Calico Girl

by Jerdine Nolen

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
“A poignant and hopeful glimpse at the past for today ’ s curious readers.” —Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor author

From the award-winning author of Eliza ’ s Freedom Road comes the powerful tale of a slave girl ’ s triumphant journey to freedom with her family during the Civil War.

Twelve-year-old Callie Wilcomb and her family are enslaved, and the Civil War gives them hope that freedom may be on the horizon. On May 23, 1861, the State of Virginia ratified their vote to secede from the Union. In Virginia, a window was opened where the laws of the land no longer applied. Because of the Contraband Law, enslaved people no longer had to be returned to their owners, granting them a measure of protection and safety.

With the possibility of Callie and her family escaping their bonds forever, Callie is eager to learn and become educated and hopes to teach others one day. Through hardship and loss—with love and strong family ties—Callie proves that freedom is in her stars.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Civil War, Juvenile, African American, 19th Century

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having grown up in Virginia I was very interested in this story about Fort Monroe and how at one point, this Union fort was a haven for runaway slaves and freeman. I had never learned about this in school. While I enjoyed the history that I learned from this book, the actual story seemed flat and the character too one dimensional. Felt like I was reading journal entries rather then a story. The factual part was interesting but the story itself disappointing.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Callie Wilcomb is a slave. Freedom is in sight when she turns a certain age because her Papa is the (half) brother of their Mistress. Papa is free but Callie's mother, who died in childbirth, was a slave, as is Callie's stepmother Mama Ruth, Mama Ruth's son Joseph and Callie's brother Little Charlie. The Mistress has to legally free Callie but not the rest of the family. They belong to Master Henry, who is mean and selfish. When Callie's stepbrother Joseph is sold to pay the Master's debts before he marches off to war, Callie worries about her Mama Ruth and how they can still be a family even though they are apart. Callie's mistress Suze, the teenage daughter of her owner, is getting more like her father every day. How can Callie put up with this treatment? She longs for the day she will be free and can get an education. When will that time come? Then war is declared and Papa learns some surprising news that will change the Wilcomb family forever.

This is a unique story about a specific incident in American history. I like how the author focuses on just Fortress Monroe and the contraband story. I really appreciated how she put the history of the Civil War in brief paragraphs above each chapter heading instead of bogging down the story with too much history. I know the history of the war and I have read letters from Fortress Monroe so I was aware the U.S. Army sheltered runaway slaves as contraband of war. The story alternates points-of-view between Callie, her parents and her owners.

Callie is an interesting and relatable character. Named Callista, after a constellation, she longs to reach for the stars. All she wants is to be free to make her own decisions and get an education. Callie is a bit spunky but not too modern. She has a lot to worry about despite the protection of sharing blood with her owner. I really liked Callie's family and how they were all together and how they loved each other. The sale of Joseph rocked the family like nothing else had and really made Callie grow up and realize what she wants for herself. I think girls and boys, as well as adults, will root for Callie. Callie's Papa, Hampton, is a sweetheart. He adores his only daughter, the child of his late beloved wife. Hampton is a strong, intelligent, well-spoken man. He does what is best for his family and teaches his daughter to reach for the stars. Mama Ruth has a hard time speaking but she feels deeply. She fell in love with baby Callie right away and has been a great mother to her three children given the horrific conditions of slavery. She shows Callie that Callie deserves something nice, something pretty, all of her own. Callie's brothers don't have a voice, Joseph being "gone" and Little Charlie being sickly. Callie never resents her little brother and adores him.

The white family is complicated. I liked that they're not 100% evil slave masters. They're entrenched in the slave system and can't get out. The Mistress says she doesn't really understand slavery. Her father was English and not as set in his ways as her husband. Yet, her husband is doing the best he can. He was trained to be a lawyer, not an owner of a large tobacco plantation. He is sure of his superiority over the slaves but questions his decisions. Like Callie's Papa, he wants what is best for his family but in his eyes, Hampton does not equal family. Their daughter Suze is quickly growing up. She's a teenager now and torn between longing for Callie as a friend and her need for Callie to be her subordinate, her slave. All the characters are well drawn and I got a good sense of who they are.

