Book Review - Caves, Cannons and Crinolines by Beverly Stowe McClure

Title: Caves, Cannons and Crinolines

Written by: Beverly Stowe McClure

Ages: 12 and up

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

ISBN: 1-60619-112-8

Published: Setpember 2009

Soft cover: 153 pages

Price: $16.95

The year 1863 finds outspoken, 14-year-old, Lizzie Stamford at a crossroads of what her parents believe to be acceptable behavior for a young lady, and secret desire to join the Confederate Army disguised as a boy. Her two brothers, Willie and Joseph willingly joined the Confederacy to defend Vicksburg from the Yankees and Lizzie longs to be part of the glory. Her blind courage brings her into the midst of a battleground at nighttime. Much to her dismay war is not what she believed it to be. The horrific acts of violence overwhelm her and she runs away as quickly as she arrived.

Her emotions and beliefs that all Yankees are evil is put to the test when an unexpected encounter with a Yankee soldier has her doubting her belief system. Will Lizzie come to terms of the ever changing world and circumstances which surround her? And what is to become of her beloved brothers and the city of Vicksburg?

McClure balances the emotions of the Confederate and Yankee characters with such in-depth feeling the reader will find themselves switching sides throughout the perilous journey of Lizzie Stamford and her family, and their quest to reclaim Vicksburg.

To learn more about Beverly Stowe McClure visit: http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com/

_________________________

Reviewed by Donna M. McDine for the National Writing for Children Center. Donna’s publishing credits include over 25 print and ezine publications and is the Marketing Manager at Stories for Children Magazine. She placed 12^th in the 77^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition in the category Children’s/Young Adult Fiction and recently signed her first book contract with Guardian Angel Publishing. She is also a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children. To learn more about Donna’s writing career visit her at http://www.donnamcdine.com. Sign her guestbook and receive her FREE e-Book ~ “Write What Inspires You! Author Interviews”