Shades of Gray - by Carolyn Reeder (Paperback)

About the Book

The Civil War may be over, but for 12-year-old Will Page, who considers the Yankees responsible for the deaths of his parents and brother and sisters, the pain will never end. And now Will has to go live with his Uncle Jed, who refused to fight for the Confederate cause. But is Uncle Jed the traitor and coward Will believes him to be? An ALA Notable Book. Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award.

Book Synopsis

In the aftermath of the Civil War, recently orphaned Will must start a new life and overcome his prejudices.

Courage wears many faces...

The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven't ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?

And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will's uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.

At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor--or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.

About the Author

Carolyn Reeder was a writer best known for children's historical novels. She also wrote three non-fiction books about Shenandoah National Park for adults together with her husband.