Reconstruction promised so much to so many Americans in the heady days after the Civil War - none more so than the freed slaves who had the chance to own farmland and grow crops. This was the promise, 40 acres and a mule, which lead brothers Pascal and Gideon with their entourage of friends and "family" to the promised land of Green Gloryland. And the dream is coming true, as the boys grow rich crops of cotton and lots of good, nourishing food. But there`s a terrible threat combing the land that could take away the children`s newfound happiness - and their hard-won freedom. Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule by the esteemed children` author Harriette Gillem Robinet received the prestigious 1999 Scott O`Dell Award for Historical Fiction. | Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule by Harriette Gillem Robinet, Paperback | Indigo Chapters