Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl

Dear America

by Patricia C. McKissack

In acclaimed author Patricia McKissack's latest addition to the Dear America line, Lozette, a French slave, whose masters uproot her and bring her to America, must find her place in the New World.

Arriving with her French masters in upstate New York at the tail end of the French-Indian War, Lozette, "Zettie," an orphaned slave girl, is confronted with new landscapes, new conditions, and new conflicts. As her masters are torn between their own nationality and their somewhat reluctant new allegiance to the British colonial government, Zettie, too, must reconsider her own loyalties.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Historical, Diary

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Patricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).

Reviews

[Kelsey Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again I'm behind in my goal so I'm reading the Dear America books that I missed in my childhood. This one was interesting for me because I actually did learn more about a topic than I had expected. Generally, I have at least a base knowledge of the events that inspire these books, but I will admit that I didn't realize how different slavery was treated in the colonies vs. Europe. I also liked how the author wrote the relationship between Lozette and her owner, she cares about Lozette, but still views her very much as property.

[Emory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to be OBSESSED with the Dear America series and I decided to go back to my roots during this quarantine. I’m glad that I did. This is one of the more forgettable Dear Americas I’ve read (I find that I prefer the ones set in the 19th/early 20th century) but it was a fun reminder of my childhood.

The book follows Lozette, a French slave girl who is a companion to her mistress as they travel to the New World to find a lost family member. Lozette longs for freedom and struggles to create an identity for herself during her time in Fort Niagara. The characters lacked development, but that’s the hazard of reading a children’s book series as an adult.

I was struck by the end thinking about Zettie’s intense desire for freedom. It’s hard to relate to something like that when you have never known anything else. It was a good reminder not to take privileges for granted.

[Ana Mardoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look to the Hills (New York Colony) / 0-439-21038-0

Lozette Moreau is a pampered French slave, a "companion" to her mistress, and her life is one of ease and luxury. Her "work" consists of following her mistress to the opera, and practicing fencing with her, never manual labor under harsh conditions. She is never beaten or harmed, she is taken exceptionally good care of, her mistress loves her, and she is allowed to speak her mind as she sees fit. And yet, through all this, she is a slave. If her family needs money, or if her mistress tires of her, she can be sold at any moment, against her will, and uprooted. And though she is loved, as a slave she is never truly respected or treated as anything more than a human 'pet'.

Lozette longs for freedom. Throughout her adventures in America, she eloquently argues that she can never be a true friend to her "companion" unless her friendship is freely given and could be freely taken away. She argues that without the ability to refuse to be a companion, any "choice" she has to be a companion is meaningless and not true friendship. As her mistress searches for her lost brother and learns about life in America, outside of high society, she comes to respect both her own African slave and the American Indians she encounters in her travels. When she finds her lost brother married to an American Indian, she recognizes that they are much happier in America than in France, and she chooses to follow her brother's example - becoming a wife and a friend to people not of her own race.

This is a beautiful Dear America book and will touch the reader's heart. As Lozette struggles passionately for her freedom, we are caught up in the narrative as we pray that she will be successful and will win what so many were able to only dream of.

~ Ana Mardoll

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Lozette Moreau, called Zettie, has lived all her life since she was a baby in the French countryside as the companion to Marie-Louise Boyer, called Ree, daughter of a wealthy nobleman. Although she is still considered a slave, as Ree's companion she is treated well, able to read and write, and to speak French, Spanish, and English. But when Ree's father dies and her brother Pierre inherits everything, he loses the family fortune with his bad decisions. Now he is going to sell Zettie, and force Ree into marriage to a man she despises. Then Ree learns that her other brother Jacques, presumed dead in the war with the English, may be alive, and living with Indians in the Colonies. Ree and Zettie escape to Spain and then travel across the ocean to the New World, where they end up living at Fort Niagara. In her diary, Lozette describes their journey, their experiences at Fort Niagara at the end of the French and Indian War, and her own longing to be considered free.

