Loyalty
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Newbery Medalist Avi explores the American Revolution from a fresh perspective in the story of a young Loyalist turned British spy navigating patriotism and personal responsibility during the lead-up to the War of Independence.
When his father is killed by rebel vigilantes, Noah flees with his family to Boston. Intent on avenging his father, Noah becomes a spy for the British and firsthand witness to the power of partisan rumor to distort facts, the hypocrisy of men who demand freedom while enslaving others, and the human connections that bind people together regardless of stated allegiances.
Awash in contradictory information and participating in key events leading to the American Revolution, Noah must forge his own understanding of right and wrong and determine for himself where his loyalty truly lies.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Avi's (Gold Rush Girl) story centers 13-year-old Noah Cope during the two years leading up to the American Revolution, tracing the steady unraveling of the boy's devotion to his white family's Loyalist stance as he witnesses—and experiences—events that begin to challenge his beliefs about England and the Sons of Liberty. When Noah's pastor father is brutally tarred for proclaiming his loyalty to the British crown, the frightened Cope family leaves their small Massachusetts town for Boston. There, Noah, determined to avenge his father's death, begins spying for the British army, posing as a worker in a tavern frequented by the Sons of Liberty. His boss, Jolla, is a free Black man who encourages Noah to question everything and think for himself, and the two slowly build a friendship in increasingly precarious conditions. Avi makes history immediate and accessible through Noah's heartfelt voice, though conversations between Jolla and Noah, which address issues of slavery and freedom during that era, unfortunately perpetuate the idea that marginalized people are responsible for educating more privileged people about injustice. An author's note discusses continuing controversy surrounding terms such as loyalty, patriots, and traitors. Ages 10–12.
