About This Book

Here is the sequel to Woodruff's Dear Levi, a historical novel of a young boy's friendship with African-American peers in the mid-1800s and his reflective letters to his older brother, Austin. In 1853, Levi Ives begins to write a series of letters to his older brother Austin who lives in Oregon to settle the family's claim on a plot of land. Levi, who lives in the family's home in Pennsylvania, develops a friendship with Jupiter, the son of a former slave. Levi, Jupiter, and Possum, another friend, are adventurous boys who explore the wilderness until slave traders capture Darcy, Jupiter's younger sister.

Levi joins Jupiter on a trip south through the woods to find Darcy. His letters chronicle the people and places he finds along the way — including Harriet Tubman and the slaves who escape north via the Underground Railroad. He also tells his brother about the work of the abolitionists, the horror of a slave auction, and his own painful realization of racial prejudice.

The second in a series of personal letters between two brothers, this book employs a wonderful technique to tell the history of the American South. Readers ages 9 to 12 will be thoroughly engaged by Levi's adventures.

About the Authors or Illustrators

Elvira Woodruff

Elvira Woodruff has written more than 20 books for children, including picture books, historical fiction, and light-hearted fantasy. Research for her books has taken her as far away as Italy, England, and France.

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