Turn Homeward, Hannalee

Hannalee #1

by Patricia Beatty, Various (Illustrator)

As the Civil War comes to a close, resourceful Hannalee must find her way home. In this classic historical fiction for young readers, plucky twelve-year-old Hannalee Reed, sent north to work in a Yankee mill, struggles to return to the family she left behind in war-torn Georgia. This powerful early-middle grade novel, based on historical events, reveals a little-known side to our most significant American conflict. "A fast-moving novel based upon an actual historical incident with a spunky heroine and fine historical detail." (S chool Library Journal) "There are few authors who can consistently manage both to entertain and inform." ( Booklist)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Middle Grade, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction, School

208 pages

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Patricia Beatty (1922 - 1991) was an American author of award-winning children's and young adult historical fiction novels.

She was born in Portland, Oregon, and was a longtime resident of southern California. After graduating from college, she taught high school English and history, and later held various positions as a science and technical librarian, and also as a children's librarian. She taught Writing Fiction for Children at several branches of the University of California.

She wrote over 50 novels, and co-write 10 of them with her husband, John L. Beatty.

Beatty died in Riverside, California in 1991.

Reviews

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Civil War has been raging for three years now. Twelve-year-old Hannalee Reed’s father died in an Army hospital last winter and her older brother was currently in Virginia fighting for the Confederacy. She and her little brother, Jem, spend their days working in the mill making cloth for the soldiers while her mother awaits the birth of her fourth child. When Union soldiers arrive in her hometown of Roswell, Georgia, they burn down the mill and gather all of the millworkers—charging each one with treason and sending them to Tennessee and Kentucky by train. Before Hannalee is taken away, her mother pulls a button from her blouse and tells her daughter, “Wherever you go, keep this to remind yourself to come home. Turn your heart to me. Turn homeward, Hannalee!” Despite the miles between them and the impossible odds that lie ahead of her, Hannalee made her mother a promise that she would find a way home again and that is what she intended to do.

Precious is the book that not only entertains the soul of a young reader, but also enlightens their mind as well. Patricia Beatty’s Turn Homeward, Hannalee is such a book. The first half of Beatty’s book is based on actual events that occurred in July 1864 when the Yankee cavalry arrived in Roswell, Marietta, and New Manchester, Georgia, rounded up nearly two thousand mill workers, and put them all on trains heading north to either work in Union mills or to provide household or farm help to northern families. Like most of the soldiers before them, most of these workers were never heard from again—their futures forever remaining a mystery. Although Beatty targets her book for readers aged ten and older, she doesn’t shy away from depicting the cruelty, ugliness, and inhumanity that comes with war. Hannalee and Jem get to witness first-hand the horrors of the battle of Franklin, which lasted only six hours but was a terrible defeat for the Confederacy. Hannalee described the bloody scene before her by uttering, “I reckoned it was like looking into hell, and I felt sick inside.”

Although Beatty provides readers with a lot of facts and details surrounding the war, her book reads less like a history lesson and more like a thrilling action and adventure story where a new danger or challenge awaits our fearless heroine at every turn of the page. And even though Hannalee Reed sprang from Beatty’s wonderful imagination, it would be nice to think that among the eighteen hundred Georgian mill workers that simply vanished from government records, that there were a few girls—like Hannalee Reed—who traveled hundreds of miles through battlefields and blood and who survived hunger and the elements to make their way back home. That they did all of this because they had made a promise to their mothers and that was a promise worth keeping.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that the Union Army removed men, women, and children who worked in Confederate cloth mills from their towns and sent them hundreds of miles away to servitude in the North because they were traitors for helping clothe the Confederate Army? Me neither until I read this book alongside my son.

Hannalee is a survivor, and she proves it by her dedication to return to her family far across battle lines.

