A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton

This book was the second entry in the Shenendoah Sisters series, and definitely lived up to the first book. As Mayme and Katie try to make their way in a strange new world of the Reconstruction South without adults, they also need to take care of Emma, her son William, and little Aleta. Their love for each other and the Lord resonates through each page. Phillips has a great voice for these girls and the way they struggle through each day. This is a series I'm hooked on.

Kathleen (Katie) Clariborn @ 15 years of age is now the mistress of the Rosewood Plantation at the end of the Civil War. MaryAnn (Mayme) Jukes, 16 years, a freed slave, found Katie terrorized after the brutal death of her parents. Mayme also lost who she thought were her parents in the same manner that Katie lost hers. They forge a bond of sisterly companionship to survive and to protect Rosewood from prying eyes. Before long Rosewood became a sancturay to a pregnant former slave and an orphaned little girl. Emma gives birth while Mayme & Katie assist in the delivery but they must hide Emma and the baby boy, William, as the former owner searches for them to destroy them. Aleta and her mother were fleeing from an abusive father/husband when the horse they were riding stumbled and the mother was killed. Katie & Mayme took Aleta in but wondered why the child refuse to contact her father. Then there was Jeremiah, the blacksmith, in town. He perceives that Katie & Mayme are up to something as he watched them come to town for supplies and to haul cotton to the gin... there is no sign of help or of adults. Such a poignant and captivating story in the tumultuous time of American history showing the courage of these young people amidst some people of evil intent. Katie and Mayme learn to rely on their faith and their spunk to deal with the dramatically changed world that they now lived in. But there is more to this saga in the next book of this series.

Mayme Jukes and Katie Clairborne are two fifteen-year-old girls from worlds apart -- Mayme was born into slavery, while Katie was the daughter of a wealthy family that owned a large plantation. But in the final days of the Civil War, they both lost their families to marauders, and now they share an important secret. After Mayme, fleeing the scene of her family's murders, came across Katie, the only survivor at her plantation, Rosewood, the two girls decided to live there on their own and pretend that Katie's mother is still alive. As if that were not difficult enough, now they must protect three other people as well. Emma, a former slave, and her baby, William, are hiding at Rosewood from William's father, the son of Emma's former master. And Aleta, a young girl whose mother died as they fled from her abusive father, is living at Rosewood and is determined to never return home. Mayme and Katie have other worries as well. A loan is due soon at the bank, and if they don't pay, they will never be able to protect their secret. This was a good sequel to "Angels Watching Over Me" that continues the story of Mayme and Katie, and introduces some new characters as well. I really enjoyed the first book, and this was an excellent sequel. It brings to life the dangers of the post-Civil War South and is a heartwarming story of friendship. I really came to care about the characters. I highly recommend these books to teens who like historical fiction about this time period. I can't wait to read the other two books in this series and find out what happens next.

Two Black girls, two White girls and a baby try to keep the plantation going and keep away any people who might do them harm. Working harder than ever is the new Mistress of the plantation, a mere 15 yr. old girl. She now oversees a very young girl and a somewhat mentally challenged new mother with a small son. Most of the people are either running or hiding from danger. This second book brings into focus the viciousness of the baby's father and his intent on getting rid of both mother and baby. What follows is dynamic love and perserverance and the ugliness of some men's minds and their wicked meanness is almost too much to absorb. The girls are maturing quickly and when the bank loan comes due with no money to be had, reposession is a very immediate possibility. This is where the book gets its' title, a real friend materialized and the harmony they show and their hard work pay off. Today I finished book two and today I purchased book 3 in this series. I feel almost like family now and simply must know the future for these young people. Thank you Michael Phillips for this series.

A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton is the engaging story of two girls, one the daughter of a slave and the other the daughter of a plantation owner. Both girls have been orphaned by the Civil War and must struggle to live and provide a sanctuary to others. An enduring story by popular and prolific Christian novelist Michael Philips, A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton is enhanced by vivid description and poignant characterization.