinkled throughout the novel whether it is a situation they stumble upon or one that takes place in specific battle scenes. Both Luke and Daylily speak in dialect, as one would expect, but the dialect is not noted with any diacritical marks and is very distracting. Struggling readers will have a particularly difficult time negotiating it. The book ends with the three characters rendezvousing 10 years later, which serves to tie the story up in an unrealistically neat package. Carolyn Reeder's Shades of Gray (S & S, 1989) remains a perfect recommendation for showing the impact of the Civil War on children.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
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Review

"An unflinching look at how early childhood ended for children of slavery and the toll the Civil War took on all in its path." --Kirkus

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399250301
• ISBN-13: 978-0399250309
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #520,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, October 3, 2009

By 

Yana V. Rodgers "econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Angels (Hardcover)

Three children, each with their own harrowing stories of pain and loss, find each other in the woods in the midst of Civil War terror. Luke, just eleven years old, is a run-away slave determined to head North in search of freedom. Daylily, two years younger, has just witnessed a brutal set of murders and is paralyzed with fear and shock. Little Caswell, the only white child in the group, lost his mother in the panic of an attack by Yankee soldiers and is desperately confused about where to go.

As the oldest and equipped with a gun, Luke quickly takes on the role of leader and caregiver as he guides the other two through the woods in search of food, water, and shelter. As they struggle to overcome incredible danger, sickness, and hunger, they learn to love and trust not only each other, but also two women who serendipitously take on guardian roles in their journey to freedom and safety.

Black Angels provides an eye-opening account of some of the traumatic aspects of slavery, the Civil War, and the post-war treatment of African Americans, as well as a story of how love and support help three children to navigate this trauma and grow stronger. Added to the mix are important lessons in economics related to scarcity, discrimination, and the institution of slavery. Some of the violent scenes make this book more appropriate for older children and young adults, who will undoubtedly walk away with a deeper understanding of the Civil War era and a stronger appreciation for social justice.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving, Memorable Civil War Story Highly Recommended, September 28, 2009

By 

S. Jensen "Confirmed Bookworm" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Black Angels (Hardcover)

BLACK ANGELS is the beautifully-crafted story of three children - two escaped slaves and one lost white boy - on the run during the heart of the Civil War. Luke and Daylily seek freedom in the north while little Caswell just wants to find his "mamadear." With his home turned to ashes by the Rebs, Caswell's all alone - he has little choice but to tag along with the other children. Feeling responsible for his young charges, Luke leads them toward Harper's Ferry. It's a long journey, fraught with danger from soldiers, wild animals, starvation, fever, and so on. Each new adventure bonds the kids together until they've formed the strongest sort of family. Even in the enlightened North, black and white children can never be brothers and sisters - after all they've been through, will Luke, Daylily and Caswell see their family ripped apart? Will any of them find the kind of world in which they long to live, the kind where friendship and love matter more than skin color?

One of my favorite reads of the year, this is an unflinchingly honest, but tender story about courage, faith and friendship. It's engrossing, moving and memorable. I loved it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UNIVERSAL AND AGELESS APPEAL, November 5, 2009

By 

Gloria Karpinski (Winston-Salem, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Black Angels (Hardcover)

BLACK ANGELS is targeted for young people, but like all great literature, it's appeal is universal and ageless. As the children of this compelling novel bravely grapple with the consequences of senseless ware and racism, we realize how relevant their story is for our time. Luke, Daylilly and Caswell are presented to us with such moving depth and insight, we take them into a permanent place in our hearts as we have the children of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Following the challenging journey of these children, we are hooked from the first page to the last.

Just one warning: you will get so engaged you're likely to be sorry it ends and find yourself saying, "Please, Linda Brown, continue the story."