Other editions of book Into the Hornets' Nest

How much would you sacrifice for a stranger? What if that stranger just saved your life? September, 1861. Thirteen-year-old Jesse Keane is pulled from the creek by a runaway slave who wants to return to his family in Tennessee - a Rebel state. Jesse knows he can smuggle his rescuer to the county line, but his simple plan is soon complicated. Along the road to Tennessee, Jesse learns the true meaning of family. This middle grade historical adventure was awarded the SCBWI 2008 Work in Progress Grant Letter of Merit. The short chapters and low word count are ideal for reluctant readers.

How much would you sacrifice for a stranger? What if that stranger just saved your life? September, 1861. Thirteen-year-old Jesse Keane lives on a small farm two miles downstream from Camp Hunter, a Union cavalry training ground in central Illinois. His meager salary for cleaning stables and tending horses is all that keeps his mother from banning him from the camp. She doesn't want to lose another son to " Mr. Lincoln's Crusade." Jesse is crushed by the battlefield death of his older brother, but feels invisible to his grieving parents. He buries himself in his work, until the morning he falls into the creek and is rescued by Canaan, a runaway slave. Canaan has escaped north, but now wants to reunite with his family in Tennessee. Out of gratitude, and for the promise of adventure, Jesse offers to help. But the local Underground Railroad seems only concerned with spiriting slaves north. He convinces his captain at camp to employ him as a courier, which will allow Jesse to secretly scout a safe route south. Along the road to Tennessee, Jesse learns the true meaning of 'family'. Winner, SCBWI 2008 Work in Progress Grant Letter of Merit. Ideal for reluctant readers.