The first half of the book is based on the author’s historical research, and she completed a plausible ending with guesswork. The book was an accurate rendering of the suffering accompanying war, but it was within a tolerable range for my middle grade son. Parents with sensitive readers may want to research before reading. There are mentions of drunk soldiers taking advantage of girls, and Hannalee witnesses a murder. The children also spend the night in a tree above a battlefield. The smoke prevents them from seeing the battle, but they hear it and walk through the field of dead the next morning.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I use the novel, Charley Skedaddle in one of my classes, I was intrigued to find that Patricia Beatty has written other books dealing with young people during the Civil War. While my students want a sequel to Charley Skedaddle, there is not one. So, I'm on a journey to read her other novels of this genra. In this particular novel, Hannalee lives a few miles north of Atlanta. Even at her young age, she works in a mill that makes cloth for Confederates. When the Union soldiers come into the area, they send all of the mill workers north as they are considered treasonous to the Union. Once northe they are placed in various situations, ie. farmhands, working in other mills, maids, servants. Hannalee is determined to get her brother and herself home to her Mom. The novel details their escape and their trip south. I found while there are a lot of historical accuracies, it was really difficult to believe these children and the trip they made. Is a good read, howeve, and I'm sure my students wanting more Civil War historical novels, will like this one.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our family enjoyed this book as a fun read-aloud. It really made the kids think about life during the Civil War for all the poor Southerners who were just trying to mind their own business and live their lives and how the war effected them. This is the story of one 12 year old girl who is deported North when General Sherman shuts down all the textile mills in order to help force a Northern victory. You get a good sense of the people on both the North and South: both the good, bad, and the ugly. A real eye-opener. One of the most interesting moments is when Hannah and her brother witness a real battle. It's not at all what they thought it would be. And it was really good at convincing my kids that War is an ugly thing that destroys lives on both sides of the conflict.

[Allison Redd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictionalized account of the true story of Roswell, GA, mill hands who were captured by Union forces in 1864 and sent north by train to Kentucky and Indiana. Glimpses of the cannon light from the battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and an up-close description of the Battle of Franklin set this within important episodes of the Civil War. For young adult historical fiction, I greatly enjoyed this as it involved so much geography and history from my adopted state of Georgia. This book made me want to take a field trip over to Vickery Creek and see the ruins of the Roswell mills.

[Annette Alden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one, but it's definitely one for older tweens. A family's Dad is shot in front of them by a marauder. But of course, it is during the Civil War.

Hannalee is taken away to work in a northern mill, as northerners burned the mill she worked in in Georgia. As she works to keep a promise to her mother to return South, this book reads a little like Cold Mountain as she works her way back through the southern ruins. A really good war story.

[Tamara York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read this with my daughter as part of her Civil War study. I enjoyed this because it was the story of a brave girl trying to return home with her little brother. It was also set in Marietta and Roswell, GA where I grew up. The battle of Franklin played a big part and that is near where I live now. It was great to read a book that used such familiar settings.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read this book It was amazing. When Hannalee Gets taken away the book got rely interesting. I enjoyed This book very much. Patrica Betty did a very Good job writing this book.

[M.K.B. Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for middle-school readers, Turn Homeward, Hannalee, is a quick and interesting read. Although I knew much about the Civil War, this is an episode I was wholly unfamiliar with. The book tells the story of young Hannalee Reed who is captured by the "bluebellies" and sent to Indiana to work in a mill; the story is an interesting and little-known twist on the North's own version of slave labor. That author has beautifully captured the South's vernacular and dialog, lending the book an especially authentic feel. Reminiscent of Katherine Patterson's books, it's a great read, even for adults.

[EJ Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children's book offers a first-hand look at the removal of the Roswell mill workers, an often overlooked event in War Between the States history. Patricia Beatty manages the keep the story entertaining while also education, and while there are occasional jumps in narration and the story feels a little short, young readers will have gotten an introduction to the period which will likely leave them interested in learning more. Beatty is also surprisingly adapt utilization dialect.

I would recommend this book for students between 4th and 6th grade interested in history.

[Kimbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an event that actually took place. There was a mill in Roswell, Georgia, where the women and children were taken by the Union Army during the Civil War and relocated up north. Most were sold as slaves. It's a shame they leave this kind of stuff out of the history books, leaving us with an incomplete picture of what happened. Hannalee is one of the girls that get stolen, along with her little brother, taken up north, and sold as a slave. She has a survivor's spirit and mentality and is determined to return home.

[Cierra McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My love for this book can not be described properly nor adequately.

This has got to be one of my ultimate favorites from when I was a little girl.

Maybe it's something to do with the fact that it's a young girl having to be strong and stick to wits to find her way back to what she knows best got me.

Fantastic read and I would recommend it.

[Jennifer Rucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! I adore all things Civil War. Since this book took place in Roswell, Georgia (where my ancestors have lived for hundreds of years and would have lived through the burning of the Roswell Mills) and took place in Marietta,Georgia (where I grew up)- I especially enjoyed this book. How sad that so many of these young children and women never made it back home

[Rachel]

It's about A southern 12 yearold girl named Hanalee. She got taken away from home. Now she's trying to find her way back home. Setting: Around Civil War time

[Devyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

More often than not, you come across a children's book more entertaining and more to the point than any adult book, ever. This is one such book.

[adaynasmile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book about the Civil War. All 5 of my boys enjoyed the book, even though the chapters were long and they sit for a good 30 plus minutes of listening.

In this book we follow Hannalee, Jem, and Rosselen as they are pushed out of their Southern homes, and forced into servitude in the land of the North. The three of them encounter a variety of different situations, and discovered that there are good and bad people no matter where you go. After a period of time Hannalee and Jem turned back towards their home and fought their way back to their mother (who had been left in the South). The kids end up seeing aspects of the war that were absolutely horrendous.

What I really appreciated about the book was not just that my kids got to experience the Civil War through the eyes of children in this living book, but that they were able to see that good and bad is not clear cut. We talked a lot about how we perceive things, how sometimes bad things end up being good, and how we can find good in bad circumstances. We also talked a lot about how there are good and bad people in every group that you encounter.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Making my way slowly through all of the Sonlight books I bought for US and world history. This one was a Civil War book and while I am growing increasingly intolerant of "poor Confederacy" stories, this is one about some children from Georgia who went missing during the war. It mostly sidesteps slavery and the exploitation of people of color. I think the author did that on purpose. She chose an event/location where there were no slaves working and focused on that story. It's a bit of a copout. It is also a good story and a good intro into the terribleness of war and the poverty that inevitably follows the losers of a war.

It gave me things to think about, that were not necessarily the intent of the author. However, the writing was solid and the book used the speech patterns of the people of rural Georgia without making it ridiculous to the average reader. I think this is going to be one of our summer read- alouds.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed to read this book as I run the gift shop in a historic house in Roswell, GA and was looking for appropriate materials to carry. This young readers chapter book is a fictitious accounting of a Civil War atrocity that took place in our community, and I was checking it for authenticity. I found the book very well written, accurately researched - as much as is possible for this difficult story - and a sensitive portrayal of the mill workers in the south. It is not a story about slaves in the south, for, after all, mill workers and that class of citizens would not have had slaves, but their vision of the civil war is also relevant.
I think Ms. Beatty wrote a wonderful, sympathetic story with rich characters that the young reader could identify with while learning a valuable history lesson.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this along with my kids for school. I really enjoyed the introduction to this historical event, mill workers being taken by Yankee troops for work in the north and to stop prodution in the south. The perspective of a working class, non-slave-holding family in the South (the majority but not usually the heroes of civil war era novels or movies) was refreshing. It helps young readers to go beyond the simplicty of South and slavery is and north and abolition is good, to see how many people were caught up in the war and affected by it. You do have to withhold some incredulity to believe that the kids happened to stumble into the situations that they did and were able to travel as far as they did, but it does allow the author to introduce people, places, and events from history through the story.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our most recent lunch read-aloud. The boys (ages 10, 8, and 6) really loved it. We haven't studied the Civil War yet, so they learned a lot and were inspired to learn more. They asked many great questions. Most of all, they enjoyed hearing dozens of references to spots we know very well - Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Roswell, Vickery Creek, Savannah, etc. We don't read a lot of historical fiction, but apparently its a genre that is a big hit with my kids! Hannalee is a brave, thoughtful character and the realities of war are felt without being overly intense for elementary-aged students.

