William Henry Is A Fine Name

Color does matter! It matters everywhere but here in this fanciful world you and Isaac Heath have created. It is high time Robert kept company with his own people.

Book: William Henry Is A Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke, Moody Publishers, 2006

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 16-18

Subjects: Slavery, God's calling, love for others

Summary: William Henry has been his best friend for all his life. But things are changing. War looms on the horizon, dogs are chasing the runaways, and his slave owning grandfather is ready to make peace with his mom and raise him to be a southern plantation owner. Robert has lived on a plantation where whites and blacks work alongside each other, both paid to do the work they do. He has grown up viewing them as equals, knowing that the world doesn't, but not experiencing that first hand. Until now. Things are different at his grandfather's. Slaves are kept in poor conditions, beaten, bought and sold. When he learns that another young boy his age who he has gotten to know, is going to be sold, the time comes for a choice. Does he follow his father or his grandfather's footsteps. Does he help Jeremiah escape to freedom or does he stand by and let him be sold? 

Notes: This is one of those "coming of age" kind of stories. Robert has lived in a sheltered world all of his life, but within a short time, all of that comes crashing down on him. Removed from the secure environment and faced head on with the issues, he has to make a choice about what to follow. A kindly minister refuses to tell him what to do, but rather teaches him how to discern God's will for himself. Robert has to make a choice, not only about slavery, but about God Himself. Some parts of this book are very violent or sad. It does do a good job showing the difficulty Christians had in deciding what to do about the issue of slavery.

Recommendation Scale: 5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Philippians 2:3-4 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.