Forge

"One of the best novels they have ever read." --Kirkus Reviews

Curzon navigates the dangers of being a runaway slave in this keenly felt second novel in in the historical middle grade The Seeds of America trilogy from acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson.

Blistering winds. Bitter cold. And the hope of a new future.

The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free.

And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge--against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 10/19/2010
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 8.68h x 6.48w x 1.07d
ISBN: 9781416961444
Age Range: 10-14

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.4
Point Value: 10
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 140499 / Forge

Award: Young Hoosier Book Award - Nominee
Award: New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Award - Winner
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Delaware Diamonds Award - Nominee

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 02/13/2011 pg. 18
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2010
Publishers Weekly 09/13/2010
Booklist 09/15/2010 pg. 67
School Library Journal 10/01/2010 pg. 106
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2010
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2010 pg. 84
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2011 pg. 63
BookPage 10/01/2010

About the Author
Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. Her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Two of her books, Chains and Speak, were National Book Award finalists. Chains also received the 2009 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and Laurie was chosen for the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award. Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Pennsylvania, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes. You can follow her adventures on Twitter @HalseAnderson, or visit her at MadWomanintheForest.com.

Christopher Silas Neal is an award-winning illustrator and author who regularly contributes to The New York Times, The New Yorker, and creates book covers for various publishers. He has directed short animated videos for Kate Spade and Anthropologie and was awarded a medal from the Society of Illustrators for his work in motion graphics. He illustrated the acclaimed picture books Over and Under the Snow and Lifetime, both of which explore the natural world. Over and Under the Snow, with author Kate Messner was praised for its "stunning retro-style illustrations" (The New York Times), was a 2011 New York Times Editor's Choice and won an E.B. White Honor Award in 2012. He recently contributed art to the New York Times bestseller Goodnight Songs, which is a collection of poems by author of Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown.