Under Siege!

Gr 4–6—In this novel set in St. Augustine, FL, in 1702, two boys, Pedro and Miguel, must grow up fast as outside forces invade their town. The boys are told they are too young to help defend the Castillo de San Marcos against the superior British enemy that is ready to take it under siege. As Grandpapa explains to Miguel, "Being under siege means the enemy intends to trap the townspeople and garrison inside the Castillo." The boys do their best to learn all they can from Governor Zuniga, the sergeant, and others. They depend on the wisdom of Grandpapa to teach them how to be fighters and protectors of their town. Pedro, at 13, is trusted by Grandpapa with the war plan. Both Pedro and Miguel become true soldiers, with Pedro sharing what he has learned from Grandpapa with Miguel. The book includes a historical map of the area, and Gioia gives a rich description of life in Florida during this time period. Each chapter starts with a quotation from Sun Tzu, a real-life Chinese general, philosopher, and military strategist.