At Fortress Monroe, we have a young soldier from Vermont who is instrumental in changing Callie's family fortunes. He was my only real quibble with the story. I've read letters from New England farmers, and as he said, they enlisted out of patriotic duty and never thought about the slaves. Some of the letters I have read don't mention slavery and others have complete contempt for contraband. I found this young soldier's change of heart a bit quick but it makes sense given the plot. His letter home seemed a little too polished and well written for a New England boy but that's a minor quibble. Mary S. Peake, a real life figure, appears here as a quasi-fictional character. She is a kindly teacher who takes a special interest in Callie, recognizing Callie's drive and determination similar to her own. Miss Peake serves as an inspiration and mentor to Callie when Callie needs a friend. Tragically, in real life, she died after teaching for only a few months, but I hope this fictional Mary Peake lives on to inspire more children like Callie. I wish this book had an epilogue! I want to know what happens after the war ends.

This a great book for 5th or 6th grade classrooms. It includes a historical note and bibliography.

[Kayden North · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always had an interest in Civil War era literature, and Calico Girl is a lovely tale of a young girl living during an important time in the war's history and provides context for the initiation of the Contraband Law. This book will be good for students in grades 3-6 learning about the Civil War, as it follows the story of a girl roughly their age who was born a slave and eventually finds freedom with her family. This could easily be used for a book club or whole group read-aloud for a unit on the Civil War, having students pause to talk about key moments in Callie's journey as they relate to different points in the history of the war. Calico Girl could also be used for a unit on multiple perspectives, as different chapters of the book are told from the viewpoints of different characters in Callie's life, including her own. This book taught me about a place in the Civil War that I had not heard of before, including characters inspired by real-life people I have never heard of before, and my only wish while reading it is that it was longer.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting and story line had the potential to be a good book, but the plot was not developed. The dialogue felt flat and the characters did not feel real. I gave the book two stars because the historical aspect was interesting.

[Ashley Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calico Girl By: Jerdine Nolen
Grade Recommendation: SIlent reading- 6th-7th Read aloud- 5th grade

Plot Summary: First we are introduced to the main character Callie, a slave from Virginia during the Civil war in 1861. Callie tells about her father and the rest of her “slave family” as the story begins. News of the upcoming war has now spread throughout the country and slave owners began to sell slaves in order to raise money for it. Sadly Callie’s half brother Joseph is sold by her mistress husband. However Callie is safe by law and will one day earn her freedom because her mistress is her father's half sister. As the war moves on a lucky window of opportunity arises for Callie and her family to escape to their freedom. The state of VIrginia on May 23rd ratifies their vote to succeed from the union. Meaning the laws over the land are no longer in affect and they slaves may leave their owners and not return. This is Callie’s first chance to head north and look for an education and freedom with her family. But they may meet heartbreak along the way. Seeking protection from bounty hunters looking for run off slaves. You’ll have to read the book to find out what fate has been written into Callie’s stars.

Strengths: The book overall had a lot of strengths within it. The way Nolen outlined the chapters with dates made it really easy to follow the timeline of the story. Along with the actual historical timeline that she included in the very beginning of the book. It would be very beneficial for a class currently learning about the Civil War. I also think that the characters she used in the book were very strong and used language that was very appropriate for the time period at the beginning of the book.

Weakness: A major weakness I noticed within the book was the fact that the plot line sped by way too fast and never really reached a peak moment. It was almost as if all of the events were suddenly just over and that there was never that really exciting hold your moment experience within the story. Also you learn that Callie's name is short for Callista, which is also known as the Great bear collistlantion in the sky. Her real name is used a few times by her father within the story so there are a few misconceptions with the name of the book being called “Calico” and not really have this term referenced within the book.

Personal Thoughts: Starting out I loved this book! I found myself reading it outloud and the pages flying by because I was so interested in it. Then the plot just all of a sudden seemed to go nowhere. It was as if the beginning of the book was the best part and the end fell flat for me personally. After they made it to the “safe” location and Callie started getting school lessons I lost interest. I do believe that the descriptions of events were excellent and could be a great read for students who are learning about the civil war but there wasn't enough excitement towards the end to keep a reader hooked. Which makes me very sad to say!

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled, struggled, struggled over this rating. The story of the enslaved people who essentially freed themselves by becoming "contraband" at Fort Monroe during the Civil War is SO important for people, especially children, especially Virginians, to know. And what we teach children about slavery glosses over the horrors of that institution, so much so that I believe that my own generation and the two after it really minimize the deleterious effects of slavery on our society today, an ignorance which only enables and emboldens white supremacy. So a middle grade novel that sheds light on the lives of enslaved people is SO important and so welcome.

