Great Escapes #3: Civil War Breakout

Great Escapes: Civil War Breakout by W. N. Brown is a book about several prisoners of war trying to escape from prison with nothing but a knife. Union Colonel Thomas Rose and a few others were taken captive by the Confederates during the Civil War in 1863. The story talks about their many attempts to dig a tunnel with a single knife, taking turns digging and standing watch. It took them several unsuccessful attempts and 6 months of digging to finally get to freedom. The men had to disguise themselves to get away, but Thomas Rose was recaptured; two months later he was exchanged for other prisoners.

The plot of the story was very good, and I enjoyed reading the book. It was very easy to read and understand. My favorite part was when Thomas Rose made a friend in prison and joined his plan to escape. I liked the character of Thomas Rose. He was easy to get to know and read about. The story flowed very well and kept my interest through the very end. The story teaches what it looks like to be brave in face of trouble and not to give up. There are several pictures in the book that go well with the story. Ages 8-13 should read this book. I really enjoyed reading it and recommend it. The book was so good; I could not put it down.