When will this cruel war be over? The diary of Emma Simpson

Gr. 4^-7. Part of the Dear America series, this story of Emma Simpson describes her life on a plantation in Virginia during one difficult year when the Civil War is raging.

Gr 5-8‘This book could greatly mislead readers, as the cover implies that it is the diary of a 14-year-old girl in Virginia during the Civil War, and nothing within the book would lead them to think otherwise. Upon first reading it, one is likely to attribute the many lapses in character and plot development to the fact that this was a teenager's diary. Even the epilogue telling of the young woman's life after the war adds to this illusion. So it is likely to come as a great surprise to read in the "About the Author" section at the end that this is fiction. The book is disappointing. One never gets a true feeling for Emma Simpson, and it is often difficult to follow the thread of the story. The factual information on daily life is good, but is not well incorporated into the plot. This offering does not measure up to other fictional works about this era.‘Elizabeth M. Reardon, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In these somewhat engaging fictional diaries, Emma writes from a Southern perspective, Abigail describes Valley Forge, and 'Mem' tells of the 'Mayflower' voyage. The quality of the writing varies, and misleading epilogues describe what happened to the girls and other people mentioned in the books, as if they and the diaries were real. Historical notes and reproductions are appended, but no sources are provided. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.