I appreciate that Calico Girl can teach children some of the realities of what life as an enslaved person was like -- that your family members could be sold away from you and never seen again, that slavers sometimes fathered children with people enslaved by them, that education was valued and essential to freedom. But I also felt that some aspects of enslaved life were unrealistically cheery -- like, it seems unlikely that Callie's father would have been so openly embraced as a brother by a white plantation owner, and the characterization of him as treasured as a son by his father is belied by the fact that his father allowed his own grandchildren to remain enslaved. The ending of the book felt unrealistically joyful, given that conditions in Ft. Monroe were so difficult and that one child of the family had been sold South and the other had just died tragically.

The main difficulty I had with the book, though, was that the dialogue was so stilted and the characters were so wooden. If it were not for the dearth of other novels for children that focused on the lives of enslaved people, I'd rate it much lower on its merits as an enjoyable story. But it is such a necessary and welcome book, and I am delighted that, because of Calico Girl, more children will learn the inspiring story of what really happened at Fort Monroe.

[Lauren Blanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Calico girl” written by Jerdine Nolen is a WOW, historical fiction chapter book that depicts a family’s effort towards freedom. Callie Wilcomb, 12 years old, and her family were slaves in Virginia; it was the year 1861. Callie and her family went on a journey towards freedom, and Callie learned her passions and values in life. This is an inspiring story that highlights the disparities and challenges Callie and her family faced. This book would be best for grades 4-6, because it discusses topics such as The Civil War, slaves, refugees, and freedom; history topics that are connected to fourth through sixth grade standards.

“Calico girl” is a book that covers many topics, and encompasses a powerful message about being brave, and never giving up, even through difficult times. This is a WOW book that I would recommend to all children. It is engaging, and informs students of what it was like to be enslaved in the late 1800’s. This historical fiction book discusses topics such as slavery, The Civil War, refugees, and what it means to have freedom. Readers follow through the journey of Callie and her family, and their journey to becoming free. Callie learned to never give up, and follow her passions, because freedom is hers. “Calico girl” depicts an inspiring message that readers understand through Callie, the young 12-year-old girl, thoughts and ideas. Many upper elementary students are able to relate to, and understand topics through Callie’s thinking. The writing is simplistic, but powerful with deep messages that emerge after each chapter.

I would use this in my classroom to create a discussion about The Civil War, and slavery. This book illustrates a real-life encounter of a family of slaves, who wanted freedom. I would have a whole group discussion with my students about the struggles that slaves faced in the late 1800’s. We would watch a short historical video that educates students about slavery, and then compare what we learned from the video, to the book, and what Callie and her family faced. I would also use this book to give students a mini-project about freedom. We would talk about what it meant to be “free” and students would write down the freedoms they have and use on a daily basis. Students would discuss with a small group the freedoms they have. We could come together as a whole group, and students would be given the opportunity to share.

This historical fiction book is a read that keeps readers engaged throughout each chapter. Not only do you get to follow the journey of Callie and her family to freedom, readers learn about historical topics such as The Civil War, and slavery. Readers also learn about the bravery and passion the main character Callie displays; the book is inspirational and a must read for all!

[Kristen Holland Shear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for my kids on the recommendation of a middle school teacher whom I adore and ended up devouring it myself. This book made me laugh, cry, scream, shudder. It's a stark and important glimpse at life at the turn of the Civil War for blacks.

Calico Girl should be an essential read for middle school-aged kids, particularly today, when racial tensions are so high.

I appreciate that the book opens with historical background notes about the Civil War, slavery, seceding, etc. These are important lessons that need to be introduced before the main story because it sets the stage for the very real, life or death stakes faced by many during the time period. The included timeline is also incredibly helpful for those of us who haven't read about the Civil War in some time.

Overall, this is an incredibly powerful book. Nolen approaches a difficult topic with grace. Like others have said, I understand why parents have not wanted to talk to their kids about slavery. I can't say that I've done so with my own children. In many ways, slavery is tougher than "the talk" because it means owning up to the fact that humans don't always treat each other the way they should be treated. Nobody wants to admit that. Kudos to Nolen for writing a middle-grade appropriate book that doesn't shy away from the hard stuff.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nolen, Jerdine Calico Girl. 192 pages. Paula Wiseman (Simon & Schuster), 2017. $16.99. Content: Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: PG Violence: G.

It is 1861 and twelve-year-old Callie lives with her family on a plantation in Virginia. Her father, Hampton is a free man, but he stays on the plantation with the rest of his family who are not. Although the Civil War has begun, Virginia ratifies their vote to secede from the Union and no longer adheres to the laws of the United States. Callie and her family leave the plantation and journey to Fort Monroe, which has become a refuge for slaves. It is here where Callie gets to attend school for the first time and she and her family experience true freedom.

The book begins with a timeline of slavery in the United States which gives a historical background for the story. While I enjoy the book being told from the perspective of an enslaved child, I found it to be a slow read. While middle schoolers may not voluntarily take this book out for their personal reading, it is a good resource to have for students studying slavery and the Civil War.

MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Nancy W.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...

[⚜️Krithika⚜️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great historical book, with great sentiments and a slow, yet, heartful plot.

This book is set in the 1800's at the onset of the civil war. Twelve-year-old, Callista, who is called Callie lives with her stepmother, dad, and her brothers at Belle Hill farm. Callie is a free slave just as her father, though on the farm they both are treated just like slaves. Callie has to constantly run after Suse and has to put up with whatever Suse says orders.

When Callie sees her family get an opportunity to go live at Fort Monroe in Virginia, to be safe and live as freedmen, her family jumps to the opportunity. Callie gets the chance to attend school, and live life on her own terms and not on the terms of her owner. When new opportunities arise and Callie dreams of her life now that she is free, Callie doesn't know what to do.

But in the end, Callie learns that is up to her to pave the path for her destiny, and she is no more limited by the barriers created by others. Callie learns that no matter how far we are from our loved ones, we are connected by the same stars we look up to in the sky.

Great book, that resonates with common themes of slavery, hope, freedom, and dreams. This book would be good for ages 10-13.

[Sophia Catella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callista (Callie) Wilcomb lived on the Warren Plantation the year of 1861. Her father Hampton was a freed man according to the marriage agreement that his half sister Catherine and her husband Henry Warren (the owner of the plantation) made. Callie would be a freed woman later in life because she is Hampton's heir. Callie's mother died shortly after giving birth to her. Hampton re-married to a woman named Mama Ruth. Mama Ruth already had a son by the name of Joseph. Later Mama Ruth and Hampton had a child named Little Charlie. The marriage agreement protected only Hampton's heirs heirs even though he re-married. The agreement wouldn't protect Joseph or Mama Ruth. Will they stay together or will the laws of slavery tear them apart?

Slavery controlled everyone. Slaves were forced to obey their masters. Slavery even controlled masters because they traded slaves which was normal to do. Everyone was impacted by slavery either positively or negatively.

If readers are fans of historical fiction, they would highly enjoy this book. There are twists and bittersweet moment that are well written.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Callie is a slave, but will one day be free like her father, who is the half-brother of the mistress of the plantation. However, Callie's mother who died, her step-mother, Mama Ruth, and Mama Ruth's children before marrying Callie's father, will not be legally free. In fact, the master of the plantation sells Mama Ruth's eldest son, Joseph, to help pay for debts now that he is going off to war.

As southern states secede from the country, Callie's dad learns that the Fugitive Law which requires that runaway slaves, even to the north, must legally be returned to the their masters, is now null and void because Virginia is now considered to be a foreign entity. Fort Monroe, Virginia opens its doors to slaves and their families and Callie's father takes advantage of this opportunity to help his family escape slavery.

The fort provides a safe haven and an opportunity for slaves to be educated and Callie, with her new calico dress, will go north to become a teacher.

I found this tidbit of history about the fort to be most interesting. The relationship between slaves and master's children was also interesting--especially when they were related.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential read for any 5/6 historical fiction unit. The author takes many pains to ground the story in facts that the reader will understand. The book opens with historical background notes, rather than hiding them at the end. This is such a smart decision. The civil war, slavery, and seceding are big ideas that get time on the pages, this grounding the setting and the stakes.

Probably coming in around a Guided Reading level X, the book tells one story with a mostly linear structure with some movement in time that readers must infer. While perspective does not change, the author does zoom in on specific characters to show how Calle and they interact and react to each other.

There are some complicated truths that a reader can miss. Half-siblings, interracial relationships, and “civility” are all part of the events and relationships, but again the reader must infer.

Over all, this is a story with stakes that is hard but not violent. One must read the underlying tension to appreciate the story, so it is definitely written for active readers. What an important work.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession - it has been many, many years since I have studied or read about the Civil War. With that in mind, dates and how it all went down were all muddled together in my brain.

