6.5/10, this concept has been done before. Did like the subtle feminist message though. ( )

Things I liked:
a gentle introduction to the Civil War
cool spy techniques for sharing information
based on real people and their actions
Black and White people working together to change things for the better

Things I was less excited about:
Charlotte is a free person, but she still acts as a servant and there's no talk of her wages -- as an adult who has more context I can see the ways in which her situation is far improved from what a slave child might endure -- a clean and tidy cabin with a floor and windows and heat and furniture; protection rather than abuse from the white people who have direct power over her; regular food -- but she's still absolutely subject to the whims of her employer, with little explanation. She still seems to be hungry and cold on a regular basis, and she's still censured for defiance. Again, it makes sense in the context of the story that these things protect her from worse, but it troubles me as a reader. I guess that's what real history looks like -- often uncomfortable and hopefully troubling to the reader.

I really love this series -- in particular, I love what Nikki Shannon Smith is doing with it -- her stories keep centering Black children in history in a way that most other writers have failed to do. She's bringing visibility to the fact that not only have Black people been in this country since its founding, but they've also been active participants in most, if not all of the significant events. She backs up her fiction with really great spotlight nonfiction in the back matter, and she consistently involves lesser known historical figures in the narrative. ( )

This is part of a new, historical fiction series from Capstone's Stone Arch imprint. It features girls in different historical disasters, wars, and other major events. The first titles, published in January 2019, included the Underground Railroad, Titanic, Chicago Fire, and Pearl Harbor. The second set, released in August, includes the title I'm looking at today, which is set during the Civil War.

Charlotte is twelve years old and lives on a plantation in Virginia. She was a slave in Maryland, but Miss Van Lew, who hated slavery, freed her father's slaves and all their relatives. She bought Charlotte and gave her her freedom and a job, but Charlotte has no family besides her cousin Mary. The Civil War has been raging for three years and Charlotte knows what it's like to be a slave, what it's like to be afraid, hungry, and hurt. But she never imagined she'd have the courage to be a spy.

When Charlotte discovers that Miss Van Lew and the friendly baker are passing secret messages, she's determined to do her part, even if it's dangerous. But she never expected she'd have to visit a prison or just how dangerous would be the tasks she was asked to do. Charlotte finally has her freedom; will she risk everything, even her life, to aid the Union cause?

There is a lengthy note from the author at the end of the book, explaining the true stories behind the books events, including the real-life Elizabeth Van Lew, and how she chose to write the story. There is also a glossary, discussion questions, and a brief biography of the author included.

Smith does a great job being honest and presenting the horrors of war and slavery without being either too graphic or whitewashing the true history. I'm excited to see a new series that looks like emphasizing the often overlooked or forgotten voices of girls, especially minorities, during disasters.

Verdict: This seems to be an excellent series from what I've seen of this title and I think it will be worth paying the additional money for library bound copies to diversify the survival genre (have you ever noticed that the I Survived books have primarily male main characters?). However, it is also available in paperbacks and Stone Arch's paperback bindings are pretty sturdy. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781496583840; Published August 2019 by Stone Arch/Capstone; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library