I highly recommend this new book to all readers who love the Dear America series. I especially love Colonial American settings and I liked reading a different type of slavery story. Zettie was well treated but still longed to be a free person. It's a very unique book sure to be enjoyed by readers of middle grade historical fiction.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out thinking this book was ridiculous--it was difficult for me to suspend my disbelief. Now, I'm more than willing to suspend it for good reason or a good story, but the difficulty of the task the two main characters undertook did not match the ease with which is was carried out. (Does that sentence even make sense? Anyway...) Things took a turn for the better when they reached the Colonies. The story became more engaging and believable and I actually enjoyed the last half quite a bit. I'm still keeping with the three star rating though, since the flaws were distracting.

[Kat Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a spate of repetitive, kind of forgettable entries in the series, I appreciated look to the hills. Patricia McKissack is one of my favorite authors in the series; her characters always feel richly drawn and like REAL people. I also like how she describes her research process in the back matter.

While the plot is definitely a little absurd, at least it was interesting! I appreciated seeing Zettie interact with all kinds of different people--indigenous, enslaved, and colonizers--as she contemplates the hierarchies of power and what it means to truly be free.

My only real complaints are that this wraps up pretty quickly and out of nowhere, and the refrain, "Look to the hills!" becomes a little irritating. Like, we get it.

As a whole, I enjoyed this book because the nonwhite narrator, premise, and time period felt fresh and the storyline was engaging. While I do think the quality of the books in the series definitely dropped over time, this was one of the few bright spots in the second half of the titles.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I reread this book for work. I know I read it when I was a kid, but I remembered next to nothing about it, and it had faded from my memory. Now, though, I can see this book for the underrated gem it is in the Dear America series. It's the ONLY Dear America book that deals with slavery pre-Civil War, and it handles the topic in such a way that it's very clear that Zettie has no control at all over life while still keeping it developmentally appropriate for the age group for which this book is designed. It's without a doubt the most underrated book in the series, and I'm so, so glad I can use it for educational programming at my job!

[Alyssa]

This is a very good book, especially if you are looking for a historical fiction book. You will also like this book if you are interested in the indians and colonists in the 1700s. But, I think you should have a high lexile level to read it, some words were hard to pronounce.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fictional diary of a young girl who is a slave girl in a house in France. Through a series of unfortunate events she ends up going to the New World (still as a slave), at a time of trouble between France and England and Native Americans and others.

It's a story that points up some of the many, many problems with the concept of slavery. It also shows how the Native Americans were mistreated by the British government, in particular, and by colonists. It brings up one of the earlier achievements in biological warfare, when blankets infected with smallpox germs were given to Native Americans on purpose so that they would sicken and die.

In other words, people reading this novel will get a good insight into some of the many, and most insidious forms of intolerance that have happened in the New World in particular.

As usual, there is an excellent historical information section provided, putting some of the events into perspective with other things going on in the world at the time.

This novel, as the others, is also written in a very believable, readable and interesting style. It's the type of book that you don't really want to put down until you've read "just a few more pages." Definitely worth getting.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born on a slave ship, Lozette never knew her mother. The Captain gave her a last name, and sold her to a French nobleman, to be a companion for his daughter. Life is good in Provence, France until the oldest Boyer son is killed in the French and Indian War. Youngest son, Pierre, suddenly inherited the family estate, when Papa dies of the heartache of his first born's death. Alas, Pierre, is a rogue. In record time, he acquires such debt, the family home, furnishings, house staff, and servants must be sold off. Sister Marie-Louise is to be married off as well. Zettie and Ree are about 15 and neither are happy. Soon Ree shows her spunk by agreeing to the marriage only if her groom will purchase Zettie. This was determined because of her friendship with Saint Georges, who agrees to attack the coach to free the girls from this disasterous arrangement.

Things go as planned; they end up in Cadiz, Spain. Here, they learn oldest brother, Jacques is not dead, but living with the Indians near Detroit. From Spain, they go to Nova Scotia in winter. Here there is a flurry of adventure and events, resulting in all characters building a new life in the new world.

