I Stand For Liberty

What does liberty mean when you are only twelve years old-and the fight for it could cost you everything?

Twelve-year-old John Morton is not a soldier. He has no polished uniform, no military rank, and no place in the history books. He is a camp follower, one of the many children and family members who travel alongside the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Following his father from battlefield to battlefield, John endures long marches, hunger, harsh weather, sickness, and the constant fear of losing someone he loves. He repairs soldiers' clothing, carries water, runs errands, gathers supplies, watches over his younger sister Emily, and sees firsthand how much ordinary families sacrifice to keep the army moving. Camp followers like John played an important but often overlooked role in the Patriot cause.

At first, John does not fully understand the words the adults around him repeat so often-freedom, independence, liberty. To him, survival comes first. But as the war continues, those words begin to mean something more. Victory could give him the chance to become more than the son of a poor farmer and to choose his own future.

John soon finds himself doing far more than watching history unfold. During battle, he races for water needed by the cannon crews while fighting rages around him. Later, while running supplies from town, he overhears British soldiers discussing plans to attack his camp. Suddenly, the information he carries could save lives.

Then another crisis strikes. On the road back to camp, John hears a child screaming in a river. He plunges into the current to save her-only to discover the drowning child is his own little sister.

As danger grows, John's father gives him a responsibility heavier than any musket. If something happens to him, John must care for the family. More importantly, he tells his son that if he can no longer fight, John must continue to stand for liberty.

Those words change John. He begins to understand that courage is not only found on the battlefield. It can mean giving up your food for your little sister, helping the wounded, working when you are exhausted, protecting your family, and refusing to surrender hope.

When news finally arrives that Cornwallis has surrendered at Yorktown, John realizes the war has changed him forever. Independence means his family may finally go home-and that he may one day grow into the man he chooses to become in a free country.

I Stand For Liberty: A Journey To Independence brings the American Revolution to life through the eyes of a child whose contribution would rarely appear in traditional history books. Blending adventure, family, danger, and historical detail, this middle-grade novel explores courage, sacrifice, responsibility, and the true meaning of freedom.

Perfect for middle-grade readers, classrooms, homeschool families, reluctant readers, and young history enthusiasts, I Stand For Liberty is part of Kellie May's Teen Patriot Series.