The Tamarack Tree

A vivid historical setting highlights this story of a British teenager caught between the South and the North during the Civil War. Fifteen-year-old Rosemary Leigh is brought to Vicksburg, Miss., by her brother Derek, after their mother dies in London. Derek has been working with their uncle William in his law practice, and Rosemary is quickly introduced to the best of Vicksburg society. She blossoms into a happy young woman with her newfound friends, despite her aversion to slavery. Then the first shots at Fort Sumter lead irrevocably to the siege of Vicksburg in 1863. Rosemary's life turns into a grim fight for survival amidst the bombings, frighteningly realistic as portrayed by Clapp. Despite the horrors, Rosemary and Derek survive to a well-deserved happy ending. (12-up)