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Shades of Gray
In the aftermath of the Civil War, recently orphaned Will must start a new life and overcome his prejudices.
Courage wears many faces…
The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven’t ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?
And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will’s uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.
At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor—or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.
Courage wears many faces…
The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven’t ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?
And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will’s uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.
At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor—or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1989
105 people are currently reading
1306 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Reeder
17 books17 followersCarolyn Reeder was an American writer best known for children's historical novels. She also wrote three non-fiction books about Shenandoah National Park for adults together with her husband. She won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
June 23, 2009
I first learned about Shades of Gray thanks to Reading Rainbow, one of the few television shows I let my children watch when they were little--and mostly only so I could get good book tips. I first read it almost twenty years ago and it's still one of my favorite children's stories about the American Civil War. It can be read by most fifth graders and read to younger children.
The main character, orphaned Will Page has come to live with his mother's sister and uncle by marriage, who Will considers a traitor because he refused to fight against the Yankees. Will lost his entire family in the war which has just ended: his father and brothers died fighting, his sisters from disease and his mother from grief. Will is angry and bitter ... and only twelve years old.
It's an incredible story which illustrates that wars are very complex, ultimately involve human lives, and sometimes things aren't what they appear to be.
The main character, orphaned Will Page has come to live with his mother's sister and uncle by marriage, who Will considers a traitor because he refused to fight against the Yankees. Will lost his entire family in the war which has just ended: his father and brothers died fighting, his sisters from disease and his mother from grief. Will is angry and bitter ... and only twelve years old.
It's an incredible story which illustrates that wars are very complex, ultimately involve human lives, and sometimes things aren't what they appear to be.
April 16, 2019
This book is one that I saw recommended for homeschooling children, so I have been slowly going through a bunch to read to my sons and others that they read to themselves. I am glad that I read this out to them for the simple reason that I am about to explain.
Will Page grew up in Winchester, VA. He is the sole survivor of his family after the Civil War has ended. A doctor who he has taken a liking to is about to bring Will to his aunt in a country area of Virginia. He has heard that his aunt's husband Jed (whom he refuses to call his uncle) was a coward because he did not fight in the war.
Here's my one major problem with this book. While Will is arguing with his cousin Meg about the war, he explains how he had some slaves and that "not all people in the Confederacy treated their slaves unkindly" but with some varied wording there. The idea was blunt and this is going to truly cause kids to think that sometimes slavery was not so bad, but it is untrue. I had to go into it with my sons to explain that while perhaps slaves in the Civil War period were not beat like crazy, they still had to work every day with hours and hours. They were still given tiny horrible conditioned shacks to live in. They still had their families torn apart. They still were not free to go where they wanted to whenever they wanted to and were owned, which being created in the image of God, no one should own anyone at all. I went into a whole lesson about how the slave was treated, which they knew bits and pieces as it was, because I am an abolitionist through and through even in modern-day slavery. It just bothered me so much that they never expounded on that. The point is that the white man felt it to oppress a person of different race and felt superior and then this book is going to make it seem like slavery wasn't always bad when slavery in itself IS wrong.
However, there are some redeeming factors where Meg does explain later after that conversation that she felt it was wrong for anyone to own anyone else.
I really loved the fact that this book took the stance against war and that there WERE people on both sides that thought they were doing what was right but that one who refused to fight was definitely not a coward, but brave to go against the grain and refuse to murder anyone on any side, no matter which they may have taken. That is so appreciated! This is what I wanted my children to hear. I think that it was beautifully done. Uncle Jed was the best character in this. He always thought things out and he cared for people even if people would sneer at him. I like that. He was showing how to love his neighbor as himself.
My sons in the end did enjoy this book a lot and asked me if there was a sequel. I don't think there is and told them so, which saddened them. They enjoyed the life lessons in this story and how we communicated things together about the situations too.
I'll give this three stars simply because it was really well written and made my sons think a lot. If it were not for the one part of the book, I would have upped it a star.
Will Page grew up in Winchester, VA. He is the sole survivor of his family after the Civil War has ended. A doctor who he has taken a liking to is about to bring Will to his aunt in a country area of Virginia. He has heard that his aunt's husband Jed (whom he refuses to call his uncle) was a coward because he did not fight in the war.
