Have you ever lived in a cave? Main character of this book that I read was My Vicksburg , did. It is written by Ann Rinaldi. The publisher of this book is Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the copyright of this book was in 2009 by Ann Rinaldi. The thesis of this book is was good. Claire Louise Corbet was brave. Claire Louise was 12 years old. I think it was difficult for her and her family between the war time because they had no food so they had to look for food.
The setting of this story is in Vicksburg. The time is in the morning and at night. They lived in a cave during the civil war. The war happened in the spring and summer. Claire Louise is telling the story. The main character is Claire Louise. The major characters of this book are the dad, the mom, Landon, Claire Louise, her younger brother James, and the slaves who help them during the war. The mood of this book in the beginning was sad because they were poor but in the end they were happy.
The plot of this book is Landon and his dad are doctors. Claire Louise helped Robert, a slave from the war. Clare Louise was brave, helpful, and kind. The major events were the war came to Vicksburg, and people tried to escape from the war. The battle ended, and then the war was finally over. The problem was solved when the war was over. When there was a fire Claire Louise went to the house with Robert.
When I pictured a picture in my mind about what happened, and how it made me feel, it made me feel like the book was real. I did learn a lot about their family and their hardships. The family seemed very, very helpful. It gave good information about the battles of the war. I find the book interesting because it talked about their family how they came home from the war. I would recommend this book to others because it really feels like the book is real.
The book left me believing wars are horrible. I was their family happy was saved. I especially want the reader to know that wars are dangerous. I think students 9 years old and older should read this book. I really enjoyed this book. I think you should read it!!!!!!!!!! ( )

Thirteen-year-old Claire Louise Corbet, living in Vicksburg, Mississippi in the spring of 1863, struggles with the many changes the Civil War has brought to her family and her life. Her beloved older brother Landon, has joined the Union Army as a doctor, leaving the Corbet family with divided loyalties - they still love him, but support the Confederate cause. Her father, also a doctor, has joined the Confederate Army. And when Vicksburg comes under siege by the Union Army, Claire Louise, her little brother James, their mother, and their household servants must leave their comfortable house to live in a cave.

Soon after, Claire Louise finds her loyalties further divided. Her brother, whom she hasn't seen in many months, has returned to Vicksburg to care for wounded soldiers. He brings with him Robert, a wounded Confederate soldier. Landon confides in Claire Louise that Robert is a Confederate officer that was responsible for an order from General Lee that fell into Union hands, leading to a terrible Confederate defeat. Though Robert insists the order was lost accidentally, Landon feels compelled to turn him in. Now Claire Louise is forced to choose between her brother and helping Robert, which she feels is right in her heart.

I have loved most of the books I've read by Ann Rinaldi, so I really wanted to like this one as well. But in the end, I thought it was just okay, and nothing more. For starters, it was really at least a bit too short, and was missing a lot of backstory and explanation - why did Landon join the Union Army? Why was he so readily accepted back in Vicksburg after betraying his Confederate neighbors to help the enemy? The character of Claire Louise herself was inconsistent at times as well, sometimes acting very immature for her age and other times making adult decisions. My Vicksburg isn't a terrible book - it's a quick, pleasant enough read. Readers who already love Ann Rinaldi's books will likely find it an enjoyable enough way to spend a couple of hours. But for those readers looking for a really good novel about the Civil War, or who are new to this author's books, there are much better books out there, including several others about the Civil War by Ann Rinaldi herself that I thought were much better than this book. ( )