Girl in the Hay

Title: Girl in the Hay: History Files Civil War

Author: Brittany Canasi

Grade Level: 3&4th

Sam and Julia live in Maryland. Their family recently immigrated from Ireland in seek of a better life. Now, they work on a plantation which previously owned slaves. The owners of the plantation were scared of reprisal, so they freed their slaves. They set their slaves free and hired newly immigrated people who would work for little pay. The owner’s of the plantation hired Sam and Julia’s brother to fight in the Civil War instead of their son. And Sam just found a young, African American girl, Eliza, hiding in the hay mow. Now, their parents just found a job in New York City and are living to set up house. They are leaving Sam and Julia in Maryland until they have secured their jobs and a house. Can Sam and Julia manage without their parents? Can they help Eliza?