Here's my one major problem with this book. While Will is arguing with his cousin Meg about the war, he explains how he had some slaves and that "not all people in the Confederacy treated their slaves unkindly" but with some varied wording there. The idea was blunt and this is going to truly cause kids to think that sometimes slavery was not so bad, but it is untrue. I had to go into it with my sons to explain that while perhaps slaves in the Civil War period were not beat like crazy, they still had to work every day with hours and hours. They were still given tiny horrible conditioned shacks to live in. They still had their families torn apart. They still were not free to go where they wanted to whenever they wanted to and were owned, which being created in the image of God, no one should own anyone at all. I went into a whole lesson about how the slave was treated, which they knew bits and pieces as it was, because I am an abolitionist through and through even in modern-day slavery. It just bothered me so much that they never expounded on that. The point is that the white man felt it to oppress a person of different race and felt superior and then this book is going to make it seem like slavery wasn't always bad when slavery in itself IS wrong.
However, there are some redeeming factors where Meg does explain later after that conversation that she felt it was wrong for anyone to own anyone else.
I really loved the fact that this book took the stance against war and that there WERE people on both sides that thought they were doing what was right but that one who refused to fight was definitely not a coward, but brave to go against the grain and refuse to murder anyone on any side, no matter which they may have taken. That is so appreciated! This is what I wanted my children to hear. I think that it was beautifully done. Uncle Jed was the best character in this. He always thought things out and he cared for people even if people would sneer at him. I like that. He was showing how to love his neighbor as himself.
My sons in the end did enjoy this book a lot and asked me if there was a sequel. I don't think there is and told them so, which saddened them. They enjoyed the life lessons in this story and how we communicated things together about the situations too.
I'll give this three stars simply because it was really well written and made my sons think a lot. If it were not for the one part of the book, I would have upped it a star.
October 4, 2021
Meh. It was just meh. Since this was for school, I won’t take the time to make a thorough review with a poem, but I’ll just say it had good concepts/themes. Good characters and development. I just really do not like books about character going through normal, every-day life. We need something to HAPPEN to the protagonist. Yes, something happened to Will, but that was before the book even started. It’s just all more of the same stuff every chapter, and it got quite boring, simply put.
Also, the excessive use of exclamation points really aggravated me. Minor, but still.
Also, the excessive use of exclamation points really aggravated me. Minor, but still.
June 28, 2017
I could see the author was trying to show that both sides of the war had their reasons, and everyone was human... But I found the book rather annoying.
April 25, 2018
This book wrestled beautifully with some very important and complicated concepts: right and wrong, good and bad, what defines a person's character as honorable, and how geography often decides which side of history with which we are aligned, and whether that is deemed "right." My children, ages 7-10 (2 boys and a girl) were all engaged and their interest was held for the length of the novel.
Here were of few of the more poignant passages:
Uncle Jed to his nephew Will, who was orphaned throughout the course of the war, on his commitment to do what HE thought was right as a conscientious objector:
"I've faced enemies too-the enemies to us all.
Hunger. Illness. Grief. And hatred.
But I've never faced my own countrymen as enemies.
A man isn't my enemy just 'cause he believes different than I do."
"I do what I think is right without worrying as to whether it will cause me gain or loss. A man doesn't want to have to stop and try to figure out what everybody else might think or do each time he has to make a decision."
"If you have enough patience, things usually work out. Sometimes it takes a lot of patience, though...Sometimes things work out even when you never thought they could. That's true. But you have an easier life if you can believe that things will turn out all right. It sure beats dreading that they won't."
Highly recommend!
Here were of few of the more poignant passages:
Uncle Jed to his nephew Will, who was orphaned throughout the course of the war, on his commitment to do what HE thought was right as a conscientious objector:
"I've faced enemies too-the enemies to us all.
Hunger. Illness. Grief. And hatred.
But I've never faced my own countrymen as enemies.
A man isn't my enemy just 'cause he believes different than I do."
"I do what I think is right without worrying as to whether it will cause me gain or loss. A man doesn't want to have to stop and try to figure out what everybody else might think or do each time he has to make a decision."
"If you have enough patience, things usually work out. Sometimes it takes a lot of patience, though...Sometimes things work out even when you never thought they could. That's true. But you have an easier life if you can believe that things will turn out all right. It sure beats dreading that they won't."
Highly recommend!
February 29, 2008
This exceptionally well-written book tells the story of William Page, a twelve year old boy who lost everyone in his immediate family during the Civil War. Will moves to rural Virginia to live with an aunt and her husband. In his new home Will experiences many new and exciting things yet he is angry at and rejecting of his uncle, a Southerner, who refused to fight for the South. Will expresses the many beliefs and attitudes of those Southerners who fought for that they believed was a just cause. Gradually Will comes to see how others viewed the war; he begins to acknowledge that someone can be a good person even if they believe something radically different from you.
