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Promises to the Dead
When Jesse Sherman promises to take a dying slave girl's small son safely to Baltimore, he embarks on a perilous journey that takes him to the darkest depths of humanity where only love, courage, and compassion will see him through, in an exciting novel set against the backdrop of the Civil War.
202 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
49 people are currently reading
828 people want to read
About the author
Mary Downing Hahn
71 books4,367 followersI grew up in a small shingled house down at the end of Guilford Road in College Park, Maryland. Our block was loaded with kids my age. We spent hours outdoors playing "Kick the Can" and "Mother, May I" as well as cowboy and outlaw games that usually ended in quarrels about who shot whom. In the summer, we went on day long expeditions into forbidden territory -- the woods on the other side of the train tracks, the creek that wound its way through College Park, and the experimental farm run by the University of Maryland.
In elementary school, I was known as the class artist. I loved to read and draw but I hated writing reports. Requirements such as outlines, perfect penmanship, and following directions killed my interest in putting words on paper. All those facts -- who cared what the principal products of Chile were? To me, writing reports was almost as boring as math.
Despite my dislike of writing, I loved to make up stories. Instead of telling them in words, I told them in pictures. My stories were usually about orphans who ran away and had the sort of exciting adventures I would have enjoyed if my mother hadn't always interfered.
When I was in junior high school, I developed an interest in more complex stories. I wanted to show how people felt, what they thought, what they said. For this, I needed words. Although I wasn't sure I was smart enough, I decided to write and illustrate children's books when I grew up. Consequently, at the age of thirteen, I began my first book. Small Town Life was about a girl named Susan, as tall and skinny and freckle faced as I was. Unlike her shy, self conscious creator, however, Susan was a leader who lived the life I wanted to live -- my ideal self, in other words. Although I never finished Small Town Life, it marked the start of a lifelong interest in writing.
In high school, I kept a diary. In college, I wrote poetry and short stories and dreamed of being published in The New Yorker. Unfortunately, I didn't have the courage or the confidence to send anything there.
By the time my first novel was published, I was 41 years old. That's how long it took me to get serious about writing. The Sara Summer took me a year to write, another year to find a publisher, and yet another year of revisions before Clarion accepted it.
Since Sara appeared in 1979, I've written an average of one book a year. If I have a plot firmly in mind when I begin, the writing goes fairly quickly. More typically, I start with a character or a situation and only a vague idea of what's going to happen. Therefore, I spend a lot of time revising and thinking things out. If I'd paid more attention to the craft of outlining back in elementary school, I might be a faster writer, but, on the other hand, if I knew everything that was going to happen in a story, I might be too bored to write it down. Writing is a journey of discovery. That's what makes it so exciting.
In elementary school, I was known as the class artist. I loved to read and draw but I hated writing reports. Requirements such as outlines, perfect penmanship, and following directions killed my interest in putting words on paper. All those facts -- who cared what the principal products of Chile were? To me, writing reports was almost as boring as math.
Despite my dislike of writing, I loved to make up stories. Instead of telling them in words, I told them in pictures. My stories were usually about orphans who ran away and had the sort of exciting adventures I would have enjoyed if my mother hadn't always interfered.
When I was in junior high school, I developed an interest in more complex stories. I wanted to show how people felt, what they thought, what they said. For this, I needed words. Although I wasn't sure I was smart enough, I decided to write and illustrate children's books when I grew up. Consequently, at the age of thirteen, I began my first book. Small Town Life was about a girl named Susan, as tall and skinny and freckle faced as I was. Unlike her shy, self conscious creator, however, Susan was a leader who lived the life I wanted to live -- my ideal self, in other words. Although I never finished Small Town Life, it marked the start of a lifelong interest in writing.
In high school, I kept a diary. In college, I wrote poetry and short stories and dreamed of being published in The New Yorker. Unfortunately, I didn't have the courage or the confidence to send anything there.
By the time my first novel was published, I was 41 years old. That's how long it took me to get serious about writing. The Sara Summer took me a year to write, another year to find a publisher, and yet another year of revisions before Clarion accepted it.
