Once Upon A Time On A Plantation

by Nancy Rhyne

Overview

Set prior to the Civil War, these tales reveal the mysteries, legends, and dangers of plantation life in the Deep South. The stories center on the friendship of two twelve-year-old boys and were inspired by the actual events at South Carolina's grand Hampton Plantation.

A daring, mischievous boy, Cart is the son of the plantation owner and is anxious to become a man. His best friend, Will, is the son of slaves and lives in the caretaker's house on the plantation with his family.

Together with their puppy and pet deer, the boys set out to explore the plantation. Among their adventures, Cart and Will boldly protect a rice crop from hurricane damage, eagerly learn the mysterious powers of a beetle bracelet, and narrowly escape an alligator's jaws when their boat tips over. In this world of suspense and delight, the boys strengthen their friendship and acquire an understanding of plantation life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455609963
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	12/21/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	3 Months to 11 Years

About the Author

Nancy Rhyne, a resident of Murrells Inlet, is an award-winning author and one of the South's great storytellers. She strives to introduce children to the heritage of their area through local folklore and legends that are designed to inspire children to learn about their own surroundings as well as to entertain them with delightful stories of children, much like themselves, caught in some very unusual circumstances. She actively lectures to school groups, conventions, civic organizations, and other groups who enjoy her tales of the South Carolina Low Country, plantation life in the 1800s, and most recently, the intriguing tale of the infamous creature believed to be half human and half lizard that roams the lowlands. She has published many books.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4-6 Some of the nine stories found in this book are based on legends from the Hampton Plantation in the rice-growing region of South Carolina during the years before the Civil War. They involve some hair-raising elements such as a hurricane, a wild rampaging alligator, a beached whale, and a cursed bracelet. The heros are two boys: Cart, the son and heir of the plantation owner, and Will, the son of slaves on the land. Despite exciting ideas, the stories fall short due to much repetition of plot, scant characterizations, and clumsy dialogue. Another problem is that this is a book about an antebellum Southern plantation in which slavery is never mentioned, and children may get the impression that the black people on the property are simply employees and not slaves. Holub's gray-and-black full-page pencil illustrations, one per story, are of good quality. The story, though, is a little reminiscent of old movies such as The Little Colonel, in which everyone is happy and singing and dancing on the plantation. Kay McPherson, Central Atlanta-Fulton Public Library

School Library Journal