Katie's Trunk

The realities of the American Revolution come alive for Katie and her Tory parents as they face the anger of their rebel neighbors. By the author of Dakota Dugout.

Grade 1-5-- As she did in Dakota Dugout (Macmillan, 1985), Turner creates a moment in history with evocative words and poetic images. Here she turns her attention to the period between the Boston Tea Party and the battles that began the American Revolution. Katie, the middle child in a family of Tory sympathizers, senses the impending conflict. When a group of armed neighbors come to their home with the intention of stealing and looting, the family takes refuge in the adjoining woods. The child impulsively dashes back to the house to protect their valuable possessions. When one of the young rebels disturbs her hiding place, he calls off his companions, keeping his discovery a secret. This story presents another side of a moral issue. There were good people loyal to England before and during the Revolution; students should hear their stories as well as those of the more famous and celebrated rebels. Himler's muted watercolor and pencil illustrations convey the mood of the calm before a storm. The details of costume and furnishings further reinforce the sense of place and time. However, the artist gives little attention to individualized facial characteristics, making it difficult to distinguish one person from another. The text and illustrations do blend harmoniously, and together tell a tale of courage, fortitude, and loyalty from the Tory point of view. With spare but eloquent prose, Turner has created a thoughtful picture of a family confronting difficult choices in unsettling times. --Martha Rosen, Edgewood School, Scarsdale, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.