iMAGINE what happened, then be grateful we aren’t in the situation ! When will this cruel war be over? The Civil War diary of Emma Thompson By Barry Denenburg Kristianna

1 Cup of Plot Emma Thompson lives during the Civil War. She as an ill mother, and her father and a friend, called Tally, are fighting in the war. Her family owns slaves because, like I said, Emma and her family live during the Civil War at the time period when slavery was still legal. Well, they are allowed to own slaves because Emma’s family lives in the Southern part of the United States. At this time, the U.S.A is split into the Union and the Confederacy. The Union are against slavery and the Confederacy is all for slavery. The Union are the Northern part of the country, and the Confederacy is the southern part of the country.

1 Cup of Plot Back to Emma and her problems now. Her mother is sick with smallpox, and Emma is at risk to catch because they don’t have vaccines, or at least one for smallpox, yet. She wrote in her diary that her diary is her only TRUE friend. I think that means she is feeling so alone now that her mother is sick, and her father and Tally are off fighting in the war. She learns that the conditions in the war are harsh from letters that her father and Tally send her from the camps, but the conditions at home are harsh, too. She has little of everyday things like ink, flour, and sugar. One of the questions she probably asks herself every day is “When will this cruel war be over?”

2 Teaspoons of CHARACTER There are many characters in this book. Here are the main ones and a tiny biography about each one: Emma Thompson: Emma Thompson is the main character in this book. She is living during the Civil War, so she is a “war girl”. Her mother is, like I said, sick with smallpox and is weak with it, and her father and Tally are fighting, like I said, to keep their slaves. Every day she prays that her father and Tally will be okay out there fighting, and hopes that they will survive the war, or at least come back alive.

2 Teaspoons of CHARACTER Cousin Rachel: Cousin Rachel is also a main characters in the book. She is Emma’s cousin. Why wouldn’t she if her name is Cousin Rachel! She is 3 whole years older than Emma, and might own slaves; the book doesn’t say for sure. Because Cousin Rachel is 3 years older than Emma(like I said already), one of her favorite topics to talk about is, *dramatic pause* marriage.

2 Teaspoons of CHARACTER Taliaferro Mills: Taliaferro Mills is Emma’s friend, though I suspect Emma secretly likes him. He’s fighting in the Civil War, one of the people Emma prays about. But wait, then who’s Tally? you ask. Ah, Tally is Taliaferro. Tally is just his nickname, and what he prefers to be called. He met Emma at a party for Emma’s aunt’s new baby. In her diary, Emma refers to Tally as handsome. Also, at the party, he was not afraid to admit he greatly enjoys reading, unlike most of the other boys there. He is eager to hear the feelings of others.

2 Tablespoons of EXCITEMENT In a lot of stories, someone or something dies. Note that I said in a lot, not all, stories someone or something dies. The reason I am saying this is because someone does die in this story. No, it is not Emma, but her cousin, Cousin Rachel. I think that Cousin Rachel dies because she got sick. But, nonetheless, her death leaves a deep, deep impression in the family. Emma doesn’t write in her diary for a long time because she is so sad and is mourning for her cousin. Here lies Rachel Thompson, who died Of illness Born, 1834 Died1857 R.I.P

Mix thoroughly and bake. When cool, frost with special icing: A. ½ Cup of Opinion: I think that this book is a very good book. It shows a lot of feeling in Emma as the story progresses. It also has some facts, such as the time of the war, and some of the events. A smallpox outbreak might have happened, I’m not sure. I didn’t like the fact that, um, well, I actually liked, well, everything about the book. No lie.

Mix thoroughly and bake. When cool, frost with special icing: B. 1 Teaspoon of Recommendation: One person I think would like this book is, um, you, Mrs. Middlekauff! It is very exciting, and it would work as a book to read around social studies if we had some free time if we got to the part about the civil war. It is very enjoyable, so you would like it a lot! And it has some suspense, emphasis on some, so you wouldn’t want to put it down!

Finally sprinkle on the following information: My favorite part in the book is when Emma gets the letter from Tally about the conditions in the war. It really gets me thinking about how bad the conditions were, and how the soldiers felt. It gets me thinking about how the soldiers coped and how they tolerated being away from their loved one.

Thank you for listening, do you now agree? Do you now agree with me?