• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 7 to 12
• Reading age: 0

George's cloistered life in New York changes as the War for American Independence looms and he must struggle with what it means to be half Mohawk.

Young George Johnson lives in an extraordinary family in extraordinary times. His father is Sir William Johnson, one of the richest and most powerful men in colonial New York. His mother is Molly Brant, stepdaughter of a Mohawk chief and sister of Iroquois leader Joseph Brant. George spends his early years in a grand mansion called Johnson Hall, but his cloistered life changes as the War for American Independence looms. As the rebel forces gradually take over the valley, George and his family are forced to flee their home and seek refuge with Molly's friends and relatives.

George longs to follow his brother's footsteps into battle. Instead, Molly sends him to boarding school in Montreal, where he spends three miserable years waiting for Peter's return. Finally, at the age of thirteen, he persuades his mother to allow him to join in a last raid on the valley where he grew up.

In a riveting climax, he experiences first-hand the inglorious brutality and futility of the war, and struggles with what it means to be half Mohawk. And at last he learns the hard truth about the fate of his beloved brother.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3

Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6

Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

MAUREEN GARVIE is a former teacher, journalist and librarian who now works as an editor for McGill-Queen’s University Press. She grew up in Kingston, Ontario, and returned there after a long stint living and teaching in New Zealand. She is the author of three books for young readers, including George Johnson’s War, co-written with Mary Beatty (Groundwood, 2002), Lake Rules (Key Porter, 2005) and Amy by Any Other Name (Key Porter, 2009). Maureen now lives in Kingston on the shores of the St. Lawrence, in the same house where she grew up.

Maureen Garvie's profile page

Mary Beaty lives in New York City.

Mary Beaty's profile page