Dexter Doubleday: Fight for Freedom

By Karen Leary

Dexter Doubleday is a typical middle school kid who lives with his parents and younger brother in the small Pacific Northwest town of Ridgefield, Washington.
Dexter plays on the basketball team. He enjoys kayaking, fishing, and hanging out with his best friend, Jack. He loves pizza and video games, does pretty well in math, and really likes learning about science.
But, he absolutely hates anything and everything to do with history. For one thing, he thinks something that happened in the past has absolutely nothing to do with his life right now. According to Dexter, history is just a bunch of boring old stuff, about boring old people, doing boring old things, during boring old times. Boring!
Until, something amazing happens to Dexter Doubleday!
Dexter is suddenly swept up by a strong gust of wind that instantly pushes him backward in time all the way to the middle of the Civil War. One minute he's jumping down from the steps of the school bus and thinking about taking his dog Bailey for a walk to Abram's park; and, the next minute, he's riding a horse through a terrifying valley filled with the bodies of fallen soldiers, the putrid smell of gunfire, and venomous snakes!
Posing as a Union Soldier, Dexter comes to the aide of and befriends a wounded, young Confederate Infantryman. He nurses him back to health and the two unlikely friends set out on a journey together to find what each is looking for. All Dexter wants to do is find his home and rejoin his family. He's in the wrong time and the wrong place and doesn't want to stay!
His new friend Micah is looking for courage. He wants to rejoin the war effort to honor his family.
During their journey they run into a few distractions and obstacles. One of the biggest obstacles is their differing beliefs and opinions about the Civil War.
Through their shared experience, both boys learn a lot about the war and a little about themselves.
Dexter Doubleday's time travel adventure changes him. It even changes how he feels about history. He now understands the hardships and complexities of the Civil War and is really beginning to appreciate the importance of history.
What changed him? He has no idea. Or, does he?

Dexter Doubleday "Fight for Freedom" might best be described as a creative non-fiction. Although the characters and premise of time travel are fictional, the information about and historical references to the Civil War are factual—having been carefully researched using historical documents and the writings of recognized Civil War historians.

"Fight for Freedom" is Book One in the Dexter Doubleday series. The subject matter, writing style, lexile range, and vocabulary make Dexter Doubleday "Fight for Freedom" a perfect literary text choice for the middle-level reader (grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), for book study groups, for family reading, and for classroom application.

To increase learning opportunities, the following are included at the back of the book:
• Suggested Pre-reading Activities
• Civil War Era Photographs (Library of Congress)
• Vocabulary Words and Definitions (listed by chapter)
• Book Study Questions (listed by chapter)

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781667811130

Book preview

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© 2021 Karen Leary

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Print ISBN: 978-1-66781-112-3

eBook ISBN: 978-1-66781-113-0

Acknowledgements

To my husband, Scott Leary, thank you for ongoing encouragement and support, for enduring countless late-night writing sessions, and for keeping my life, my heart, and my glass filled!

To Marv Ross, Quarterflash Musician and Songwriter, thank you for so generously providing instruction and suggestions.

Special thanks to Jennifer Holloway, Emily Holloway, Maria Heckinger, Steve Klinski, Karen Keller and Hendrix Flick.

Thank you to BookBaby publishing company for the ongoing communication, professionalism and expertise that made this journey fun.

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.

–Abraham Lincoln

Freedom is never free.

–Maya Angelou

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

–Nelson Mandela

You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has freedom.

–Malcolm X

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.

–Albert Einstein

Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter 1

The Assignment

Chapter 2

The Trunk

Chapter 3

Emily Jane

Chapter 4

The Stranger

Chapter 5

Death Valley

Chapter 6

Past Forward

Learning Activities to Complete Prior to Reading Dexter Doubleday

Vocabulary

Book Study Questions to Complete After Reading Dexter Doubleday.

Sources

Prologue

My name is Dexter Doubleday—and for some unknown reason—that seems to be a problem.

Something really peculiar happens when someone says my name. Not always, mind you, just every once in a while. What’s even weirder is that I never know when or where it’s going to happen. It just does.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me, I really do like my name. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the name Dexter. I actually think it’s pretty cool.

My little brother (his name’s Micah, by the way) usually calls me Dex. So do most of the guys on my basketball team, and Jack. Jack’s my best friend. Anyway, it’s not often you meet someone named Dexter. That alone makes it something special. Am I right?

But, as I was saying, sometimes my name causes a very odd thing to happen—like a blast of wind. No, that doesn’t really describe it very well. It’s more like this super strong and steady rush of air that moves straight through me.

Sometimes, it comes from the front and it feels like it’s pushing me backward. Other times, it comes from behind me and it’s pushing me forward. Weird, huh?

