Rating: 
Summary: Great Civil War Book
Review: A family has been killed by the Civil War except for one. His name is Will Page. Will has been sent to his aunt's and uncle's house. He struggles for a while there at his new family's house, but he finally pulls through. I would highly suggest this book to any readers out there. It will keep you in it all the way through!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Gray Shadows
Review: All of Will's family has been struck down by the Civil War by death. His mother and sisters died from an illness called Typhoid. His brother was taken by the Yankees,and his father was killed in the war fighting against them. When his mother was ill, she wrote a letter to her sister. Asking, that when she died if Will could live and grow up there with them. But the only problem is that Will doesn't like his Uncle Jed because he didn't fight in the war for his family. Instead he stayed at home, and for that Will thinks of him as a traitor.
If Will doesn't want to live under the same roof as his Uncle Jed, what will he do?I think that Shades of Gray is a good book for adults, but not for kids. But if you need a good book on the Civil War and want to get caught up in it, this is the book for you. 6th Grade Student for OHES
Rating: 
Summary: Where Will William Go, to Hold in Civil War Grief?
Review: An ALA Notable Book: I disagree completely! "I don't want to go!" Screams William.
William's whole family died in the Civil War and he is now
being shipped off by his friend, Doc Martin to his Uncle Jed
and Aunt Ella's in Piedmont, Virginia. Some sympathy at first
but then William reveals his ungrateful self. The sympathy
wears off.
William is ashamed that his Uncle Jed didn't fight for
the Confederates in the War. As the book lingers on, William starts to loosen up to his gracious relatives' hospitality. He becomes friendly with his cousin, Meg, who our author neglected for the first three chapters. He fished for Bluegills by the lighthouse with her. He also read Charles Dickens to Beth and Eleanor, who suddenly appear towards the end.
Then William gets a letter from his friend, Doc Martin, asking him if he wanted to come back home, the next three to five chapters are dedicated to William trying to decide where to go, when just a few pages back, he was furious about coming to see his Uncle and Aunt in the first place! Confusing.
In conclusion, the idea for the story was all right, but
Reeder didn't present it well. This history topic isn't something most children would be interested in. 6th Grade Student from OHES
Rating:
Summary: Middle School Reading
Review: Currently, I am a college student. I remember reading this book in the eighth grade. While I do not recall many details about the book, I do remember my reaction and that of my friends to this book. In short, we (being immature middle schoolers) referred to it as "Shades of Gay." This book is easily the most inane piece of literature that I have ever read as required reading for school. Perhaps in elementary school the book would have been enlightening, but in 8th grade, it did absolutely nothing to further my knowledge and/or understanding of the Civil War, nor did it expand my vocabulary in the slightest.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book That Can Be Read
Review: Death, sickness, anger, and war are really causing Will Page to go mad in Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder. The story revolves around Will Page taking place in Shenandoah Valley in the 1800's. Will is being ached by the death of his family during the Confederate War. Will has now moved to his Uncle Jed and Aunt Ella's house along with his cousin Meg. Will has now found out that his Uncle Jed did not serve in the war along with his father which is really bothering Will. Will William Page be able to get along with his new family and Uncle Jed?
My opinion is Shades of Gray is a good book because of the information the author gives to the reader and its enough to explain to the reader what's going on in the book. The author shows letters, a lot of dialogue and also when the characters say things to themselves which the author makes descriptive thoughts by the characters. You should get this book because it's a book with morale to it. The author shows the main goal for the character which is the character is trying get over the fact that his family died and he's struggling and trying to get use to a new family and a new lease on life. I recommend this book a great book to read and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Historical Fiction for Civil War in Virginia
Review: I feel this book is great for fifth graders or fourth graders in Virginia who are studying the Civil War and Reconstruction in Virginia. Life during this period and the feelings of Virginians from many different biewpoints are represented in this great novel. My students thoroughly enjoyed this book as we discussed the history and life during this period in Virginia as we read it together. Characterization is great! By reading it together and discussing the events, the book came alive for my students.
Rating:
Summary: Nice and informative, but preferebly for young readers
Review: I had to read this book for a class assignment and i must say it was fun reading about this boy named Will. Poor Will had lost his entire family to causes of the war and now he was left to live with his Aunt Ella, Uncle Jed and his cousin Meg. The only problem is that he saw his uncle as a traitor-because he had refuse to fight for the confederate side in thye civil war. In the book we see how Will most now adjust to his new life and surroundings. Could Will ever get over his grudge of the war? Can he ever forgive the people who, on his point of view did wrong? This book is really informative, but i was not much amused of the plot which is more for younger readers from about 9-11. Never the less, it shows us a topic that was always viewed from one side, the side that the yankees were right to do what they did, but i never thought of how much consequence it would bring to the oppsite side, it is a very nice book indeed.
Rating:
Summary: A really nice, well written story of way back then!
Review: I liked this story alot. Our class read it everyday of a month and it was great! our class is a 6th grade class but most are very immature! i love this book read it!
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good, not that great.
Review: I read the book, "Shades of Gray", for a class assignment. Everybody had to read a book about the civil war and I was assigned to this one. I fugured that it was going to talk a lot about the war, but it didn't. It mainly talked about Will, (the main charactor), and how he got used to living in the country. Like i said, it was pretty good, but not that great.
Rating: 
Summary: My thoughts on this book
Review: I think that the book Shades of Gray is... How should I say it...? Amateurish, if you will. The characters are developed nicely, but they are rather one-dimensional. The story is very easy to predict, and the writing isn't of the finest quality either. The theme of the book is that a little boy, William Page, is stuck up and won't drop a prejudice against his Uncle Jed for not taking place in the war. The fact that the boy's family was killed is also played upon, of course but the theme becomes rather boring after a while, because the author is just saying the same thing over and over again. My reflections on the book aren't completely negative, though. I think that the way the author creates the environment is ingenious, making reading this book bearable, if not slightly pleasant. Hate is another theme that is played on a lot, but is done in a nice way. The hard feelings between Will and another boy creates an appropriate atmosphere, as well as the scorn neighbors give Uncle Jed, and the scorn Will himself gives his uncle. The character feelings change throughout the book. It is quite the typical watch somebody grow up book... Also, the ending is done messily, the author trying to tie up the hard feelings between Will and another boy by miraculously making them friends. It doesn't really work, and the entire book is about a letter from a character you only meet for a few pages, which makes it rather uneventful. This book is good for 8 and 9 year olds, but that's about it.
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