Shades of Gray

Bibliographic information: 

Reeder, Carolyn.  Shades of Gray.  Avon Books, 1989, p. 165.

Brief plot description:

Shades of Gray is about a boy named Will Page who lives in Virginia during the Civil War.  His family supports the Confederacy.  Will’s family faces some hardships that send Will to live with his aunt’s family.  He takes three very important things with him including the family Bible.  Her family has decided to stay out of the war which doesn’t make Will happy and doesn’t have much money.  While living with his aunt, Will has to pull his own weight with the upkeep of the house including checking the trap lines.  The town does not believe that Uncle Jed was right about not fighting, but they ask him to help fix the mill.  Finally Will realizes that he respects his Uncle even if he hadn’t fought.  What happens when a Yank comes to the house?  Will Will find a place with his aunt’s family?

Brief review:

I really liked this story because it tells of a family’s difficult time after the Civil War.  It also shows how a boy can realize the true meaning of the Civil War was fighting for what one believed in and that not fighting was not wrong.  This is the main idea that students should get out of this book.  They should also get that everyone suffered from the Civil War.  Shades of Gray can be used in fifth through seventh grades.  I would use it when talking about the Civil War or any other war.  I really liked this story because I am interested in learning about the Civil War, and how it affected the families of both sides.    

Genre label:

Historical Fiction

Reading level/interest level:

5^th -7^th grade

Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:

A Ballad of the Civil War by Mary Stolz

The Journal of Rufus Rowe: A Witness to the Battle of Fredericksburg: Bowling Green, Virginia, 1862 by Sid Hite

Sound of Jubilee by Sandra Forrester

Silent Thunder: A Civil War Story by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Subjects/themes:

Civil War

Family

Awards:

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Scott O’Dell Award

Bank Street Children’s Book Award

IRA Young Adults’ Choices

Character names/descriptions:

Will Page

Father

Mom

Brother

Sister

Sister

Fred - Will’s family slave

Lizzy- Will’s family slave

Callie- Will’s family slave

Aunt Ella

Uncle Jed

Meg- cousin

Beth- cousin

Sam- cousin

Enos- cousin