The Perilous Road facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | William O. Steele |
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| Cover artist | Illustrated by Paul Galdone |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace & World |
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Publication date
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1 April 1958 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
The Perilous Road is a book by William O. Steele. It was published in 1958. This story is a historical novel about the American Civil War. The book won the Newbery Honor award.
Discovering the Story
The story is about a boy named Chris Brabson. He lives with his family in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. This is happening during the American Civil War. His family faces tough times. Soldiers from the Union Army (the North) take most of their food. They also take their only horse. This leaves Chris's family with very little for the winter.
Chris gets very angry at the Union soldiers. He wants to get revenge on them. He decides he wants to fight for the Confederate Army (the South). But then, Chris learns something surprising. His brother, Jethro, has joined the Union Army! This makes Chris think hard about war. He starts to question what he believes about courage.
Jethro joining the Union side causes problems. Their neighbors support the Confederates. They burn down the Brabson family's shed. They even threaten to burn their house too.
Chris's Changing Views
Even though his brother is a Union soldier, Chris still dislikes Union troops. Chris finds out that a wagon train is nearby. He tells his friend, Silas Agee, about it. Silas says he is a spy for the Confederates.
Later, Chris learns that his brother Jethro works as a wagon driver for the Union Army. Chris quickly sets out to warn the wagon train. He wants to try and save Jethro's life. When he reaches the wagon train, he is looking for Jethro. Union soldiers greet him kindly. They offer him food and talk with him. Chris begins to change his mind about the "Yankees." He learns that they are not the mean thieves he thought they were.
