Sarah Boone

A South Carolina girl reckons with her own beliefs—and the Revolutionary War—in this “engaging” historical novel for children(Lily Herndon Weaks, coauthor of East Cooper: A Maritime Heritage).

For eleven-year-old Sarah Boone, the year 1780 is full of confusion and excitement. Living at Boone Hall in Charles Towne, South Carolina—the capital city that will soon be renamed Charleston—she finds herself observing constant changes to the world in which she lives. Struggling to please her parents, Sarah is often caught between her desires to act like a rebellious tomboy and a proper young lady. Just when she begins to adjust to the changes around her, plantation life is made more interesting with the arrival of a baby sister and new slave family.

Sarah is drawn toward the responsibility of being a big sister and role model, as well as being a good friend to Rose. However, it is her new friendship that causes her to question the principles of slavery and the life of privilege in which she lives. In addition to the activity at Boone Hall, British forces invade and occupy Charles Towne, causing everyone in Sarah’s life to become fearful of the future. The family’s yearly return to the city is disrupted, and the cruelty of political injustice is witnessed by all walks of life. As Sarah strives to understand and cope with the obstacles around her, she learns the value of family, friends, and faith in herself.