Thirteen-year-old Samuel and his family live in a cabin that they say straddles the line between civilization and the wilderness. They live a hard, but relatively quiet, existence on the western edge of the British colony of Pennsylvania. There are rumors that American patriots have begun to fight British rule in Boston, but Samuel has never been to the city and it all seems so far away. That is until the British Redcoats and the Iroquois indians brutally attack his settlement, and take his parents prisoner. Samuel follows their trail, determined to rescue his family. Along the way he hides from enemy soldiers and witnesses the horrors of war. But he also finds allies, and discovers friends that are secretly fighting on the side of the patriots. He must travel deeper into enemy territory than he ever thought possible, and find the strength to rescue not only his own family, but another child who has suffered at the hands of the soldiers.

This book by Newbery Award-winning author Gary Paulsen tells an American Revolution tale from the point of view of the civilians who were caught up in the conflict and the horrors they suffered as well. Between chapters, the author splices in pages with interesting historical facts about the British, weapons, the Hessians (German soldiers brought in by the English), war orphans, etc. Kids will find these blurbs to be short, succinct, and helpful background to the story. Samuel is a creature of the forest, who is smart and resourceful in his hunt for his parents. He is attacked by an Indian wielding a tomahawk, and witnesses both the aftermath of the deadly attack on his settlement and a Hessian bayonet attack on two adults that he met on his journey. He shoots and kills two enemy soldiers, and as upset as he is by this fact, realizes that they were both in self-defense. Killing, scalping, and injuries are depicted, but in an age-appropriate way. Readers younger than the publisher's recommended age of twelve may enjoy this story too, as long as they are not uncomfortable with war imagery.

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