The Perilous Road [Paperback]

William O. Steele (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Odyssey Classic

A young Tennessee mountain boy travels a difficult and dangerous path during the Civil War before he realizes the senseless waste of war and learns the true meaning of courage and tolerance.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8–This recording of William O. Steele's Newbery Honor Award-winning book (Harcourt, 1958) about the Civil War chronicles the tale of Chris Brabson, a young man who lives in Tennessee's mountain country and sides with the Confederates. He hates Yankees with all his heart because they've stolen from him and his family, leaving them with little food for the winter. They stand for everything that's gone wrong with his world. Then, to Chris's dismay and embarrassment, his older brother, Jethro joins up with the Union as a soldier. When Chris spots a Yankee wagon train and reports it, he expects the consequences will be immediate and shattering. The news that Jethro has become a wagon driver is almost more than Chris can bear, and he goes frantically searching among the Yankees for his brother. Along the way, he realizes that the Yankee soldiers are very similar to him and not the evil, hateful people he imagined. The tale is told in a gentle Southern accent by Ramón de Ocampo. With the same accent coloring almost all the characters, his narration doesn't differentiate much between speakers; instead, it emphasizes the brother against brother aspect of the Civil War, and the fact that many people from the mid-South had split loyalties. However, each character is easily discerned from the context of the story. This recording should appeal to fans of historical fiction and adventure stories.–Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

"This is one of Mr. Steele's best books, an engrossing, realistic story of a Tennessee mountain boy who, during the Civil War, comes to realize that war is terrible no matter where
one's sympathies lie."--Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (March 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152606475
• ISBN-13: 978-0152606473
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,253,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perilous Road by an 8th grader- Jeff, January 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Perilous Road (Paperback)

I read the book The Perilous Road by William O. Steele. If you like exciting books you should read this one. I really don't like to read but this book I really enjoyed reading. The story takes place during the Civil War. Chris Brabson hates the union troops for many reasons. He tries ro get them back for stealing their food through a variety of ways.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perilous Road Review, March 11, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Perilous Road (Paperback)

The Perilous Road by William O. Steele is a deep detailed story set in Tennessee during the Civil War. The story is about a teenage southerner who hates Yankees. One day he finds a Yankee wagon train so he tells the Confederates when and how to attack. Later on, he finds out that his brother who joined the Union army as a wagon driver could be on one of those wagons! Has he caused the death of his own brother?
The Perilous Road by William O. Steele is an action-packed suspense book that keeps you turning the pages yearning for more. The details given in this book were so deep it made me feel like I was there running through the woods with Chris and Silas. In one part of the book Chris is hanging over the side of a cliff for his life while Yankee soldiers chat overhead. If you're a reader who likes to read war novels or just likes to catch yourself worrying about the main character, this is the book for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Book You Might Want to Read, May 31, 2006

By 

Mara C (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Perilous Road (Odyssey Classics (Odyssey Classics)) (Paperback)

"Chris Brabson hates the Yankees, plain and simple." This is from the Newberry Honor Book, The Perilous Road, by William O. Steele. But Chris Brabson has the right to be angry at the Yankees--or some of them. After all, they've taken all of the food his family has saved for the winter. All the food that they worked so hard to grow and hunt! Yet somehow, Chris's brother Jethro joins up with them! "How could he betray the South," his browned-haired brother wonders." Chris will do anything for the Confederate cause. He lets loose the mules that pull the Yankee wagons, tries to shoot some Yankees passing through the woods, and most importantly, he tells a potential spy where the Yankee wagons are headed. Now the Confederates know exactly where to attack, and the best way to attack. Then Chris discovers that Jethro might be driving one of those wagons!! Has Chris just caused his own brothers death? He must find Jethro and warn him. This sends Chris flying to the Yankee camp. No Jethro. Worn out, he sits next to some Yankees. They feed him and reassure him. Their kindness makes Chris think, "Maybe the Yankees aren't so wicked and hateful. These two Yankees have been kind to me." In the midst of these thoughts, the Confederates attack-- and Chris hasn't yet found his brother!!
I felt sorrow and anger when Chris and the potential spy, Silas, talked about hating the Yankees. I think it will make other readers upset too. Though Chris hates the Yankees, there's one that he has an extremely strong bond with: Jethro. Why else would Chris go looking for him to warn and protect him? This story teaches us that we shouldn't hate a whole group of people without knowing the individuals. It also reminds us that despite different beliefs, always remain loyal to your family. Everyone should follow the lessons in this thrilling book.
If you are a person who likes to read about the Civil War, you would enjoy this book. Many books about the Civil War are told from only one side. You can read about what the people on both sides of this war might have been thinking. You would also love this story if you are fond of action adventures. From hanging off of a cliff to escape the Yankees, to nearly getting caught by them when setting mules free, Chris's story is action packed!