A Civil War story you’ve never read before. Civil War is raging in America and fifteen-year-old Thomas Beck doesn’t quite fit in. He’s neither black nor white, slave nor free, and yet, Thomas dreams of becoming a Yankee and joining the fight for freedom. After successfully sneaking into the Union Army, Thomas gets his wish, but he’s a Chinese Yankee—different in looks and hairstyle, but not in heart. Finding himself unwelcome by either blue or gray, Thomas forms an unlikely friendship with a runaway slave as the fight moves toward a pivotal moment in Gettysburg. Freedom for Me is a historical novel based on a real Chinese Yankee, one of only a few who served in the American Civil War. Children’s Literary Classics award winner for coming-of-age and historical fiction and a Skipping Stones honoree for multicultural teen fiction. Sometimes all it takes is one brave person to change the world. "A moving depiction of courage and immigrant pride amid the horrors of war." Kirkus Reviews (starred review). "Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee is beautifully written and it's most highly recommended." Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite. "This book took a well-known historical event and spun it into an epic tale told from the perspective of a Chinese boy ." LitPick Student Reviewer, age 15. " Without the use of gory detail, the plot brought the reader right into the middle of the fight....The author has a talent for putting the reader there, next to Thomas with his determination to save the Union. I think the target audience will find it is a perfect fit." Paul F. Johnson for Readers' Favorite. "A fascinating account of the Civil War, from the viewpoint of an "outsider" soldier." Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite. " Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee is a definite page-turner!" LitPick Student Reviewer, age 15. A note to readers: the second edition of Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee from Farmer's Lane Press features substantially the same, award-winning story as the first edition. Readers of the first edition will not find a new story in the second, however, the new edition features slight revisions to the text (but none to the story arc, climax or conclusion), an expanded Author's Note with additional information about Chinese soldiers who served in the Civil War, and a new cover and interior design that I hope readers will enjoy. Thank you for your interest and stay free! Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee. A Civil War Story You've Never Read Before. Children's Literary Classics Gold Award Winner, Coming of Age Upper Middle Grade Fiction Children's Literary Classics Silver Award Winner, Upper Middle Grade Historical Fiction Skipping Stones Honor Award for Multicultural Teen Fiction Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity & Historical Fiction Readers' Favorite Award, Children/Pre-Teen Genre Stacie Haas is an author and communications professional. She has degrees in American History and English and is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature. She resides in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with her husband and their four children. Find her at staciehaas.com.