About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is beginning to question the complexities of American history and the true meaning of liberty. It is an essential choice for young readers ready to explore how justice and freedom were often denied to those who fought hardest for them. This story centers on Isabel, a young girl promised her freedom only to be sold to a cruel Loyalist family in Revolutionary-era New York. While the backdrop is the American Revolution, the heart of the story is Isabel's resilience and her fight to protect her younger sister, Ruth. The book deals directly with the harsh realities of slavery, including physical punishment and emotional betrayal. It is best suited for mature middle schoolers (ages 10 to 14) who can handle intense historical realism. Parents choose this book to move beyond textbook definitions of the Revolution and to ground discussions of civil rights in a deeply human, personal narrative.