Since Sara appeared in 1979, I've written an average of one book a year. If I have a plot firmly in mind when I begin, the writing goes fairly quickly. More typically, I start with a character or a situation and only a vague idea of what's going to happen. Therefore, I spend a lot of time revising and thinking things out. If I'd paid more attention to the craft of outlining back in elementary school, I might be a faster writer, but, on the other hand, if I knew everything that was going to happen in a story, I might be too bored to write it down. Writing is a journey of discovery. That's what makes it so exciting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 1, 2013
This is not a typical Hahn book and so, at first, I was a little disappointed. When I pick up a Hahn, I have been programmed to expect chills, thrills and goosebumps. Well, actually, some of that was true in this book, too, but not because of a scary ghost. The chills came from the living--which was so much more evil than anything undead.
The story is set during the Civil War (a historic setting was another departure for Hahn's regular style). Jesse is an orphan who lives with his bachelor uncle who sends him into the swamps one night hunting for a turtle so that he might have terrapin soup made by their slave cook. As Jesse is stumbling around in the dark muck, he comes across an escaped slave, who is about to give birth, and her young son. As a Southerner, Jesse has been taught to turn all slaves in but something about this young mother tickles his conscience and, instead, he goes to get her help. On her death bed, the slave makes Jesse promise that he will deliver her young son to relations in the North so that he might be free. It is a promise that Jesse dreads making because he knows it will bring him nothing but trouble.
I really liked this book. I fell in love with the character of Jesse--I've never seen a character have so much angst over doing the right thing! The story snuck up on me and surprised me because I was ready to be disappointed with it. That's what I get for doubting Hahn, a master storyteller of any genre.
The story is set during the Civil War (a historic setting was another departure for Hahn's regular style). Jesse is an orphan who lives with his bachelor uncle who sends him into the swamps one night hunting for a turtle so that he might have terrapin soup made by their slave cook. As Jesse is stumbling around in the dark muck, he comes across an escaped slave, who is about to give birth, and her young son. As a Southerner, Jesse has been taught to turn all slaves in but something about this young mother tickles his conscience and, instead, he goes to get her help. On her death bed, the slave makes Jesse promise that he will deliver her young son to relations in the North so that he might be free. It is a promise that Jesse dreads making because he knows it will bring him nothing but trouble.
I really liked this book. I fell in love with the character of Jesse--I've never seen a character have so much angst over doing the right thing! The story snuck up on me and surprised me because I was ready to be disappointed with it. That's what I get for doubting Hahn, a master storyteller of any genre.
January 5, 2023
Review 5/5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feeling very happy starting off the year right (a book with a 5 star review!)
I was very surprised at the fantastic and high-quality writing of this book. I had never heard of it (or this author) before, but I could see this book as classic that should be read in schools.
Taking place in the time around the Civil War-era, Jesse, one of the main characters of this book, is young white boy who cares for his ailing uncle (who doesn't sound that pleasant to be around!)
Jesse then finds himself caught up with runaway slaves. One of them who has a promise that Jesse must keep to her son, Perry. Perry is another main character - the son of a slave named Lydia.
The book is their harrowing tale of finding safety in a faraway place from where they find themselves currently in. First, only bonded by the promise by Perry's mother Lydia to Jesse, these two were reluctant friends. But as time goes on, what they find is a blossoming friendship - between himself, a white boy, and Perry, a slave on the run.
They run into the likes of those who are most depraved with no inclination of compassion towards their fellow man whatsoever. Can love, compassion, and kindness be found in such a tormented place? The story of Jesse, and his courage to carry out a promise to the dead to help a another in need, tells us it's possible.
Feeling very happy starting off the year right (a book with a 5 star review!)
I was very surprised at the fantastic and high-quality writing of this book. I had never heard of it (or this author) before, but I could see this book as classic that should be read in schools.
Taking place in the time around the Civil War-era, Jesse, one of the main characters of this book, is young white boy who cares for his ailing uncle (who doesn't sound that pleasant to be around!)
Jesse then finds himself caught up with runaway slaves. One of them who has a promise that Jesse must keep to her son, Perry. Perry is another main character - the son of a slave named Lydia.
The book is their harrowing tale of finding safety in a faraway place from where they find themselves currently in. First, only bonded by the promise by Perry's mother Lydia to Jesse, these two were reluctant friends. But as time goes on, what they find is a blossoming friendship - between himself, a white boy, and Perry, a slave on the run.
They run into the likes of those who are most depraved with no inclination of compassion towards their fellow man whatsoever. Can love, compassion, and kindness be found in such a tormented place? The story of Jesse, and his courage to carry out a promise to the dead to help a another in need, tells us it's possible.