The action is exciting and the attitudes are subtle.
The action is exciting and the attitudes are subtle.
November 25, 2012
Citation: Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder. (Aladdin Paperbacks, 1999). 152 p. Historical Fiction.
Genre: Junior Book- Historical Fiction
Summary: The setting of the book is the end of the Civil War. A young boy named Will Page is faced with the struggles of losing his family during the war and must move to live with relatives.
A. One of the best aspects of the book was the author’s use of period writing. By that I mean he used the sayings and language that people during the Civil War.
B. One of the strengths of the book was the development of Will Page’s character and his fortitude in dealing with the loss of his family. The book is written so that upper elementary students can understand it and learn about the Civil War.
C. For example, on page 2 the book discusses Will’s trip to his Uncle’s house and his resentment of the war for killing his father, mother, brother and sisters.
Curriculum Connection: I think this book would be a great book to teach along with a unit involving the Civil War.
Genre: Junior Book- Historical Fiction
Summary: The setting of the book is the end of the Civil War. A young boy named Will Page is faced with the struggles of losing his family during the war and must move to live with relatives.
A. One of the best aspects of the book was the author’s use of period writing. By that I mean he used the sayings and language that people during the Civil War.
B. One of the strengths of the book was the development of Will Page’s character and his fortitude in dealing with the loss of his family. The book is written so that upper elementary students can understand it and learn about the Civil War.
C. For example, on page 2 the book discusses Will’s trip to his Uncle’s house and his resentment of the war for killing his father, mother, brother and sisters.
Curriculum Connection: I think this book would be a great book to teach along with a unit involving the Civil War.
January 21, 2013
Well, this is one of my very favorite books concerning America's Civil War!
Actually, it's the fictional story of Will Page after the war ended. He is only 12 years old and had already lost his entire family.
Will goes to live with his closest relatives, an aunt, uncle & cousin, that he doesn't know. Because Will is so upset about the war taking his family, he can't stand the fact that this new family of his didn't even fight in the war to protect the Confederates.
Turning a city boy into a country boy might not be such a bad idea..
Check out this book. It is really worth the read!
Actually, it's the fictional story of Will Page after the war ended. He is only 12 years old and had already lost his entire family.
Will goes to live with his closest relatives, an aunt, uncle & cousin, that he doesn't know. Because Will is so upset about the war taking his family, he can't stand the fact that this new family of his didn't even fight in the war to protect the Confederates.
Turning a city boy into a country boy might not be such a bad idea..
Check out this book. It is really worth the read!
April 14, 2020
AR: 3.5
This was a reread for nostalgic purposes. Very sweet and enjoyable, while still touching on topics such as prejudice, the stupidity of war, and friendship in a very readable way. I probably won't be reading it again anytime soon, but still very nice.
This was a reread for nostalgic purposes. Very sweet and enjoyable, while still touching on topics such as prejudice, the stupidity of war, and friendship in a very readable way. I probably won't be reading it again anytime soon, but still very nice.
January 20, 2021
I grabbed this book from our school library and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Some of the kids voted it "favorite thus far this year." A wonderful look at post-Civil War feelings in the South, and a good portrayal of "two sides to everything."
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May 26, 2021Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder is about a boy named Will. The Civil War has just ended but Will's like is still tough. When he has to go live with his Aunt he has to make some hard decisions which will change his life. I recommend this book because it has suspense and has good life lessons. I would recommend this book to people who like history.
January 31, 2024
Latest read aloud with my kiddos as a tie in with our American History. We found it enjoyable & thought it did a great job of making a hard subject like the civil war contextualized to a children’s level. The themes of courage, conviction, respect, & personal responsibility were presented in a way kids could understand & we had a lot of great conversations as a result!
January 13, 2020
A very good and meaningful book about the morality of the Civil War for middle graders. Twelve year old Will Page is sent from his home in Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley where he lost all the members his family as well as the house and land. His new home (also in Virginia) is that of his deceased mother’s sister, Aunt Ella, and her husband, Jed and their daughter Meg. Their teenage twin sons are in Ohio working to send their parents money to help out after they lost so much to ravages.
Will thinks his Uncle Jed is a traitor or at least a coward since he didn’t fight in the war. Will meets neighbors who agree with Will about his Uncle and he gets into some scrapes with local boys who taunt Will about his Uncle.
More later;Four stars: 1/13/2020
Will thinks his Uncle Jed is a traitor or at least a coward since he didn’t fight in the war. Will meets neighbors who agree with Will about his Uncle and he gets into some scrapes with local boys who taunt Will about his Uncle.
