From Publishers Weekly
Not just another historical fiction about the Civil War, the late Beatty's ( Charley Skedaddle ; Be Ever Hopeful ; Hannalee ) novel follows the adventures of Lije (for Elijah) Tulley. He's a jayhawker--an abolitionist raider--from Kansas caught up in the raids and skirmishes between the jayhawkers and the pro-slavery bushwhackers of Missouri before and during the war. After his father is killed on a raid, Lije works as a spy in Missouri, passing news of bushwhacker plans to an equally daring young woman, with whom he falls in love. The author deftly brings in historical figures--John Brown, Jesse James--and weaves actual events such as the infamous bushwhacker raid on Lawrence, Kans., into her tale. Gruesome accounts of the killing and destruction in this lesser known Civil War theater deepen the impact; neither pro-North nor pro-South, this is instead a dramatic and compelling antiwar narrative. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-- To 13-year-old Elija "Lije" Tulley, the fanatical abolitionist John Brown is a hero in a righteous cause. He eagerly joins the band of men recruited by Brown to be Jayhawkers, Kansans who cross into neighboring Missouri to steal away slaves and help them to freedom. The Jayhawkers and their pro-slavery counterparts, the bushwhackers, clash often in bloody, sometimes murderous shootouts. In one such confrontation, Lije's father is killed, and Lije is recruited to live among a group of pro-slavery activitists as a spy. He learns about the quasi-soldiers led by Charles Quantrill, a cruel and unsavory character, and he meets Frank James and his brother Jesse. The story reaches its climax as Quantrill's forces attack and burn Lawrence, Kansas, where Lije's family lives. The unquestionable star of this story is Lije, a thoroughly believable boy caught up in events beyond his control but wanting to do his part for a cause in which he believes. The historical figures who populate the story are equally well portrayed; they appear as flesh-and-blood characters, not just names out of a history book. Another strength of this novel is that it tells a fast-paced suspenseful story while presenting a clear picture of a crucial period in U. S. history. The violence is not overplayed, nor is the abolitionist side portrayed as totally good. There is one glaring error in the text. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did not free all slaves in the United States, as the story says, but only those in states in rebellion against the Union. Other than this, the book is a solid piece of historical fiction that's sure to have strong appeal. --Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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