November 5, 2013
This bool took place right before the civil war, a time not really considered but Mary Downing Hahn describes well. All 12 year Jesse wanted to do was get a turtle for his Philemon so they could have turtle soup to help his rheumatism. But things don't always go right like in Jesse's situation. He ran into runaway pregnant slave named Lydia with her 7 year old son Perry. Despite Jesse's efforts to get the town's healer woman Lydia dies of child birth along with her baby being stillborn. But the one thing that Lydia said to Jesse was to take Perry to her master's sister in Baltimore and show her a love locket showing Lydia and her master. Well, things didn't go so well in Baltimore like the fact that Lydia's "sister in law" (she was never properly married to Mr.Baxter her husband) had moved to the countryside. Along with Colonel Abdnego Botfeild at their tails Jesse and Perry's journey becomes dangerous. This book gives an insight on the behavior of people before the civil war and how strange this society compared to ours.
August 5, 2016
A departure from Hahn's creepy fantasy this is purely historical fiction. Set at the beginning of the Civil War, Jesse lives in Maryland, a state that has mixed loyalties. While hunting turtle in the swamp near his uncle's house, Jesse finds a pregnant runaway slave and her son. Lydia is dying and she makes Jesse promise to take her young son to his white aunt. Jesse and Perry must travel across Maryland and eventually into Virginia. They must face slave hunters and both Union and Confederate soldiers to find a safe haven for Perry. A very good depiction of life and thought at the beginning of the Civil War.
November 8, 2010
This book is very well crafted. There is so much action and commotion going on in every second of this story. The author used great text, making it much more interesting than most books. One thing that was kind of hard to follow is all of the characters. There were so many of them that it was hard to completely understand what was going on in the story at some points. I would have liked it even more if the story line was a bit easier to follow. Other than this one confusing stage of so many characters at the end of this book overall it was a great book. The author did a great job of creating a specific tone and mood for each main character all the way from the begging to the end of this story. I really enjoyed reading this book because it is one of those books that you start reading and don't want to put down.
The relationship between Jesse and Perry throughout the book completely changed. At the beginning Perry wanted nothing to do with Jesse and Jesse wanted nothing to do with Perry or Lydia. As the characters were built up and changing so was their relationship. By the end of the book they are like brothers and are heartbroken to leave each other. I think that slowly as they got to know each other they realized that they needed each other to survive. They had to depend on one another. Jesse and Perry slowly broke down a wall that had been built up between them. They slowly earned each others respect and trust.
Colonel Botfield is always referred to as the devil. This is because every time they come close to saving Perry he comes in and ruins there chances. While he is an important character I think he also kind of represents symbolism. What I think he represents is all the challenges they have to face and overcome. He is the the main problem that they needed to get through and to do that they needed to work together. This brings Perry and Jesse together to overcome everything they can. This is an important component in this story because if they never worked together their relationship would have never changed and they wouldn't have been able to overcome all of the things they did together if they had been alone. Overall this book was a great story to read
The relationship between Jesse and Perry throughout the book completely changed. At the beginning Perry wanted nothing to do with Jesse and Jesse wanted nothing to do with Perry or Lydia. As the characters were built up and changing so was their relationship. By the end of the book they are like brothers and are heartbroken to leave each other. I think that slowly as they got to know each other they realized that they needed each other to survive. They had to depend on one another. Jesse and Perry slowly broke down a wall that had been built up between them. They slowly earned each others respect and trust.
Colonel Botfield is always referred to as the devil. This is because every time they come close to saving Perry he comes in and ruins there chances. While he is an important character I think he also kind of represents symbolism. What I think he represents is all the challenges they have to face and overcome. He is the the main problem that they needed to get through and to do that they needed to work together. This brings Perry and Jesse together to overcome everything they can. This is an important component in this story because if they never worked together their relationship would have never changed and they wouldn't have been able to overcome all of the things they did together if they had been alone. Overall this book was a great story to read
November 21, 2009
When Jesse is sent down to the marsh to hunt a turtle for the soup pot, he knows he's in for a miserable night--it's dark, it's rainy, and it's too early in the season for turtles anyway. Just as he's about to give up, there's a knife at his throat, and a runaway slave is begging him to go fetch the midwife, because this slave's baby is coming now. Unfortunately, labor doesn't go so well, and Jesse makes a promise to the dying Lydia to take her older son, Perry, to Baltimore to live with her white friend. Despite his misgivings, Jesse agrees, and the two boys set out on a dangerous journey to find Miss Polly. It'll be hard enough to avoid the riots and skirmishes at the cusp of the Civil War, but with the ruthless slave catcher just one step behind them on the whole journey, Jesse's promise to Lydia is looking almost impossible to fulfill.
