Leigh Ann's Civil War (Great Episodes) [Hardcover]

Ann Rinaldi (Author)

Book Description

Series: Great Episodes | Publication Date: September 28, 2009

Leigh Ann Conners is spunky and determined. Although she often finds herself in trouble, she loves her two older brothers dearly and would do anything to make them proud.

When the Yankees arrive in Roswell, Georgia, Leigh Ann places a French flag upon the family’s mill. She hopes the Yankees will then spare the mill from destruction, but her actions have disastrous results. Sent north with the women and children who worked in the mill—all branded traitors for making fabric for Confederate uniforms—Leigh Ann embarks on a journey that requires her to find her own inner strength. Only then will she be able to rise above the war raging around her.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7–9—Leigh Ann lives on a plantation in Roswell, GA, when the Civil War breaks out. Her family owns and operates the local cotton mill, but there has been something of a civil war within her own family. Her Pa has been slowly losing his mind, her Ma has basically left the family and taken up with other men, and the 11-year-old is being raised by her older brothers and sister. When Yankee soldiers arrive as part of Sherman's destructive march, they burn the mill, arrest Leigh Ann and her sister as traitors, and deport them. Rinaldi steeps the story in such complete historical detail that the setting almost becomes its own character. In fact, the burning of the mill is based on a true incident. The action moves swiftly, and there are enough twists and turns to keep readers hooked. The only flaw may be the rather abrupt ending; the family is about to make a crucial decision, but the outcome is left unresolved. The author acknowledges in a note that she did not decide on an ending. Overall, fans of Rinaldi's Girl in Blue (Scholastic, 2001), My Vicksburg (Harcourt, 2009), and Numbering All the Bones (Hyperion, 2002) will not be disappointed.—Kristen Oravec, Flint Hill Middle School, Oakton, VA END

Review

"A must-read for those who enjoy historical fiction. Those who have not yet found a love for the genre will be pulled in by this one with its realistic mixture of action, adventure, romance, and scandalous family drama."—Childrens Literature

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (September 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 015206513X
• ISBN-13: 978-0152065133
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,237,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing - not a typical historical fiction, September 21, 2009

By 

CJ-MO (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Leigh Ann's Civil War (Great Episodes) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

When I ordered this book, I expected a conventional historical fiction novel, especially since it's aimed at young adults. The main storyline about Leigh Ann, her sister, and her sister-in-law being sent North is based on actual events that occurred in Roswell, Georgia. The parts of the book that were strictly based on this event were interesting. It's when the book went off onto melodramatic or supernatural tangents that it disappointed.

There were so many terrible things that occurred in Leigh Ann's life that were unrelated to the war, that some of things that the Yankees did to her and her family paled in comparison. There were just too many tragedies crammed into one short book. Even without the couple of supernatural instances, overall the book did not come across as believable. There were parts of the story that were very well researched by the author, but then others, such as the 14 year old Leigh Ann continually cuss and smart off to her older brothers did not seem realistic for a girl in the 1800's.

The book is supposed to be for grades 6 and up. Due to some of the events that occur in the book, I think the book is more suitable for grades 8 and up. However, the book gets off to a slow start so I think that many 8th and 9th graders might have a hard time getting interested in it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Civil War Story for Young Adult Readers, September 11, 2009

By 

Valerie J. Wood "Author and Sports Journalist" (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leigh Ann's Civil War (Great Episodes) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Leigh Ann's Civil War tells a story through the eyes of a young Georgia girl whose actions defying the Yankees cause her to be sent north with the women and children who worked in the mill town of Roswell, Georgia. The book relates Leigh Ann's journey not only away from home, but from childhood to young adulthood as she faces danger while trying to make sense of the effects of the war on her family and friends. Told in the first person, the book is entertaining enough, but as a reader I never really fell into the storyline. Perhaps this will encourage young readers to learn more about history and Civil War times; for that reading level it is probably quite appropriate. The story is interesting, and gives a young person a perspective of life during the 1860's.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read for young adults, November 27, 2009

By 

Michael G. Lustig (NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leigh Ann's Civil War (Great Episodes) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Leigh Ann lives on a plantation in GA. The Civil War breaks out where her family owns the local cotton mill. Similarly, her family has a riff dividing them one from another. Her father has been going insane and her mother abandoned the family and is seeing other men. Her sister's 11-year-old is being raised by her older brothers and sister.

Yankee soldiers arrive and they burn the family's mill, arrest Leigh and her sister presumably as traitors. At this point they are deported. The story is full of actual historical event that are very interesting and make this book a real page-turner.

The ending leaves some question unresolved because the family was faced with a critical deceision that is never answered.