[Priscilla Herrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another in the Dear America series, Patricia C. McKissack's Look to the Hills is the story of a French slave girl who comes to the New York Colony in 1763 with her mistress.

When we think of pre-Revolutionary America, we usually think of either New England or the Southern colonies - areas settled predominantly by English settlers. This book is especially interesting because it takes place in the frontier area of Western New York, a colony first settled by the Dutch. And Lozette and her mistress travel to what was French Canada until the British acquired the land which still included many French fur traders and inhabitants. We learn of the Codes Noir - the Black Codes - enforced by the French, which spell out how masters were and were not permitted to treat their slaves.

Here we learn about Chief Pontiac's attacks on the forts, and of Lord Jeffrey Amherst's plan to give Indians smallpox infested blankets in a deliberate act of genocide.

For me, the greatest pleasure of this book was the less well known view of colonial America.

[Tracey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Children's fiction; historical. This diary follows the travels and thoughts of a French girl's companion slave; Lozette and her "owner" Marie-Louise escape the clutches of M.'s would-be husband and embark on an adventure (or at least a very long journey) that will end with them finding M's brother (a captive of the English during the French and Indian war), M. getting married to someone she actually likes, and L. being granted her freedom. I read the first 50 pages or so then started skimming, then gave up. The writing is somewhat decent but the characters/plot need more development.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I like about this story is that Zettie is given a unique hobby. She may sound a bit older than her 12 years (even for the time), but she is an interesting character. The period after the French and Indian War to the Revolution isn't talked about much, so this story fills in gaps. It is also a good bridge to the Dear Canada series.

[Drucilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The epilogue makes it really confusing as to whether or not Lozette is based on a real person. Hopefully she's not because the epilogue is kind of sad. Other than that, I liked that the book dealt with French slavery practices. We hear all about American slavery, but never about what slavery was like in other countries. It was interesting.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 1760s African enslaved lady's maid escapes France with her mistress and they end up in colonial New York, where they stay and become American. It's a rather preposterous tale, but it's based on a true story. The writing is plain and accessible (good but imparts no flavor of the time or country) and I am glad the author unearthed this story to share with a wider audience.

[Musiquedevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patricia McKissack writes a wonderful, detailed story of Lozette Moreau and her journey from France to Fort Niagara. The characters were wonderfully written and the scenes were detailed, putting you right in the heart of the story. I always enjoy Ms. McKissack's work and this novel was no exception.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the few two-star Dear America books for me. With any Dear America book, there is some aspect of suspended disbelief. But I felt that the premise of this one contained too many hard-to-believe things. In addition, I felt that the character of Lozette (or Zettie, as she was called) was never fully developed. Her personality never quite shone through.

[Kimberly OutspokenMom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book told about some topics we haven't learned much about: slavery before the Revolutionary War, and slavery in other countries. The characters were very believable, but after the first half of the book, it didn't have much of a plot.

[Pollyanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. But I have to admit that for most of the book I thought it was an actual diary, not written by an author. When I realized it I was a little disappointed. But even still it was well written and had very interesting information and point of view.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is a great way to learn history, especially for children and adolescents. As an adult, I still read this series for learning about periods of history and seeing if I'd like to know more.

This book was very good.

[Tiffany Garcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not hold my attention well.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

AH!! French SLAVE girl?? oh crap.

[Madeline Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very into the Dear America Series at one point, but honestly, I don't know why. The books were o.k., but not very interesting at all.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting point of view. I learned about the French and Indian War although it was a little disjointed.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a whit!!!!!

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was really fascinating. It had immigration, political unrest, pioneering and unlikely friendship and the persepective of a different culture all in one book.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading two of the Dear Canada Series in a row, I found this volume of Dear America to be a little lackluster. On the other hand, it IS one of the better D.A. titles I've read.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awrsome

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a great deal about life as a slave in another country as well as the area formerly known as New France, but presently called Canada.