Normajean Kontes

Caroline and Anika Normajean Kontes

Caroline, age thirteen, the pampered daughter of rich and influential Harold Walcott, wore the best clothes, attended an exclusive girl's academy, had black servants waiting on her and a Papa catering to her every whim. But there were problems. She was lonely without friends and convinced her invalid mother didn't like her. She also believed that the Civil War was a personal insult started to ruin her life. Papa, who hated slavery, brought home a black child he'd saved from a brutal beating and a little dog. Caroline loved her pet and the little girl, but didn't understand her needs. Anika had a mind of her own and complied with Caroline's bossiness only when Papa promised her an education. As the war intensified, Papa sent the girls to live in safety with Cousin Maggie on a farm outside Gettysburg. Here she learned to be useful and to understand true friendship. After the three day battle, the girls tended the wounded, rescued a Confederate soldier and met President Lincoln. She envies Anika who knows her life's goals. Caroline no longer belongs in Richmond, but neither does she belong on a farm. Can she find her place after the war?
I taught Third Grade for thirty years. One of their favorite units was the Civil War, but there were no novels that showed what the war was like for ordinary citizens. I wrote this book to fill that void.