Arrow over the Door (Puffin Chapters)

For young Samuel Russell, the summer of 1777 is a time of fear. The British Army is approaching, and the Indians in the area seem ready to attack. To Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian scouting for King George, Americans are dangerous enemies who threaten his family and home. When Stands Straight's party enters the Quaker Meetinghouse where Samuel worships, the two boys share an encounter that neither will ever forget. Told in alternating viewpoints, The Arrow over the Door is based on a true story. Illustrated by James Watling. "Thoughtful and eminently readable." ( School Library Journal ) In the year 1777, a group of Quakers and a party of Indians have a memorable meeting. In the year 1777, a group of Quakers and a party of Indians have a memorable meeting. A powerful novel of the Revolutionary War. To fourteen-year-old Samuel Russell, called "coward" for his peace-loving Quaker beliefs, the summer of 1777 is a time of fear. The British and the Patriots will soon meet in battle near his home in Saratoga, New York. The Quakers are in danger from roaming Indians and raiders -- yet to fight back is not the Friends' way. To Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian on a scouting mission for the British, all Americans are enemies, for they killed his mother and brother. But in a Quaker Meetinghouse he will come upon Americans unlike any he has ever seen. What will the encounter bring? Based on a real historical incident, this fast-paced and moving story is a powerful reminder that "the way of peace ... can be walked by all human beings." Watching them rush into the wide Hudson River.