More later;Four stars: 1/13/2020
May 30, 2019
When young Will is left an orphan, he is delivered to his aunt and uncle, a place he does not want to be. Will is devoted to the Confederacy, for which his father gave his life, and his uncle chose to stay out of the war and refused to fight, an act Will views as cowardly. Through Shades of Gray, Will grows in how he views the war, the Union, and the Confederacy. It’s written for young people so it reads fast. It would likely be helpful for the reader to already know some about the Civil War beforehand. I recommend it to kids who are interested in or learning about the Civil War.
September 5, 2018
This book takes place following the civil war. Due to the death of his family, a young boy is sent to live with his uncle who the family didn't keep contact with since he chose not to fight on "their side of the war". I enjoyed this book, and thought that it is a wonderful lesson on not judging people before you get to know them or their reasons for doing or not doing something, or not judging them based on the opinions of others.
May 21, 2020
Although, I honestly do not even go near realistic fiction, this book was strangely addicting. When my teacher gave this to me as an assignment I did not AT ALL want to read it. Later, after finally picking it up and reading it I could not stop reading it. All the dialogue and the flowing story make this one of my favorite books! Believe me, this book is an amazing book, and I think you should read it.
October 12, 2020
The book Shades of Gray, written by Carolyn Reeder is absolutely enthralling. It is about a confederate boy named Will page. All of his immediate family died leaving him with his ten year old cousin, aunt, and uncle. He struggles in the beginning, believing his uncle is a coward, because he didn’t fight in the war. It is a very intriguing historical fiction. I would recommend Shades of Gray to anyone, even if they are only a tiny bit into historical fiction.
November 10, 2010
While a bit preachy & contrived at times, the characters in this book about the year following the end of the Civil War in rural Virginia feel real. We discover along with the main characters the variety of responses to the war on both sides.
I read this as part of Braeden's homeschool curriculum - we use Sonlight, which is literature-based.
I read this as part of Braeden's homeschool curriculum - we use Sonlight, which is literature-based.
September 17, 2016
My daughter is reading this for 5th grade ELA, and I think it's so timely with the election and racism, sexism, civil rights in the news today. Being around people with beliefs that differ from your own is a good thing. I love how Will has his beliefs changed from all his experiences. Good lessons all around.
November 20, 2013
Don't read this book. The book doesn't have much action to me. I had to read it for school and I tried many times to drop out of the book club. DON'T BE LIKE ME. Pick a book like Blood On The River instead.
July 26, 2014
Loved this book. It talks about many sides of the civil war that I didn't know about. It also has some great themes such as family, pride, bullying, and war. Great historical fiction for young adults.
October 26, 2023
This book for younger readers presents a post-Civil War perspective from the South; for the Western states, we generally only hear the story written by the victors. This story also makes this history personal.
April 5, 2013
Just like in the story Will didn't like Jed at first but then started to like Jed .I didn't like this book at first but I liked the ending!
Want to read
October 6, 2013I personally hated this book.
November 1, 2025
Not everything is black and white, especially when it comes to the Civil War. A great story of one young man and how he learns to see other people's point of view.
October 2, 2018
I found this book on a supplemental reading list for the curriculum I am currently using for my kids for homeschool, My Father’s World (for the 1859-Modern Times).
Even though this book can be slow at times, I think it brings up a lot of good points and really makes you think about the Civil War as if you were living in that time period. It was especially interesting to us because we are from the Shenandoah Valley and yet we would have not wanted to fight with the Confederates (just like Will’s uncle). So it made us think from that perspective. The main character, Will, is a boy from Winchester who’s father and brother both died fighting in the war for the Confederates. He is used to being pampered by his family’s slaves and knows little of hard work. His own father forbade his mother from continuing to write to her sister when learning that the sisters husband refused to fight in the war. When Will’s mother dies, her dying wish is for Will to go live with her sister and her sisters family. This new living situation brought up a lot of interesting conversations with my kids about who was right and who was wrong, living your beliefs even amidst the consequences, etc. I never thought about these issues from that perspective and it was interesting to ponder and discuss with my boys.
I read this to my 3rd grade and 6th grade son.