As historical fiction goes, it's not bad--the plot moves along at a consistent pace and the drama of the slave-catcher on their tail keeps tension. A lengthy author's note at the end explains which events really happened and which were fabricated, and gives some background on the era. The plot winds through a number of contrivances in which every stop houses one of Perry's relations before ultimately depositing him with his grandmother and sending Jesse back home just in time to nurse his uncle back from the brink of death. This is a relatively short (200 pages) book to fulfill historical reading assignments, but teens picking this up based on the author's name are bound to be disappointed as this is not her usual supernatural horror story.
As historical fiction goes, it's not bad--the plot moves along at a consistent pace and the drama of the slave-catcher on their tail keeps tension. A lengthy author's note at the end explains which events really happened and which were fabricated, and gives some background on the era. The plot winds through a number of contrivances in which every stop houses one of Perry's relations before ultimately depositing him with his grandmother and sending Jesse back home just in time to nurse his uncle back from the brink of death. This is a relatively short (200 pages) book to fulfill historical reading assignments, but teens picking this up based on the author's name are bound to be disappointed as this is not her usual supernatural horror story.
December 10, 2014
This book was truly amazing. It started out with a sort of hard working boy named Jesse, and he was sent to catch a turtle for his Uncle Philemon to eat for dinner when he got caught by a slave woman (Lydia) and her son Perry. He ended up making a promise to take Perry to Baltimore to be safe, even though the could be caught on the way.It was dramatic at times too. I think the book really had some meaning and it was written from the heart. I don't think I could have been as brave as Jesse at times in the book. This writing was very powerful in a way and made you think how short and scary life was, but if you push through it you'll be fine. I don't really see a weakness of the book unless you have a lack of comprehension, but its strengths are that it full of adventure right when you open the page,it gives such good details that you could just picture every page in your mind, and as you read you just want to keep turning the page. I don't think this book is in a series, but if it was I bet it would be great.I'd think you'd appreciate this book of it's amazing plot and story with its descriptive details. This book would be a great one to read if you're looking for an adventure.
February 24, 2010
I realy like this book because it teaches you about the slave times in the middle 1800's. it really opens your eyes to see what it was like to be in the slave times and what might happen to you if you helped a slave. I think that Mary Downing Hahn does a good job writing her books to make it feel like you are actuly in the story. I would suggest reading this book if you want to learn about a slaves life and the journey that they might go through trying to run away and what not.
September 27, 2010
I learned A LOT about the Civil War and I LOVED it to the extreme Mary Downing Hahn does an amazing job about explaining the hardships and excitment through a young white boy who meets a runaway slave and ,before she dies, promises to take her 7 year old child Perry to Baltimore to Perry's aunt. But trouble strikes when a slave catcher follows them and is bound to catch them and bring Perry back, dead or alive.
May 1, 2013
This is an intense, fast-paced historical novel written by an incredible author. The setting is the Civil War, and the story revolves around Jesse who comes across a dying slave woman, who makes him promise he will take her young son, Perry, to a relative in Baltimore. The journey is quite treacherous, and they have to elude a slave catcher on their trail. As they face danger at every step, they must face harsh truths and find a new beginning. This book is one that I could not put down.
January 31, 2014
This book is about a young boy named Jesse Sherman who grew up at the time of the Civil War. While out hunting turtles for his uncle he meats a runaway slave women. Lydia ( the slave women ) is pregnant but she died. Before she died she made Jesse promise to take her son Perry to his aunt in the free states. But when things go wrong and people start chasing them the boys have to make a new plan to save themselves. To find out what happens read this amazing book.
December 15, 2015
I think this was an excellent book! I love the civil war and anything that has to do with runaway slaves. The way Mary Downing Hahn describes the places Jesse and Perry travel to make you feel like you are on this thrilling adventure with them. This book helps the readers understand the dangers of helping a runaway slave and how rough conditions were back then. I'm glad I was able to read this book, I defiantly will read some of this authors other books.
