Trembling Earth

By Kim Siegelson

Book Overview

Hamp doesn't much care who wins the War Between the States. Out in the swamp they live by their own rules, and no one he knows is rich enough to own slaves anyhow. He hates the Union army for taking his Pap's leg though &150 and not only his leg, but a big chunk of his soul. Pap used to take Hamp hunting all the time, but now he just sits on the porch and cries.So when Hamp hears about a no-good runaway slave boy named Duff who killed his own master and is now on the loose in the swamp, he figures that bounty is his by rights &150 someone has to provide for the family now that Pap can't. But when he finally does meet up with Duff, Hamp gradually begins to realize that right and wrong might not be as black and white as he thought they were.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399240217
• ISBN13: 9780399240218
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

KEEN HUMAN INTEREST AMONG THE ALLIGATORS

In this memorable book, Kim Siegelson carves out her own niche in a growing list of 'Boys in the Okefenokee' stories. See "The Mystery of the Green Swamp" by Marjorie A. Zapf and "Tree Castle Island" by Jean Craighead George. Each stands on its own merit, but "Trembling Earth" is the first I have seen that uses a setting during the Civil War. Siegelson does a admirable job of intertwining southern attitudes about slavery and the war with the unique perspectives of the swamper. Hamp's own inner struggle to determine what is right is poignant and plausible, considering the time and place. Like many residents of the Appalachian mountains during that period, southern swamp dwellers often felt socially and politically estranged from the plantation society. I did feel that Hamp's speech and actions would been more typical of a 13 or 14 year old, rather than 12. Nonetheless, his is a moving story. I loved the imagery of "...thinnest of roots trailed down through dark water, searching for a place to latch on to..." It was the prelude to a fitting ending and reflects the writer's own affinity with the great swamp. It can be a mysterious and exciting place. Roy Campbell, author, "Song of the Jackalope"

Stunning Narrative with Tightly Woven Plot

Not the same old Civil War story! Set in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp at the end of the Civil War, Hamp must come to terms with the inevitable consequences of the demise of the Confederacy. His forced journey through the tangled swamp with fugitive slave Duff mirrors his own inner journey. Multi-faceted characters and an exciting plot move the story toward a satisfying conclusion without ever becoming preachy or didactic. Told from the Confederate viewpoint, in all it's interesting complexities. Refreshing and brave!