Black History Month Children's books

At the end of the American Civil War, Charley - a young African-American slave - is ostensibly freed. But then her adopted mother is raped and lynched at the hands of a mob and Charley is left alone. In a terrifyingly lawless land, where the colour of a person's skin can bring violent death, Charley disguises herself as a man and joins the army. Soon, she's sent to the prairies to fight a whole new war against the 'savage Indians'. Trapped in a world...

Set in 1776, against the backdrop of the American struggle for independence, this novel is also an adventure about one girl's struggle for freedom in a society in which she is considered someone else's property.