[ck361 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I read this book together. It’s a fantastic historical fiction book. We live near many of the places featured in this book, so we were able to visit and feel more connected; It really changed the way we viewed where we live.

If you’re reading this book aloud, be prepared to get your country twang on. I found myself continuing to talk the way the characters do even after reading. It’s intense. I’m not even from the south.

Fantastic book everyone should read, especially if you’re introducing the Civil War to kids.

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different perspective on the Civil War than the usual portrayal of slaves and plantations. This middle grade book focuses on the women and children who worked in the Southern mills, making the fabric and other cloth items that the Confederate army needed. Late in the war, Union soldiers shipped many of these workers to the North as yet another way to defeat the South by depleting its workforce and firing its mills.

Side note: the cover art is awful and doesn't reflect the quality of the story.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

At Big Sur I learned about the young woman librarian who hiked all over Monterey county to establish pubic libraries. I wanted to read the story Beatty wrote about her but EIGHT MULES FROM MONTEREY isn’t available at the library, and this was. Before I bought a copy I wanted to make sure Beatty could write and she can. Well-written and researched, thoughtful, age appropriate and an interesting, little-known story of the civil war.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turn Homeward, Hannalee is a intriguing historical fiction. It is about Hannalee and her brother Jem. They get captured by the Yankees and taken to different states, leaving their pregnant mother to live with a neighbor. It is about their adventure trying to escape and turn homeward. I absolutely enjoyed this book because it has suspense and action, as well as emotion and sadness. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in American history.

[Leslie Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book even if it was from the Confederates perspective in the Civil War. Hanna Lee is a Mill worker in Georgia. Because of the war, the Yankees take all the mill workers and send them away to work for them and burn down the mill. Hannalee goes with her brother and friend out to work and promises her mom that she will come back. War is war whatever side you are on and it’s not pretty. She says they never had slaves, they were just hard working people.

[Susannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fictional account of a historical reality: Georgia mill workers who were transported north to Kentucky and Indiana to work as hired hands in northern mills, farms and homes. As the author explains in an afterword, little is known of what became of them. She has imagined the fates of three of them in this story. I would certainly recommend it as part of a homeschool history unit or a family read-aloud. It does contain battle scenes and one murder, all quite true to the time period.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two star rating is a personal thing and not a real reflection of the book overall. It's a well-written book with a strong female lead character. I learned things about the Civil War that I didn't know (like the burning of the mills in the South and the relocation of the 'traitor' workers). I just couldn't get into the story or characters--not sure why. If you like Civil War based fiction, you'll probably like this book.

[Marie Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction taking place during the final year of the Civil War in Georgia. Hannalee, and her brother along with a family friend are taken from their home by the Union army to work in Yankee textile mills. The story follows Hannalee as she makes her journey to the North and back home again. This story deals with war, death, hunger, north and south conflict. Good read for late elementary school or middle school.

[Challice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childhood favorite. When Hannalee is taken from her southern home as a northern prisoner she is determined to come home with her brother. Her brother's fiancee' is more about survival than loyalty but Hannalee remains faithful. I love watching Hannalee grow in strength and courage throughout the book. I read it over and over as a kid and enjoy memories of my daughter reading it as well.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story of how a 12 year old, Hannalee, was taken from Georgia and sent to the north to work in Yankee mills around the Civil War time. She pledges to return home as soon as she can and does so. This is her tale of returning home.

Could be used with study of Civil War era as well as different perspectives and laborers. Classroom library 4th. through 6th grade.