Freedom Fire (Dactyl Hill Squad #2)
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
"An unforgettable historical, high-octane adventure." -- Dav Pilkey, author-illustrator of the Dog Man seriesMagdalys and the squad are flying south on pteroback. South to rescue her older brother. South to war.The squad links up with the dino-mounted troops of the Louisiana Native Guard, an all-black regiment in the Union Army fighting to free their people. They're led by General Sheridan, surrounded by enemy forces in Tennessee and desperate for any edge to sway the tide of battle. Magdalys's burgeoning powers might be the Union's last hope. But she doesn't want to abandon the search for her brother. And she might not be the only one with a mysterious connection to dinosaurs.With the Civil War raging around her and the Union on the brink of collapse, how can Magdalys choose between the army that needs her help to survive and the brother she risked everything to save?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this thrilling sequel to Dactyl Hill Squad, Magdalys Roca and her crew of dinosaur-riding orphans head southward, having gotten swept up by the American Civil War. Magdalys, still exploring the true extent of her ability to communicate with and control dinosaurs, hopes to find her long-lost brother, a Union soldier who was reportedly wounded in action. Along the way, the group encounters the all-black forces of the Union-affiliated Louisiana Native Guard Mounted Artillery Unit. Magdalys and her friends' various skills prove useful to the war effort, and Magdalys discovers that some Confederates have her abilities. Torn between family and duty, Magdalys's loyalties and resources are tested when she's sent to New Orleans on an urgent mission. While Older's inclusion of dinosaurs adds a fanciful element, the trauma of conflict, the era's prevalent racism, and the underappreciated contributions of people of color to the war bring verisimilitude to the story. In addition to heart-pounding action sequences and cinematic moments (such as aerial combat involving pterodactyls), the tale's strong emotional core reinforces the importance of family in all of its forms. Background notes elaborate on the story's elements. Intelligent, rousing, and abundantly diverse, this is every bit as satisfying as the first installment. Ages 8 12.
