Betty Hicks (Children's Literature)
While training to become a "house slave" in South Carolina in 1851, twelve-year-old Miles makes the mistake of looking at a book and is sent to the "breaking ground"--the brutal workplace used to break the spirits of "trouble-making" slaves. This illuminating narrative also describes an aspect of slavery not often written about--the class gap between house servants and field workers, and how slave owners magnify the difference for their own protection. It also depicts the subterfuge of slaves who had the wisdom and ability to assume whatever role "Ol' Marse" required. Field hand and house-servant dialects are skillfully done, creating understanding and respect for the double meanings and comforting rhythms that generated hope. Readers will savor Miles' secret reading lessons (he "took to sleeping with his arm wrapped around his head to protect his knowledge") and cheer his determination to take Mama Cee, his surrogate mother, to freedom. The only flaw in this compelling story is an ending that feels rushed compared to the earlier gradual and believable pace. Readers will still value the journey, sharing with Miles his motivation, pride, and pain. 2000, Houghton Mifflin, $15.00. Ages 9 to 14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2000 (Vol. 68, No. 9))
Professional storyteller McGill ("Molly Bannaky", 1999) has written a first novel that is enjoyable and compelling, though it shows some seams. Miles is a young slave being trained as a servant in the great house, but when he is caught looking at a book, he is sent to the breaking grounds. There he meets Elijah, who teaches him to read and write, and to set his mind towards freedom. He learns how to use field talk as a mask to show the breakers and the masters the slave they want to see, and then returns to the plantation. There he awaits word from Elijah to start the journey that he will embark upon toward freedom. McGill's narrative moves smoothly and lyrically, with the sweeping tones of an oral story. Unfortunately, the characters, while convincing, are generally one-dimensional, and historical details sometimes seem forced. For instance, Miles, though violently startled the first time he hears a steam train, boards his first train without notice. These and other slight inconsistencies mar the cohesiveness of the novel; yet it is still a good and well-told story that will have wide appeal and may educate young readers about aspects of slavery, like hammer rings and the breaking grounds. This is promising work. 2000, Houghton Mifflin, $15.00. Category: Fiction. Ages 9 to 13. © 2000 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, April 2000 (Vol. 53, No. 8))
Twelve-year-old Miles is an enslaved house servant on the South Carolina plantation of Gency Tillery in 1851. His accidental glance at a book in the master’s study has led to his being sent to “the breakin’ ground” so his spirit can be broken and he can return to the plantation with the proper attitude. While at the breakers, Miles meets Elijah, an educated slave who teaches him how to read, dissemble, and survive; Elijah promises to contact Miles when the time comes to escape to freedom. Through Miles’ eyes the reader sees the daily life of the enslaved, the hardships and despair, the determination and resilience that made it possible for individuals such as Miles to survive and escape. The loyalty and sense of community among Miles and his fellow slaves permeates the action, and McGill stays with the point of view of the young man who desires freedom above all else. The occasional clumsy transition mars the flow of the text, but strong characterizations and a driving sense of action carry the plot; dialect, when used, is easily understood. The novel reads like a suspense thriller, with spies, counterspies, disguises, and trickery used as weapons on both sides as Miles battles the belief that it is his destiny to be a slave. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2000, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2000, Houghton, 224p, $15.00. Grades 6-9.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2000)
Miles, a slave who works in the plantation's great house, is caught looking at a book and sent away to the "breaking ground" where, instead of having his spirit broken, he secretly learns to read. Returning to the plantation, he labors as a field hand and plots his escape from slavery. Although the last few chapters don't seem as carefully crafted as most of the novel, the story remains powerful and moving. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2000, Houghton, 213pp, $15.00. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Marsha Harper (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 13, No. 1))
Alice McGill used her talents as a professional storyteller and collector of tales to weave this story of Miles, a 12-year-old slave boy on a plantation in South Carolina. The year is 1851. Miles has been raised by Mama Cee, a surrogate mother. She arranges for him to be trained as a house servant like herself because that is an easier life than being a field hand. Miles is proud of his position and works hard at learning all the ways his people must acquire to survive close contact with the owners. Disaster comes to him when he is caught looking in an open book. He is sent to the "breaking ground," a farm miles away where rebellious slaves are taught, with beatings and deprivation, to be like dull, unquestioning animals. Yet paradoxically, it is at the breaking ground that Miles meets Elijah who teaches him to read and gives him instructions for escaping to freedom along with Mama Cee. MILES' SONG is a thrilling suspense story with real life-or-death urgency in the details of Miles's plight. Many details of the plantation system and the customs of the slaves are woven into the story. Although no documentation is given, the author is a collector of oral traditions, and the book has the ring of truth. Boys in middle school and higher will be a good audience. School librarians will want this title to add to their collections of pre-Civil War lore. History teachers, black children, and adventure lovers will also be interested. Grades 7 and up. 2000, Houghton Mifflin, 213p, $15.00. Ages 12 up.

Rebecca Vnuk (VOYA, June 2000 (Vol. 23, No. 2))
In this sensitive yet slightly muddled look at the life of a young slave, Miles is a curious and bright boy who is sent to a work camp where insolent slaves are sent to be broken and taught obedience. His crime was merely looking at a book in the main house. At the camp he meets Elijah, an educated slave who quickly recognizes Miles's aptitude and steadily teaches him how to read and write. When Miles returns to his plantation, Elijah tells him to wait patiently and to keep up with his learning, for he will find a way to help Miles escape. Through forbidden letters, Elijah manages to remain in contact with Miles to get him eventually on the road to freedom. Many of the scenes are touching and a joy to read, such as when Elijah patiently scratches letters in the dirt to teach Miles the alphabet and as Miles repeats words over and over to himself to remember their spelling. Several moving scenes involving Miles and his Mama Cee are heart-warming and genuine. Well grounded in historical fact and with engaging glimpses into plantation life, this novel is a fine complement to a unit studying slavery, but the plot does not move quickly enough to hold interest for pleasure reading. Several characters are poorly developed, making them difficult to follow and detracting from the otherwise interesting scenes. VOYA CODES: 2Q 2P M J (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2000, Houghton Mifflin, 224p, $15. Ages 11 to 15.