Amelia's War by RINALDI ANN (1999) Paperback

I can count on Ann Rinaldi for two things: good writing and historical accuracy. This is the first Rinaldi book I've read for three years--since I hit my 20's--and she hasn't lost her sparkle to me, even though I no longer qualify for the youth computers at the library. I don't envy writing about and for adolescents, it's a complicated period of life and Rinaldi always creates that friction with the parents and children that can hit a youth right where they are, even if, as in this book, the events happened 150 years ago. It is a mark of Rinaldi's talent and dedication that she could make teens from 2008 identify with teens from 1864. Rinaldi did the Hagerstown ransom proud, along with Amelia Grafton, and all the well-researched folk of Hagerstown. And she satisfied my craving for civil war history, which she always does. There are two criticisms I have on this book. One, I had difficulty following the time periods of the book, and I had to pay attention to the dates guarding the chapter's title, because everything made that much more sense when I did. I think the lazy reader (i.e. myself) would have profited had she prefaced time jumps and reversals with paragraphs, not with bored, old numbers. Two, towards the end of the book Amelia made some huge changes in self without tne necessary huge factor brought in to jolt her to that change in her ideals about the war. I think the plot would have been more accurate to Amelia's character if she had maintained her opinion on the war, her need for neutrality. Her actions do not necessarily constitute "doing something for the war" as much as "doing something for Amelia." I think it would have been a tighter, seemingly less contrived story if Rinaldi had been steadier with Amelia.

Amelia's War, a historical fiction novel by Ann Rinaldi, takes place in Hagerstown, Maryland, at small town caught in the middle between the Confederacy and the Union in the year 1862. Amelia Grafton is the 13-year-old daughter of a staunch Union man, and is determined to stay neutral and not take part in the war going on around her. Mr. Dechart, the father of Amelia's friend Josh, is arrested after he publishes an article with southern leanings in his newspaper. Because he learned of the story he wrote about from Amelia, Amelia decides to not interfere with anything related to all the chaos anymore. Less than a year later, Jinny Pearl, Amelia's older brother Wesley's girlfriend, decides to disguise herself as a man and runs away to join the army. All around her, Amelia's friends and family are making decisions and joining in the war, be it in the army or helping out at hospitals. Amelia hasn't made it her war, like everyone else has. Jinny tells her "It isn't your time yet, that's all... when the time comes, you'll know it." Amelia's War is a fabulously accurate account of the American Civil War and how its wake took a toll on the people of Hagerstown. Rinaldi's vivid snapshot passages bring the compelling tale alive with the characters and surroundings that shape Amelia's life. "There he sat in a place of honor, all gussied up in his new cavalry uniform with the sash around his waist, the sword, and the hat turned up on one side with a feather. And those shiny boots..." Amelia's War is an intriguing story of "danger and menace, loyalty and love, during a war in which not all the casualties are on the battlefield, and some of the deepest wounds are invisible." When the final chapter is read and the answer to how Hagerstown got away with paying a lesser ransom to General McCausland without even knowing it is realized, Rinaldi's work seems nearly perfect in its conclusion.

I thought this book was interesting because it tell the story of one place being divided on separate sides a war. Also because it tells alot of facts about Maryland's history. Amelia is not going to take sides in this war. Her and her frined Josh are fighting beacause Amelia is not helping this war and he feels that she should take part in it herself (not join the war but help out somehow). Her brother Wes goes off and joins the army,Her mother goes an starts working at the hospital she made a promise to God that she would help in the war somehow because she wanted to help her son out because she was scared. After the tragic death of Amelia's best friend dies in the war and Josh felt like she should be notifed first if anything happened to him . Overall the story was really exciting and it kept me interested throughout the whole book. Not knowing what will happen next. If you want to find out what happens read Amelia's War .

I just finished this book literally five minutes ago. It's Friday night and normally the last thing I would be doing is reading but this book is different. I even declined going to a party just so I could finish it. It has everything you would ever want in a book especially a wondrful ending. You can really see how Maryland was cut in to by the Civil War. My favorite part is when Josh's Uncle is going to burn the town unless he gets 200,000 dollars and Amelia...Well I won't tell you what happens. Ann Rinaldi took a true fact of History and made a thrilling book. I highly reccomend it. (It is not my favorite of her books though, I prefer the Last Silk Dress and A Break With Charity).

This was not the best rinaldi ive ever read,. but it was one of her best ones to come out in the past few years. I love how rinaldi takes a myth, or mystery, and solves it with a spunky young girl. If you liked this book you will also like.. Mine eyes have seen, by ann rinaldi. i also think you will like 'a ruby in the smoke' and all subsecquent novels by phillip pullman. katherine lasky has some good historical fiction out right now also. whoever you are and what ever your looking for in a book, you will love this book. theres some romance, a lot of controversy, and some downright tough dicitions. i loved this book.