Devil's Highway, the - Softcover

Applegate, Stanley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1561451843 ISBN 13: 9781561451845

Publisher: Peachtree Pub Co Inc, 1998

Synopsis

Two brave, determined young pioneers travel along the dangerous Natchez Trace in 1811, searching for their missing families.
Fourteen-year-old Zeb and eleven-year-old Hannah team up to make their way safely down the Natchez Trace from Franklin, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi. Zeb, who does not believe the story he hears that his grandfather was killed by thieves along the trail, is determined to find him. Hannah, who escaped from the treacherous Mason gang, hopes to be reunited with both her Choctaw Indian friends and her family.
When the two adventurers reach the Choctaw village, Zeb is befriended by the Indians and rewarded for his bravery through initiation into the tribe. However, as the children narrowly escape life-threatening situations along their journey, they still face challenges: can Zeb find his grandfather? Is he still alive?
In author Stan Applegate’s riveting adventure tale brought to life by James Watling’s illustrations, Zeb and Hannah learn to value each other’s survival skills and courage.

About this title

About the Author

Applegate received his BA from Pennsylvania State University and his EdD form Columbia University.

Avi is the highly respected author of the Scott O Dell Award winning The Fighting Ground and the Newbery Honor Books The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Nothing but the Truth. A former resident of Providence, Rhode Island, Avi now lives in Boulder, Colorado.

James Watling has illustrated many children s books with historical themes including The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward. He lives near Montreal, Canada.

From the Back Cover

These 22 stories, written between 1930 and 1941, collectively deal with the black and white relationshjips of the era and elucidate the social injustices of the Southern Depression.

Reviews

Grade 5-8?A fast-paced story set against the backdrop of the Natchez Trace in the early 1800s. When Zeb's grandfather does not return from a horse-trading trip, the 14-year-old suspects foul play. He and his beloved horse, Christmas, take to the Natchez Trail, a bandit-infested 500-mile pathway connecting Nashville, TN, to Natchez, MS. Zeb avoids the highway robbers who routinely stalk and ambush innocent travelers. He soon meets Hannah, a half-Choctaw girl who has escaped from a band of kidnapping thieves. Teaming up against the odds, the two dodge the outlaws, narrowly escape drowning while crossing the Tennessee River, and stumble upon a group of army officers who are out to apprehend the terrorizing gangs. When the youngsters eventually reach Hannah's tribe, things do not calm down. Broad strokes of historical details enrich the story line. Zeb and Hannah are able to sustain themselves, and the plot, with their pluck and determination. Zeb's daredevil passion for horse racing will amuse readers. An author's note answers historical questions. The story ends abruptly with Hannah being reunited with her parents. Zeb has not found his grandfather, leaving readers waiting for the sequel.?Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Peachtree Pub Co Inc
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1561451843
• ISBN 13: 9781561451845
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Walting James, Watling James
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224