The War Within; A Novel of the Civil War

by Carol Matas; Joseph Daniel Fiedler

• ISBN13: 9780689829352
• ISBN10: 0689829353
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Summary

Nominated for a 2003 Emphasis on Reading Award Hannah Green's family has owned a store in Holly Springs, Mississippi, for years. But the Union army has occupied the town, and she is furious. First her sister falls in love with a Union captain, then General Grant orders all Jews to evacuate the territory. An Accelerated Reader® title for Ages 10-13. Available only in Young Adult 3 Series.

Author Biography

Carol Matas is the author of many acclaimed books for children and young adults, including the historical novels In My Enemy's House (a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age), Greater Than Angels (a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies), The Garden (a Junior Library Guild Selection), and After the War (an ALA Library Association Best Book for Young Adults). She has two grown children, and lives in Winnipeg with her husband.

Excerpts

December 17, 1862 I walked into my room to find my favorite porcelain doll lying on its side on the floor."Not Elizabeth," I exclaimed aloud, although there was no one there to hear me. I rushed over to see if she was broken. I picked her up gingerly and found, to my great relief, that she was still in one piece. Jule, my servant, was cleaning my sister Joanna's room, next to mine. I summoned her immediately."You know, Jule," I said in my sternest voice, "that I do not enjoy reprimanding you.""Yes, Miss Hannah." Although her words were meek, she did not appear to be particularly worried. I had to make it clear to her that I was the mistress and that she had to pay attention to me. I was a child no longer."I cannot tolerate such things," I warned her. "My doll could easily break if treated in this heartless manner.""Missy," Jule replied, eyes to the floor, "I swear I put it up proper. Now your little brother David, he be in here earlier. I don't like to tell no tales, missy, but if I was you, I'd look to your diary."Horrified, I followed Jule's pointing finger. Of course, I always put my diary behind my dolls. Why that little...!I drew myself up with as much dignity as I could muster. "I am sorry, Jule, I know you are always careful with my things. Please excuse my bad temper."Recently my dear friend Eugenia had pointed out to me that I was far too familiar with our slaves and I had resolved to change. I turned away to look for my younger brother, feeling both confused and a little ashamed by my sternness with Jule. Eugenia was right, of course, but then why did I feel so uncomfortable?Jule gave me an inscrutable look out of the corner of her eye and went about her work. I immediately determined to find my younger brother David and to scold him mercilessly. I was so angry I began to run out of my room, but hearing Ma's voice in my head, I slowed down. Naturally, I had been reminded over and over by Ma that young ladies, unlike girls, never run. At long last, on my thirteenth birthday, which I had celebrated only a month earlier, I had been allowed to wear a three-hoop crinoline instead of the babyish two-hoop variety, which proved that I was now a young lady.I was proud of my new status and I was trying terribly hard to behave with appropriate dignity -- which wasn't easy in this instance, with my brother provoking me in this manner. That little devil had been making my life a misery from morning until night. But my diary! That really was beyond anything and everything! Why, I would thrash him! Yes, he deserved it and he'd be sorry."Hannah?" Ma was climbing the stairs, slowly, as if she were too tired to make it to the landing. "Hannah, slow yourself down, I must speak to you.""Yes, Ma," I answered, reluctant to stop even for a moment."You must go take over in the store for me, dear. I've been there since five this morning and I am so tired, I need to rest."I tried not to show my displeasure. It was bad enough that those dreadful, hateful, brutish Yanks had thrown all of us children out of our schools so that they could use the buildings for storing guns or food or whatever other endless supplies with which they kept filling up the town...but now my lessons at home were constantly being interrupted by work in the store."Isn't Joanna there?" I asked. "Or Henry?""Why, yes, but your sister can't manage alone; and your brother had to make a delivery to Mrs. Grant, so he won't be back for a bit. Go on, now."Well, that just took the cake! Itwouldbe the Yankee general's wife who was the cause of my having to go and work in the store. Still, I had more important things to discuss with Ma, namely the little troublemaker."Ma," I said, "David has been reading in my diary!""Hannah," Ma answered in a weary tone, "please do not trouble me with such things. If you would take him in hand as I have so often asked, he would not get into so much troubl