← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · confederate_commando
Thread ID: 17271 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2005-03-12
2005-03-12 17:26 | User Profile
"Cassie's Sweet Berry Pie" by Karen B. Winnick (Boyds Mills Press, $16.95, third-grade level). ISBN: 1563979845.
Quick thinking on the part of an older sister saves her house from ruin when Union soldiers come foraging in Confederate territory.
Cassie's dad is away fighting with General Lee and her mom is serving in a Confederate hospital. She's in charge of her younger siblings, planning to make a rare treat, a sweet berry pie. A local boy tips her off about the coming assault. Cassie uses her wits to save her house from being ransacked.
Although the girl's actions are commendable and quite clever, this story is too pat. When the Union soldiers enter the house, Cassie quickly catches the eye of a soldier who is about her age. In essence, he conspires with her to fool his comrades, diminishing the power of her action. I don't like my history that neatly rounded.
[url]http://u.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,218~24542~2757403,00.html[/url]