Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Bolden

CROSSING EBENEZER CREEK by Tonya Bolden is an extremely powerful work of historical fiction.  It takes place in 1864 during the American Civil War and Sherman’s March to the sea. The union soldiers free the slaves at the Chaney plantation, including Mariah, her brother Zeke, and an older woman named Dulcina. They, in turn, are given a ride and protection of a sort from Caleb, a free black man working on foraging and supplying the Union Army.  This book has some gentle, quiet moments and plenty of horrific stories of cruelty from previous masters. What was most shocking, however, was the final section which is based on a little-known disaster at Ebenezer Creek.  Well-researched, I appreciated the author’s notes about sources and the origin of the laws involving 40 acres and a mule for newly freed slaves.

US History and American Studies classes or maybe our Integrated Global Studies School (IGSS) could be interested in tying this historical fiction to some current day concerns. One example that comes readily to mind is the controversy over statues commemorating Civil War soldiers and the recent speech by New Orleans’ mayor.  Another is the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis which artist Abdalla Al Omari has tried to personalize for world leaders. I am curious to hear students’ reactions and definitely love the idea of pairing CROSSING EBENEZER CREEK in literature circles with other stories of refugees – like Ruth Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea or perhaps McCormick’s Never Fall Down.  Tonya Bolden’s well-written and engrossing novel received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal and others.

New Historical Fiction to Read ...

If you like HISTORICAL FICTION, here are three wonderful new titles to explore. The first, Work Like Any Other by Virginia Reeves (Scribner, March 1, 2016, 272 pages), is set in 1920s Alabama and centers around Roscoe T. Martin, a young man who finds his life’s work in the new power of electricity. Later, he is forced to give up this calling and relocate to his wife’s family farm where tragedy ensues and he is sentenced to decades in jail. A debut novel, Work Like Any Other received a starred review from Booklist which described it as “a consummately well-written, deeply affecting, thought-provoking American historical novel of hard labor, broken dreams, moral dilemmas, violence, [and] racism.”

Subtitled Beyond The Kitchen House, Glory Over Everything by Kathleen Grissom (Simon & Schuster, April 5, 384 pages) continues the story of Jamie Pike from that best-selling book. The time is 1830 and this stand-alone story has the escaped Jamie (son of a plantation master and slave mother) passing for white and with a position as a silversmith in Philadelphia. Asked to return to the South and rescue a young boy kidnapped and sold into slavery, Jamie does so at considerable risk to himself, eventually resorting to the Underground Railroad in a suspenseful attempt to return to freedom. The title of refers to a quote from Harriet Tubman who was honored this week with the announcement that her image will soon appear on the twenty dollar bill:

“I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now I was free. There was such a glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and I felt like I was in heaven.”  -Harriet Tubman  

Finally, Chasing the North Star by Robert Morgan (Algonquin, April 5, 320 pages) is set in 1850/51 and begins as 18 year-old Jonah runs away from life as a slave in South Carolina.  He is soon pursued not only by slave catchers, but also by Angel, a young slave girl who seeks to escape with him as they follow the stars North. It is a journey fraught with dangers from nature (hornets, snakes, poisonous plants are just a few) and from men (including exploitation and prostitution). Reminiscent in some ways of Fallen Land, Chasing the North Star is a story of survival in the wilderness, of fear, of love, and of resilience. Morgan is a best-selling author (Gap Creek) and Chasing the North Star received a starred review from Booklist.