Grateful American Kids

The Revelation of Louisa May

by Michaela MacColl

Louisa May Alcott can hardly believe her ears—her mother is leaving for the summer to earn money for the family and her father won’t do anything to stop her. How is Louisa to find the time to write her stories if she has to add taking care of her father and sister to her list of chores? And why can’t she escape the boredom of her small town to have an adventure of her own?

Little does Louisa know just how interesting her small world is about to become. Before long she is juggling her stubborn father, a fugitive slave who is seeking safety along the Underground Railroad, and possibly even love where she least expects it.

Add the mysterious murder of a slave catcher to the mix, and Louisa has her hands full. Michaela MacColl has once again intertwined the facts of a beloved author’s real life with a suspenseful fictional tale that will not only have readers on the edges of their seats but also, like Louisa, debating right versus wrong, family versus independence, and duty versus love.

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About the author

Michaela MacColl attended Vassar College and Yale University. She earned degrees in multi-disciplinary history. Unfortunately, it took her 20 years before she realized she was learning how to write historical fiction. Her favorite stories are the ones she finds about the childhood experiences of famous people.

What happened that helped them to be great? Michaela has two daughters so she’s hoping to identify those moments firsthand. Her books include Prisoners in the Palace (2010) about a teenaged Victoria, on the verge of becoming Queen and Promise the Night (2011) about Beryl Markham’s childhood in Africa. Her literary mysteries include Nobody’s Secret (featuring Emily Dickinson) and Always Emily (with the Bronte sisters).

She and her family live in Connecticut.

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