
"My name is Will Spencer. I come from a little town called Atwater, Ohio, and I bought this wagon to haul goods. But lately, I’ve been hauling more people than goods." Will Spencer’s family has always helped runaway slaves passing through their town as they travel the Underground Railroad. But Will is ready to leave Atwater, Ohio, and start a life of his own as a peddler seeking his fortune. When a runaway slave asks Will to help steal his older brother out of the South to keep him from being sold into the hard life of the cotton fields, Will amends his plan and begins an adventure that will take him into the heart of slavery’s evil. As he makes his way from Ohio to Kentucky, Will discovers that people are not always what they seem and that it’s not always easy to tell right from wrong. After all, according to the law, stealing slaves is just as bad as robbing a man’s house. Does that mean Will Spencer is a common thief? Or is he a young man doing what’s right? From the Hardcover edition.
Author

Katherine Ayres is the author of ten books for children and teenagers. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA where she teaches writing to graduate students and Chatham University. At age 19 she appeared on the TV show, To Tell the Truth—as a liar. "It was good practice for becoming a fiction writer," she says. "These days I have to make up stuff all the time. And I like it!" Then, as now, Ayres was a convincing story spinner—members of the panel believed her impersonation as young readers believe and enjoy her characters today. To get to know Katherine better, visit her website (www.katherineayres.com) and her blog (katherineayres.blogspot.com).