In the Shadow of the Alamo - Hardcover

SHERRY GARLAND is the author of many award-winning novels and picture books, including Song of the Buffalo Boy, Shadow of the Dragon, Indio, The Last Rainmaker, and The Lotus Seed. She lives in central Texas.

Gr 5-8-Although Lorenzo Bonifacio is only 15, he is conscripted into the Mexican army for 10 years. At first, he and Esteban Esquivel, the 17-year-old son of the wealthiest landowner in the region, have nothing to do with one another, but in the end they become friends. Life in the army is vividly described, and the bloody battle scenes are realistically drawn. Hardships such as the lack of food, arbitrary justice, and the total loss of personal rights are part and parcel of this military experience. The conscripts are given outdated weapons and are not trained for battle as they are considered mere "cannon fodder." The women and children who followed the men, including Lorenzo's aunt and two younger sisters, suffer the same hardships, and many do not survive the arduous trip on foot to Texas. Santa Anna is portrayed as cruel and self-centered, desiring personal glory at all costs. Enduring physical hardships and personal tragedies, Lorenzo is transformed from a simple farmer to a soldier, and from a child to a man. Told from his perspective, the story provides a different point of view on a well-known historical event. Readers will sympathize with both the Mexican soldiers and with the rebels. A book that captures and holds young people's attention.

Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TX

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