Set during the time of the Alamo, Jessie's family is always moving, but then they move to Texas, which is not part of the US, the clash between the Texians and the Mexicans is fierce, Jessie is in the Alamo with part of her family when it is attacked. Very intriguing, good information, good main character. ( )

This juvenile fiction book follows 11 year old Jessie McCann and her family as they travel from Kentucky to San Antonio, Texas. Jessie is upset that her father has once again uprooted the family for one of his foolish adventures. Jessie has 2 brothers and a younger sister, but the little girl dies the night they arrive in San Antonio. While waiting in the wagon, Jessie meets a young Mexican girl named Angelina. Her father forbids her to see Angelina, but the girls sneak off and meet at a bridge to swap stores and food. Jessie's father and older brother Yancy decide to join in the war efforts for Texas to gain its freedom from Mexico and leave the family just as the Mexican army is preparing to attack San Antonio. With her father and brother gone, Jessie and her mother and little borther are taken to the Alamo. It is said to be the safest place in town and cannot be broken down by the fighting. The family enters the Alamo and meets Davy Crockett among other famous historical figures. Jessie and her family watch as the Mexican army breaks through the Alamo doors and hear the screams of dying men. Through a crack in the wall from her hiding place, Jessie can see as Davy Crockett reloads his gun as his bloody arm dangles beside him. The Mexican soldiers rush the Alamo killing the Texan soldiers as Jessie helplessly watches. The lives of the women and children are spared and they are taken to General Santa Anna, leader of the Meixcan Army. He tells them to get our or Texas immediately and to tell the people of Gonzales to give up. The people of Gonzales, however, are fleeing and because Jessie's little brother Tad gets the measles, she is sent to ride in a wagon with Sarah Austin and her family. Later, she finds her mother and brother, but hears news that the group of soldiers her father and brother were with have been killed by Santa Anna. Jessie is later sent to the store where the store owner refuses to sell goods to a little Mexican girl. Upon inspection, Jessie realizes it is Angelina! However, memories of the horror of the Alamo make Jessie tell the store owner she does not know Angelina. A week later, Angelina appears in the night telling Jessie that her older brother Yancy escaped the killings and is hiding out in need of food and medical care. Jessie follows Angelina's directions and brings her brother home. Later, the family receives news that Jessie's father was shot and killed by Santa Anna's men, but he has left the family a 4,000 acre farm close to San Antonio. Days later, they receive word from Dr. Wilson, who they met on their journey to San Antonio, that the war is over as Santa Anna has been defeated by the Texan Army. Dr. Wilson accompanies the family back to their new farm in San Antonio where they can start their new life since the war has ended.

I really enjoyed this book and think it would be beneficial for students to read. It kept my attention and also taught me about the Alamo. I felt like I knew Jessie and her family and was scared for them during the seize of the Alamo. I think this would be a great book for both boys and girls to read. I also liked how the author included a time line of the events.

In the classroom, I would use this book while discussing the Alamo so that the students can put a face to the horror of the war and not simply read about it. This book allows the reader to be in the middle of the attack and experience the emotions of a young girl. Students could also write a story from Angelina's point of view after the seize of the Alamo since some people refused to help any Mexicans and punished even the innocent ones. In an older class, we could read this book aloud and then students can write papers on the actual people like Davy Crockett who fought at the Alamo.