"'I'm trying to stay steady,' she whispered. 'I'm trying to ride the storms through to better weather.'"
Ages: 8 - 10
Grade Level: 3 - 4
Pages: 104
Time Period: early 1800s
What once was familiar becomes strange in the light of war. Caroline has to get used to so many new things - old relationships change as neighbors declare allegiance, new faces appear, her town completely transforms... and Papa is still a prisoner. When an opportunity presents itself for Caroline and her Mama to go visit him, the Abotts decide to pass along important information that could help Papa escape! But, will they succeed or be caught? Caroline's Secret Message by Kathleen Ernst is the second installment of the Caroline series and another book about the war of 1812 you don't want to miss!
So far, Caroline's books have done a really good job portraying what life was like during the war of 1812. Like the first book, there are illustrations scattered throughout that depict story moments, objects of the era, and characters. There is a "Looking Back" section (at the back of the book) that covers new and easy-to-understand information about the war, women's roles during the conflict, and other fascinating details. A sneak peak is included for those interested in the third book in the series.
Resources:
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Content Warnings
Content that some individuals may find controversial or objectionable. Attention was given to include content which may offend people of a particular culture, race or religion and details which the sensitive child may find unsettling or troublesome.
"No Spoilers" offers a summary of content issues while avoiding spoilers. "With Spoilers" lists the potential content issues in detail.
No Spoilers:
Illustration of a burning building (back content), archaic reference used for people groups, and the theme of grief is present throughout the book.
With Spoilers:
Imagery
An illustration of soldiers burning and plundering a house (p. 81).
Language
Indian is used once in the story reflecting how Native Americans were called during this era.
Sensitive Content
Caroline's father is still a prisoner and his absence is keenly felt by his family.
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