I loved that this books begins with a timeline! I found the timeline helped to place this historical fiction into a real historical context. I also found that my tangled mess of memories began to unwind prior to reading and it made the story much more meaningful.

This is a powerful story written by Nolen, as she approaches a challenging and difficult topic with grace. Let's be honest - slavery is UGLY. I get why many parents have wanted to protect children from "hard" topics - even N0len's own father didn't want to talk about it. However, compassion only comes through understanding. And understanding cannot come from ignorance. Kudos to Nolen for writing about the ugliness, without shying away from "hard" ... all the while writing a middle-grade appropriate book!

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of this book or author before and stumbled upon it at my local library. The beginning jumps a bit between perspectives and takes a moment to follow. The different perspectives does give you an idea into the different thoughts of both master and slave and the varying thoughts even between different slaves' minds and different masters' minds. It is a good snapshot of the movement from slavery to freedom at Fort Monroe, and a great picture into what a girl growing up would have felt and thought about this transition. I feel like a bit of the time in the fort moves quickly and there is a lot more that could have been discussed there. The ending was a bit abrupt as well. Overall, it was a decent read and would certainly lead to some good conversations about the time period, freedom, and more.

[Addison Children's Services · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is 1861 in Virginia and the Civil War has begun. For her entire life, Callie Wilcomb has been a slave on Mister Henry's plantation, expected to serve and obey his daughter Suse. But Callie's father is a free man, and he is determined the rest of his family will be free as well. At Fort Monroe (controlled by the Union Army), Callie's father finds out slaves will be offered a safe place to stay, as long as they can make it there. Callie and her family travel to Fort Monroe, and Callie experiences her first taste of freedom. While Callie is happy to be free and to be given the opportunity to go to school, tragedy soon strikes her family. Callie knows she needs to find the strength to go on, but she's just not sure how.

[Carli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one, I really did. It hits a part of history that is lesser-known. At the onset of the Civil War, there was a small window of opportunity for slaves. Fort Monroe in Virginia offered refuge for slaves and did not return them to bounty hunters and slave owners because they were considered contraband of war, and the states that had seceded were now a foreign country. Callie’s family is given the chance to start over and live freely within the fort. While the premise was interesting, the execution was not there. The story just never really took off; despite being a short read, this one dragged for me. Best for upper elementary and maybe young middle school readers, in my opinion.

[Marilyn Showalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical Fiction
4th-6th+ grade reading level
This book gives a great perspective on what it was like to be a slave during the American Civil War. The author portrays a young-girl who the reader will empathize with as she encounters sadness and struggles. However, this book gives a hope of freedom as her and her family take shelter at a Union fort. This would be great for students to read as they are studying the Civil War. It gives a good perspective of the differences between the North and the South during this time.

[Sophie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be very disappointing. At no point did it hook me as a reader. The dialog was unrealistic and I didn't care about the characters, and kept waiting for the plot to pick up. There were also editing errors: one sentence that didn't make sense, a character's name misspelled, and in a review on the back the main character's name was wrong (Callie is short for Callista, not Calico). I do not recommend.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

154pgs

1861, Virginia. 12 year old Callie and her family along with other slaves leave the plantation when they hear that Fort Monroe, under Union control, has declared escaped slaves to be "contraband" and will not return slaves that arrive at the fort to their slave masters.

Inspired by true events.

[Lanora TM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nolen did a great job with her research and sharing it on a level for children; however, some of the conversations between characters felt a little too forced and a little too smooth. Conflict was mostly brought up in chapter blurbs; however, I appreciate the time map and explanations to help guide readers.

[Lauren Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the overall story and appreciate the history, however, it wasn't well written. I found myself constantly wanting to edit. I was hoping to use this with my students in literature, but I chose not to since it is subpar as a literary work.

[Jill CD · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this book although historical fic is one of my favorite genres. The characters were flat and the story too rushed for me.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Melissa E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fairly easy read set in the Civil War....interesting juxtaposition to From the Shadows of Liberty (NF book). We are told the story of a young girl enslaved in the South and her journey to freedom.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book started strong, but it faded in the second half. Don't think my 9 year old will enjoy.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid middle grade historical fiction, it definitely appealed due to the setting being so close to home!

[Sara Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story of this family's escape from slavery.

[Yapha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise was fascinating but the writing was slow and kept me at arm's length the whole time. I never felt invested in the characters or the story. Disappointing.

[Tori Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story in general, but I found the plot line a little weak and the story was kind of short.