January 8, 2016
Promises to the Dead was about a boy who's father sent him out to get a turtle when a slave woman, in labor puts a knife to his throat and needs him to get her a doctor. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, but as it went on suspense built and I couldn't wait till I had a chance to read it again. It was over all a great book and the outcome ends on a good note but could lead to a sequel.
November 5, 2016
I put off reading this even though it's been by my bed for weeks because MDH's books usually leave me shaking! I didn't need to worry this time. This is straight up Historical Fiction, set in Maryland at the outbreak of the Civil War. What made it interesting to me was that our main character Jesse is a pretty typical southern boy who has his ideas about freedom and slavery challenged and gently turned around as he tries to keep a young slave boy safe.
November 15, 2009
I just finished this book. Another of Mary Downing Hahn's. It is a bit different than her other's that I have read. In this one a boy happens upon a dying slave woman, makes a promise to take her son (who is also a slave) to her white friend. This is the journey of the 2 of them during the civil war. It has a happy ending and I enjoyed reading it.
February 28, 2010
An historical fiction novel set in a time just before the civil war. I liked it even though the main character wasn't quite believable to me. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. I recommend it younger people than us critical older folks, but you won't be sorry if you read it anyway - the adventure was entertaining and the history is interesting.
March 27, 2012
I didn't enjoy this book as much as others I've read by this author. I started reading it several times only to lose interest and read something else. Set in Maryland at the beginning of the Civil War, an orphaned boy living with his crabby uncle stumbles across runaway slaves he decides to help and winds up traveling all over helping them.
March 28, 2013
One of my 5th graders really liked & wanted me to read. Historical fiction, not really my thing. I was surprised that a 5th grader would enjoy with all the talk of how badly white men took advantage of black women, ending up with babies & all. Just not for me & had things I think only adults would understand.
March 4, 2013
So I won't waste your time telling about the story, since you can already read the summary of this book. But I can tell you I was pretty please with it, and I felt like I looked at the Civil War from a different perspective. This author never fails to impress me. I would recommend to children 10 or older, as well as adults!
October 4, 2013
It was a enjoyable book but I got lost through some of the book. It was cool to see what it was like back in the Civil War Era and see what people acted like back then. Through the book I was always interested to read more. I suggest this book to ages 10+ and for boys and girls who enjoy thrilling tales of someones life.
April 22, 2010
Set right before the civil war, a young boy makes a promise to a runaway slave to find a way to get her son to safety. It was interesting to read about some of unrest happening in different states at the time.
October 22, 2011
It took me a while to get into this book, although I think that may have been more about the mood I was in, but once I got about a quarter of the way through I was drawn in to the story. Great piece of historical fiction for middle-grade readers.
December 5, 2011
this book is very interesting. it is about a boy promising to keep a run away slaves son safe and away from the slave hunter, while trying to get him to his family. it makes you want to keep reading it to see how the little boy reaches his destination.
March 26, 2012
Excellent book. I was riveted. I liked this even better than the last Mary Downing Hahn book I read. There are some hard subjects in this book, but they are not investigated in detail. I recommend it for juvie lit (7th and above) and an easy read for grown-ups.
June 8, 2013
I usually enjoy reading anything Hahn writes, but this one falls flat. The characters are poorly developed. The villiam would not have acted they way he did considering how it ended - huge plot problem. I felt like I was being told a story instead of shown a story.
June 27, 2013
All of Mary Downing Hahn's books leave you with a sense of enrichment. Promise's to the Dead wasn't an exception, and left me feelings enlightened. I highly recommend this book to any of Hahn's fans, or even someone who wants a good adventure story.
September 5, 2013
This book was pretty good. I usually don't like to read historical fiction, but this was pretty good. It starts really slow, but once you get past that part it gets exciting. It has a good story line and i learned a little about the Civil War. I would say read it for a historical fiction.
March 2, 2010
I read this book with G's 4th grade literature circle. It was not very well written, the ending was implausible, and I would not recommend it. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either.
July 12, 2010
Very engrossing story about a southern boy who helps a young slave escape to freedom. Lots of adventure and danger along the way.
Recommended.
Recommended.
October 24, 2010
It was an ok book, but it wasn't really scary or mysterious as I thought it would be.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews