Come Juneteenth

But the family is harboring a terrible secret. And when Union soldiers arrive on their Texas plantation to announce that slaves have been declared free for nearly two years, Sis Goose is horrified to learn that the people she called family have lied to her for so long.

She runs away—but her newly found freedom has tragic consequences. Fourteen-year-old Luli sets out across the sweltering Texas brush beside her brother Gabriel to track the runaway girl down.

Gabriel refuses to abandon the trail, following horse tracks through thicket prairies and water holes where Comanches and deserters roam. Riding south past Cummin’s Station toward San Felipe, brother and sister search for their lost companion across open country before time runs out.

Includes an author’s note.

• Juneteenth History: On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to declare all enslaved people free, sparking celebration across the state.
• American Civil War: As the conflict draws to a close, the Holcomb family struggles to maintain their Dunwishin’ plantation while facing occupation by Union soldiers.
• Sibling Dynamics: Luli navigates the harsh expectations of her older brothers, trained by Gabriel to ride astride and shoot like a frontier scout.
• Also by This Author: A Break with Charity, The Coffin Quilt and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons.