Crossroads at Gettysburg

by Alan N. Kay

The North and South finally meet! But how will Thomas react when George's Confederates invade his home in Pennsylvania? Can Lynn's brother Daniel and Thomas withstand the Confederate onslaught? Will George's gallant charge across the field lead him right into the arms of his cousin Thomas? And most importantly, will Mary recover in time to stop her brother and cousin from killing each other before it's too late?

166 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2005

About the author

I am so excited about releasing my first ADULT NOVEL! It's both a historical novel and a contemporary story in which the main character unwittingly and reluctantly uncovers the greatest secret of the American Revolution! The trouble is, no one wants to know it! The book is called Neither King nor Country! Scroll down to click on it!

This story has been years in the making! It is a reflection of an incredible historical and personal journey I have been on in which I uncovered one of the greatest secrets in American History and I can't wait to share it with everyone!

My entire life has been dedicated to making history fun for adult and child alike. It started personally as a child fascinated with George Washington, the Revolution and growing up only an hour from Boston's Freedom Trail. As an adult I eventually became an award-winning teacher and author with more than 25 years of experience bringing stories to life.

I was extremely fortunate to win the most prestigious awards of my profession. They include:

The 2002 Daughters of the American Revolution Nation-wide Outstanding American History Teacher of the Year.

The state of Florida 2002 Outstanding American History Teacher of the Year.

The Gilder Lehrman 2006 American History Teacher for the state of Florida.

The 2004 Outstanding Educator of the Year in Pinellas County (a county of over 8,000 teachers).

The 2001 Florida History Fair Teacher of the Year, and a Finalist for the 2001 National History Day Teacher of the Year.

Finally, I was recently presented with a lifetime achievement award on the 20th anniversary of Pinellas County History Day; a competition that he started in 1999.

I began my writing career as the author of the Young Heroes of History set of novels: a historical fiction series for children. In addition I have also written a non-fiction book titled “I Love History but I Hated it in School” as well as numerous articles for various publications over the years. I will always be the most proud however, of my three beautiful adult children who are all finding their own paths to success.

A transplanted Yankee, I completed my Master’s in Education at the University of Massachusetts in Boston and received my Bachelor’s in history Cum Laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. I currently teach History at East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Reviews

[Wayne Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “Young Heroes of America” series follows the families of three Irish brothers who in 1846 had immigrated to the United States in the years leading up to and during the American Civil War. Fifteen-year-old Mary Adams and her friend Lynn Jones are living near Philadelphia and helping in the Northern war effort, but Mary has been very sick with a fever. Her fourteen-year-old brother Thomas, their uncle Robert, their cousins Zachary, Joshua, and Ethan, and Lynn’s twin brother Daniel are all fighting for the Union. Another cousin, fifteen-year-old George Adams, is fighting for the Confederacy under Major General George E. Pickett.

In the summer of 1863, Southern commander Robert E. Lee decides to take the war into Yankee territory, and a huge battle ensues at Gettysburg, PA. Will Thomas and George actually fight each other? And what will happen to each of them? Of course, everyone knows what happened generally at Gettysburg, but it is interesting to see how it plays out in the lives of the Adams family. Parents who are concerned about language issues will want to know that in addition to a few common euphemisms (heck, darn, crap), there are some cursing (various forms of the “d” and “h” words) and profanity (“My God” and “O Lord” used as interjections). Also, some of the descriptions of battle scenes are rather intense, especially for sensitive people.

For these reasons, even though the books are recommended for ages nine and up, I would personally suggest ages thirteen and up. However, if you are looking for a very realistic series about the Civil War that does a good job of presenting both sides of the conflict, the “Young Heroes of America” books will fill that bill. Books Seven through Ten will be available soon. Book #7, Breaking the Rules, will be about a free black friend of George’s who wants to join the Union army along with some of his pals. The others will deal with Sherman’s march to the sea, how the South suffered and their attitudes in defeat, the assassination of Lincoln, the reconstruction period, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a good read for boys. It definitely kept my interest and it was rather realistic as to portraying the battle scenes and no one is too old to read this novel. The boys are now interested in the Civil War history and are reading the entire series. Great choices for boys who want to read and want to be kept interested in history.

[Ashley Himmelsbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

great reflection of what the soilders went through