13 year old Mary is happy to keep quiet about the secret instruction she receives at Miss Prudence Crandall's private school for the daughters of the richest families in New England. On the other hand, Mary's sister Sarah glories in the fuss she creates when she is openly admitted.But When Miss Prudence replaces the school's white students with little misses of color, all sides of the anti-slavery movement want to use the school to further their own agendas. Now Mary and Sarah are caught in the middle.A popular author of historical fiction for young adults, Ann Rinaldi bases this compelling novel on actual people and events from the pre-Civil war abolitionist movement. Caroline Clay's brilliant narration sings out the story of a young girl coming of age in a racially charged environment.