I tried to explain it to my mom (who does tend to worry about my brother and me a little too much); so, of course, she made a doctor’s appointment for the very next day. Dr. Williams checked me out and said everything looked absolutely fine. He reminded me that Ridgefield does have breezes and random gusts of wind, especially in the spring and summer—which is true.

While I was in Dr. Williams’ office, he was going over my records and realized I needed a couple of booster shots. My arm was awfully sore that night. I don’t think I’ll mention the rush of air to either of my parents again.

But, I’ll tell you, it sure is an odd and spooky feeling.

The name Dexter isn’t an issue. The name Doubleday isn’t even an issue.

I don’t understand it; but, for some reason, sometimes, when someone says those two names together—Dexter Doubleday—well, that can be a whole different story!

Chapter 1

The Assignment

Dexter leans in real close to the inside of the school bus window. Through his nose he inhales as much air as he can and then opens his mouth and huffs out one long, steady blast of warm air onto the surface of the glass. Before the circle of fog from his breath has enough time to disappear, he quickly writes his initials in it with the tip of his right index finger: D.D.

During his elementary years, Dexter and his best friend Jack walked to and from school together taking the shortcut through Abrams Park. The new middle school is way on the other side of town. So now, on those days when neither his mom nor his dad can drive him, Dexter rides the school bus. Dexter really doesn’t like riding on the bus and can’t wait until he is old enough to drive.

All summer and into the fall Dexter earned money by doing yard work for a few of the neighbors. His dad promised him he would match whatever he saved—dollar for dollar—to help him buy his first car as soon as he is old enough to drive. Even though sixteen is still a ways away, Dexter decided to start earning and saving money the day after his dad made this promise. He figures the longer he saves his money, the nicer his car will be.

Dexter’s good at saving and is already thinking of ways to earn money during the winter months. The neighbors won’t need much in the way of yard work then but he thinks maybe he can offer to walk their dogs or help them put up Christmas lights. Of course, if it snows he can always shovel walks and driveways. Dexter is really hoping it snows. Ridgefield hasn’t had a decent snowfall in the last few years.

Resting one side of his head against the window, Dexter gazes outside checking out each of the passing cars as the bus continues rumbling its way down Main Avenue. It’s a typical October morning in the Pacific Northwest town of Ridgefield, Washington. Since it rained most of the night, the asphalt streets are still dark and shiny, and the air feels chilly and damp.

By early afternoon, a good portion of the clouds drifted apart revealing expansive patches of brilliant blue sky. Amber-colored leaves tremble with each light breeze and an occasional leaf or two breaks away from its tree and slowly drifts downward. Absolutely everything about the day in the small town of Ridgefield looks and feels like fall.

Dexter really likes where he lives. Even though the quaint downtown has a diminutive footprint, the outer areas of town are growing exponentially, and there’s quite a lot to do. There’s a farmer’s market in the center of town on Saturday mornings, and every month the city hosts activities to bring the people of Ridgefield together. June and December events are Dexter’s absolute favorites.

In December, everyone gathers in the town square for the lighting of the Christmas tree and then they all sing carols together. In June, families head for Lake River to launch their paddleboards, kayaks, and boats during Ridgefield’s Big Paddle-In.

Dexter’s parents decided to build a house in Ridgefield because they liked the idea of raising their boys in a small town but having quick access to larger communities. It’s only a couple of freeway exits away from Vancouver—a larger town—and just a few short miles beyond that, across either of the two bridges that span the Columbia River, are all of the conveniences of Portland, Oregon. With creeks, rivers, and lakes so nearby, there are plenty of places for the Doubleday family to go fishing and kayaking.

Just before the bus turns into the school’s parking lot, Dexter notices a truck pulling a shiny red ski boat behind it headed toward town. Probably trying to get in one last boating trip before the weather turns cold, Dexter thinks as he stands up to exit the bus. Lucky guy!

Later in the afternoon, the shrill dismissal bell rings and a split second later the doors of the middle school fly open and students spill out heading off in all directions. Dexter hurries his way to the loading area and, as usual, is among the first to board the bus. Flashing a self-satisfied grin, he grabs the pole at the top of the steps and uses it to propel himself into the first seat on the right-hand side of the bus.

The middle-aged redhead seated in the driver’s seat looks over her shoulder.

What are you, Dexter—a chimpanzee?

Dexter smiles, You never know, Miss Linda.

One by one additional riders noisily board the bus until the queue thins itself considerably and eventually ends. Linda closes the glass bi-fold door, checks her mirrors, and slowly pulls away from her assigned place in the bus lane.

Dexter leans forward in his seat and reaches around to pull a small flat rock