The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson - OPTIONAL

Anderson, M.T. The Kingdom on the Waves: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 2 pgs. 561 Candlewick

Language~PG, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~PG-13

HS –OPTIONAL

The second volume by M.T. Anderson of his series The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation continues the tale of Octavian Nothing, a young black man raised as an experiment and now a fugitive slave in the company of Dr. Trefusis. The unlikely pair is destitute as they stumble into British occupied Boston. In a shocking proclamation The Right Honorable Earl of Dunmore with approval of the Crown offers freedom to any slave or indentured person who will join the British troops in a newly created Ethiopian regiment. Octavian, along with many others seizes this opportunity for freedom. However, the ‘freedom’ they receive is not what they hoped.

These novels are not for the casual reader. They are written in period language and are very long winded. However, they are exceptionally well written and tell the tale of the American Revolution from a unique perspective. The audiobook is highly recommended. Winner of the 2009 Michael L. Printz Honor Award.


Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library