Even though this book can be slow at times, I think it brings up a lot of good points and really makes you think about the Civil War as if you were living in that time period. It was especially interesting to us because we are from the Shenandoah Valley and yet we would have not wanted to fight with the Confederates (just like Will’s uncle). So it made us think from that perspective. The main character, Will, is a boy from Winchester who’s father and brother both died fighting in the war for the Confederates. He is used to being pampered by his family’s slaves and knows little of hard work. His own father forbade his mother from continuing to write to her sister when learning that the sisters husband refused to fight in the war. When Will’s mother dies, her dying wish is for Will to go live with her sister and her sisters family. This new living situation brought up a lot of interesting conversations with my kids about who was right and who was wrong, living your beliefs even amidst the consequences, etc. I never thought about these issues from that perspective and it was interesting to ponder and discuss with my boys.
I read this to my 3rd grade and 6th grade son.
September 23, 2020
This book was good, Will had a tough time during the World War 2 the yankees destroyed his family, then he had to go live with a person who never thought in war because of his belief. Will was planning on going staying with the Doc. till he realized the confederates aren't the only ones that suffered throughout war. His Uncle. Jed and his family suffered because of disbelief in war. In the story, Will made some friends. Hank, was a bigger guy and kinda mean. Before all of this, Will collected items in the battlefield. His mother died, because of suffering of the father dying. Then Charlie died, which he was mention the most in the story. Next, Will recieved a note from the doc. he kept it secret, so aunt and Meg wont notice. WIll and Meg worked everyday, just to keep the farm going. A wounded Yankee soldier came one day and was injured, Will did not trust him. The wounded guy told stories of books Will's mother read to him before all this war. The trust from Uncle Jed, the wounded guy, and from his dead brother made him realized that not everyone was evil. Will decide to stay home with his Uncle and Aunt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2021
A moving tale of a boy, Will Page, who moves in with his Aunt Ella and Uncle Jed's farm after the death of his family during the Civil War. Will is spiteful that his Uncle refused to join the Confederate army when the war happened, unable to see the reason why Jed refused to fight. Not only that, but Will must learn to adapt from being a city boy to becoming a farm worker to help his guardians with the exhausting labor. As time passed, he becomes comfortable with his new life, and also begins to question his beliefs the more time he spends with his Uncle Jed and when the family takes in an exhausted Yankee soldier, with no questions asked. He then gets a chance to return to his hometown and questions about the decision he is about to make.
Shades of Gray has well-developed characters, especially our protagonist, who realizes that not everything is black-and-white in wartime, and becomes more open and grateful for the new life he is given. The theme of pride and fighting for what is right is ever engrossing, yet done effectively that makes this story very welcoming for a historical fiction. It is a slow-burner for sure, but you get attached real easily to this family tale.
Shades of Gray has well-developed characters, especially our protagonist, who realizes that not everything is black-and-white in wartime, and becomes more open and grateful for the new life he is given. The theme of pride and fighting for what is right is ever engrossing, yet done effectively that makes this story very welcoming for a historical fiction. It is a slow-burner for sure, but you get attached real easily to this family tale.
July 9, 2018
This story supplies much food for thought! It's really a good exploration of different points of view regarding the War between the States. The right choice is not always obvious or black-and-white, nor is it necessarily the same for each person, as in the cases of Will's father vs. his uncle, and their respective convictions and choices during the war, one choosing to fight for what he believes in, and the other choosing not to fight what he doesn't believe in. Will, at first, can't see how anything less than fighting for the Confederacy could be honorable, but as he gets to know his uncle, he gradually learns to understand and come to grips with another perspective. He also begins to see that it takes great courage to stick to one's convictions when one is standing alone; more courage, perhaps, than following a crowd into danger or folly.
This story weaves in good lessons in respect, wise choices, loyalty, and thinking through your decisions.
Be aware that it does contain two misuses of God's name.
This story weaves in good lessons in respect, wise choices, loyalty, and thinking through your decisions.
Be aware that it does contain two misuses of God's name.
December 18, 2022
Children (and some adults) are notorious for seeing the world and ethical choices as clear delineations between black and white, good or bad. Will Page’s father fought and died for the Confederacy, but after his remaining immediate family died of sickness, Will has been sent to live with his uncle who refused to enter the war and defend the South.
Will considers his uncle a traitor and a coward. As Will’s own courage is tested and he observes his hated uncle, his clear understanding of the war is challenged. Nuance has a steep learning curve, and the book was a good introduction to it for younger readers.
Content considerations: The book contains a description of a child's accidental death in warfare.
Will considers his uncle a traitor and a coward. As Will’s own courage is tested and he observes his hated uncle, his clear understanding of the war is challenged. Nuance has a steep learning curve, and the book was a good introduction to it for younger readers.
Content considerations: The book contains a description of a child's accidental death in warfare.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews