Give Me Liberty - by L.M. Elliott

Colonial times were tricky: Where do you throw your loyalty, with the Patriots or the Tories?  For indentured servant  13-year-old Nathaniel, the revolutionary fever in Virginia has thrown his world upside down, and left him wondering not only what is right, but what is possible.

This story follows Nathaniel from his work on a Virginia cotton plantation to Williamsburg, where he finds a new master in kindly school-teacher Basil, whose love of language opens Nathaniel's eyes to a broad range of thinking.  As he works for a Loyalist carriage-maker and befriends a firebrand boy set on rebellion, Nathaniel feels torn. Finding himself in a situation where he must choose between the law and helping an escaped slave, Nathaniel digs deep and finds strength he never knew he had.  Soon war breaks out, and Nathaniel follows Basil to the battle lines, eyewitnesses to an explosive episode in American history.

This thrilling and brainy novel of the Revolutionary era will hold the interest of most readers, especially history buffs and liberty lovers.  There is drama, friendship, sacrifice, warfare, and some excellent flute-playing.  This is a great addition to this classic genre.

(I need to add an update:  While I enjoyed this book, a student book club of fifth-grade girls that I gave it to last spring did NOT enjoy it. Too slow, they said.  Not very exciting.  Huh. That just proves, once again, that I am not a fifth-grade girl!!)