It is a meticulously researched, historically accurate, and artistically crafted portrayal of a grim time in our nation's past, brought to light through the personal history of two unforgettable characters. It is a meticulously researched, historically accurate, and artistically crafted portrayal of a grim time in our nation's past, brought to light through the personal history of two unforgettable characters. Set in the 1850s, Gary Paulsen's groundbreaking new novel is unlike anything else the award-winning author has written. Sarnys story gives a panoramic view of America in a time of tragedy, trial, and hoped-for change, until her last days in the 1930s. She flees the plantation in the last days of the Civil War, a free woman in search of her sold-away children. Set in the 1850s, Gary Paulsen's groundbreaking new novel is unlike anything else the award-winning author has written. Sarny, the young slave girl who learned to read in Nightjohn, is now a young widow. And twelve-year-old Sarny is willing to take the risk to learn. Knowing that the penalty for reading is dismemberment Nightjohn still retumed to slavery to teach others how to read. He had escaped north to freedom, but he came back-came back to teach reading. Sarny, a female slave at the Waller plantation, first sees Nightjohn when he is brought there with a rope around his neck, his body covered in scars. Sarny Many readers of Nightjohn have wanted to know what happened to Sarny, the young slave whom Nightjohn taught to read. It is a meticulously researched, historically accurate, and artistically crafted portrayal of a grim time in our nations past, brought to light through the personal history of two unforgettable characters.

'I didn't know what letters was, not what they meant, but I thought it might be something I wanted to know. Set in the 1850s, Gary Paulsens groundbreaking new novel is unlike anything else the award-winning author has written.

That's why they don't want us reading.' - Nightjohn We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it's bad for them. 'To know things, for us to know things, is bad for them.

Sarny gary paulsen