Annie, Between the States

Bibliography:Elliott, L.M. (2004) Annie, Between the States. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Genre:Historical fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age:14+yrs

Reader's Annotation:As Civil War battles rage near her Northern Virginia home, Annie Sinclair considers whether she could give up her home for the love a Yankee officer.

Author:L.M. Elliott

Plot Summary:When the Civil War begins, Annie Sinclair is fifteen years old. She and her family live near the border to the Union, in Northern Virginia. Annie's beloved older brother, Laurence rides with General Stuart's Cavalry. When Annie meets General Stuart, she is charmed by the dashing leader, and he even composes some lines of poetry just for her. As battles rage near their home, Annie and her mother nurse fallen soldiers, including a Union officer named Thomas Walker. Despite their differences, Annie charmed by Walker. The years of the Civil War pass, and Annie becomes more and more involved. She takes greater risks to protect her family and her home. These bring her back in contact with Thomas Walker, whose affection for Annie has not faded with time. After Annie's mother dies, her younger brother Jamie joins the notorious Mosby's Rangers, despite her warnings and Laurence's threats. After and especially dangerous attempt to rescue some kidnapped servants, Annie is arrested and jailed in Washington, DC. Thomas struggles against loyalty to the Union as he fights for Annie's freedom and her heart.

Critical Evaluation:Annie, Between the States is an excellent story—woven with considerable attention to historical accuracy. Elliott's descriptions of Civil War battles serve as miniature history lessons, and they quickly and effectively provide the details necessary to understand the setting. The character of Annie matures during the course of the novel. The author does a good job at showing Annie's emotional growth. Early in the story, Annie is afraid and unsure of how to behave; she relies on her mother greatly. After several years of war, however, Annie has learned how to make her own decisions, and to make them with her heart. Annie's sacrifice of her beloved horse, Angel, shows us this.

This is not a fast-paced novel, and it does contain a lot of detail about life in the 1860s. Readers unfamiliar with the Civil War will learn a lot about it—from Annie's Confederate/Pro-Abolition perspective. Annie, Between the States reminds one of Gone With the Wind, but this story is more appropriate to a younger audience, especially young women Annie's age.

Curriculum Ties:American History, the Civil War, Abolition

Book Talk Ideas: first person narrative by Annie from early on in the story after she has seen first-hand real battle and met Thomas Walker; Short background on the Civil War.

Challenge Issues:violence, racism, slavery, secession

Why was this text included in this project?This novel was added to include some historical fiction to this project.