The Deep Cut

The Deep Cut

ISBN	9780761453161

Specifications

5 1/2" X 8 1/4"; 224 pages

Author(s)

Susan Rosson Spain

Interest/Age Group

Grades 5+

Ages	Ages 10-14

List Price

US$ 16.99

About the Book
Thirteen-year-old Lonzo knows that Papa thinks he’s slow compared to his brothers. When the Civil War breaks out and throws Culpeper, Virginia, into chaos, Papa sends Lonzo to live with his aunt Mariah on the other side of the Deep Cut, the railroad gorge that runs through the rocky hills south of Culpeper. Meanwhile Lonzo’s best friend and protector, cousin Ferdy, secretly enlists in the Confederate army.

Feeling abandoned by the two most important males in his life—his father and cousin—Lonzo struggles to understand war, especially when it comes roaring into his aunt’s inn. Yankee raids, battles, and enemy occupation test Lonzo in a way he’s never been tested before. Finally, in a rare act of bravery, he proves to his father that he’s every bit as competent as his brothers. But in the end, regardless of his father’s expectations, Lonzo has discovered his own sense of self-worth.

SUSAN ROSSON SPAIN lives in Conyers, Georgia. This is her first novel.
Visit the author’s website at: www.SusanRossonSpain.com

The Deep Cut Reviews

"With threads of symbolism, family dynamics, and questions about bravery and war, this is a book to encourage discussion, especially as students are aware of modern war in the Middle East. ... Recommended."
— Library Media Connection, March 2007

"...the book would appeal to a middle schooler interested in the time frame and presents an excellent look at the Confederate view of the war."
— VOYA, December 2006

"This story illustrates how civilians were involved in the conflict, how families were decimated, and how people valiantly tried, in the midst of it all, to carry on some semblance of a normal life."
— School Library Journal, December 2006

*"Well-wrought characters, vivid historical details, and nuanced themses, such as Lonzo’s evolving opinions about slavery and Yankees, combine to tell a powerful story about the impact of the Civil War on ordinary lives." STARRED REVIEW
— Booklist, December 1, 2006

"A fast read that should hold readers in its fair presentation of one of the tragedies of U.S. history."
— Kirkus Review, September 15, 2006

"This is a well written novel, one that combines a strong coming-of-age tale with historical accuracy."
— Children’s Literature, 2006

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