(3) YA Great Episodes series. CeCe McGill struggles to understand why her cantankerous father would sacrifice his life to aid slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. While accompanying her uncle to plantations in pre–Civil War Georgia, CeCe begins to appreciate her family's ideals. Rinaldi's narrative addresses head-on the atrocities of slavery and one young woman's urgency to help free those in bondage. An author's note gives background information. Bib.

Reviewer: Juliet S. King

(4) YA Great Episodes series. For two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Luli and her plantation-owning family hide the truth: that Sis Goose, born a slave, is now free. Rinaldi's well-researched portrait of post-Civil War Texas sometimes drags and the narrative jumps in time, but the complex relationship between Luli and her brother Gabe (who is also Sis's lover) stands out. Bib.

Reviewer: Amy Lee Bennett

(3) YA Great Episodes series. Sixteen-year-old Patsy and nine-year-old Anne reveal life in the home of their famous father Patrick Henry. Surprisingly, it is not politics that dominate their lives but the increasing mental illness of their mother. The emotional turmoil within the house is richly detailed, and the sisters' voices are authentic. Bib.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) YA Great Episodes series. When Caroline leaves her family plantation--which has been commandeered as the headquarters for a regiment of the British army--in order to bring home her injured brother, she must decide where her loyalties lie. But her confusion is not only political. As the white granddaughter of a black slave, Caroline has to sort out the complexities of her family history. A detailed author's note outlines sources. Bib.

Reviewer: Anne St. John