Just as Summer MacCleary's long years as an indentured servant are about to end, the young mistress she thought was her friend accuses her of stealing. Can Summer find the courage and resourcefulness to salvage the freedom for which she has worked so hard?.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-While working as an indentured servant for a wealthy Virginia family, 13-year-old Summer is accused by her master's daughter of stealing a ring. Summer must clear her name and recover the valuable item before her master decides to sell her to another family. The story works as a simple mystery but lacks depth and exploration of characters and motivations behind the theft. There are actually two mysteries going on: the disappearance of the ring and of Summer's precious journal. The protagonist has redeeming qualities of strength and courage, while the secondary players are weak, one-dimensional caricatures. One exception is Paris, a slave who takes an interest in Summer. The story's success lies in Duey's ability to capture the lives of an indentured servant and plantation slave, describing the hardships and turmoil. Readers may become confused by the large number of minor characters and grow exasperated at the lengthiness of plot development, but once the mystery is solved, they will be satisfied. Shortcomings aside, this is a good novel, complete with the usual twists and suspects common to the genre.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
I have published over 80 books for children of all ages and YA/Adult readers. Many have won state and national awards and all of them have brought me the kind of fan mail that writers love to get.
Two from today's email (Jan 27 11)
Dear Ms. Duey,
I am 8 years old and I live in Catalonia (Spain). I just finished reading your book "Moonsilver" with my mom, and I really liked it. I want to ask you, what was your dream in 3rd grade? I'm asking you because at the end of the book, it says that the series of the Unicorn's Secret books is based on a dream you had in 3rd grade. I am in third grade right now, so I'm really curious!!!
Please tell me
(writer's name)
Dear Ms. Duey,
I loved your book the Unicorn's Secret. Me and my mom read it together. I like your books because I like unicorns and your story was very exciting. I like to draw unicorns. They are one of my favorite animals. I have two stuffed animal unicorns. One is named Sparkle. I sleep with her every night. Did you always want to be a writer? Have you ever seen a real unicorn? I am in 1st grade. I love to read. When I grow up I want to be a animal trainer and I want to train unicorns if I can find one.
LOVE , (writer's name)
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YA readers are writing a lot, too. Most say something like this one:
I have been waiting for the third book in Skin Hunger trilogy forever. Ok not forever but it feels like it. When is it coming out? How long will you make me wait? I love these books and am really needing to know what happens to Sadima and Hahp!!!!!
I know, me, too. Please read below.
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If it is later than 6:30am PST, I am probably writing, even if I am on an airplane. I might be working on a faerie book or writing about unicorns for grade school kids, or I could be lost in something dark, detailed, and strange for YA/adult readers. The third book in the Resurrection of Magic Trilogy is dragging me through the woods. I am working on it every day, and am Skying instead of traveling to schools and libraries until I get it DONE. It's taking wild amazing turns and I love it.
If I am not working...I might be answering readers who contact me through my website: http://www.kathleenduey.com Thanks to everyone who gets in touch with me on Facebook, my blog, http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/, Twitter, and all the other ways to reach me. I can't keep up anymore, but I try to answer questions and I send out signed bookplates when I can. It means so much to know that you like my books.
I appear at schools, bookstores, and teach at writers' conferences nationwide and internationally. There is a schedule on my website and I try to keep it current.
And more and more... I Skype. It's a wonderful way to meet readers in classrooms and at libraries, I love to drop in on book clubs and critique groups, then get back to work!
Book news: The Unicorn's Secret books are getting lovely new covers by Sandara Tang, an amazing artist based in Singapore. The fan mail astounds me.
Sandara is the cover artist for the new kid's series The Faerie's Promise, too. Excerpts from all my books are on http://www.kathleenduey.com
YA NOVEL ONLINE/IN PROGRESS: RUSSET fans: http://russet-one-wing.blogspot.com/
I am accumulating entries and will tag you all when there is more to read. Give me your contact info and I will add you to the alert list. kathleenduey at earthlink dot net
The third book of my YA/adult trilogy is in the works now. I don't have a release date yet because I still writing like MAD. But it will be ASAP, I promise. The story is taking amazing turns and dragging me through the woods the way the first two did. Thanks!!!! to the thousands of people asking when it will come out.
You have no idea how happy that makes me.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Irish lass comes to America.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Summer MacCleary: Virginia, 1749 (American Diaries) (Mass Market Paperback)
Summer has arrived from Ireland as an indentured servant. She has conflicts with one of her new owner's children. Summer is afraid that her contract will be sold to a new owner. After she helps solve a mystery, she feels that her life will be better. This is a very good historical book and I highly recommend it to students 5th through the 8th grades, and for teachers, as well.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorite American Diaries!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Summer MacCleary: Virginia, 1749 (American Diaries) (Mass Market Paperback)
Thirteen-year-old Summer MacCleary is an indentured servant. Although she misses her parents that died and the aunt and sisters she left behind in London, she works hard for the day seven years into the future when she will have at last earned her freedom. But strange events start to threaten Summer's future. Why did her master's daughter, Letty, appear one night, distraught and weeping? Why is Letty accusing Summer of stealing a valuable ring that has dissapeared? Summer doesn't know why, but she does know that she must find the thief and expose him or her before her master gets angry enough to sell her to a master that could be truly awful. But can Summer find the courage to do this?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The story of an indentured servant girl in colonial Virginia,
This review is from: Summer MacCleary: Virginia, 1749 (American Diaries) (Mass Market Paperback)
After her parents died, seven-year-old Summer MacCleary left her home in London to become an indentured servant in the Virginia colony. Six years have gone by, and Summer is now thirteen. She counts the days until her twentieth birthday, when she will be free to leave. But although she longs for freedom, she has a fairly good position that she is grateful for - she cares for her master's infant son, and does some household chores. But her position is in jeopardy when her master's daughter, Letty, accuses Summer of stealing a valuable ring. If Summer is to avoid having her contract sold, she must discover what really happened to the ring. This was a highly enjoyable story about a resourceful young girl determined to clear her name, and in addition, it was filled with many details of colonial life.
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