The Storm Before Atlanta
It’s 1863, and young Jeremy DeGroot desperately wants to have his share of the glories of war. Dulcie is a runaway slave hoping to find freedom as Union troop contraband. When the two fall in with the 107th New York Volunteer Regiment – he as a drummer boy and she as a doctor’s assistant – they form an unlikely friendship. This bond is tested, however, by their clandestine encounters with a young Confederate soldier, an affable boy named Charlie who may well be a spy.
Jeremy’s grandiose dreams of dying on the battlefield contrast effectively with Dulcie’s practical desire to maintain her newfound independence. Young readers will find both characters appealing and are certain to be drawn in by the mystery of Charlie’s true intentions. Also engaging is this novel’s haunting depiction of a soldier’s day-to-day life. Long periods of waiting – during which the reader gains insight into the perspectives of Jeremy’s messmates – are punctuated by fast-paced scenes of battle. Schwabach provides an unflinching view of the horrors of war without alienating the reader, perhaps because we are right there in the action with Jeremy and Dulcie.
With its appealing characters, rich historical detail and gripping suspense, The Storm Before Atlanta is recommended for readers 9 and up (with a caution for war-related violence).
