The Perilous Road

infobox Book |
name = The Perilous Road
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = William O. Steele
cover_artist = Illustrated by Paul Galdone
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Harcourt Brace & World
release_date = 1 April 1958
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-15-260644-0 (hardback edition)
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Perilous Road" is a novel, published in 1958 by William O. Steele. The book is set in Eastern Tennessee during the time of the American Civil War. In 1959, "The Perilous Road" was awarded the Newbery Honor.

Plot summary

Chris Brabson is a boy whose family lives in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. His family encounters hard times when cavalry soldiers of the Union Army come and take most of his family's food and their one and only plow horse.Chris vowes to get even with the Yanks. Chris' brother, Jethro, has just recently joined the Union Army. Jethro's enlistment causes the Brabson family to be the victims of prejudice from their neighbors who are sympathizers of the Confederate Army.

Though Jethro is a Union soldier, Chris hates the Union troops. When Chris finds out that there is a wagon train in the area he alerts a friend of his, Silas Agee, who claims to be a Confederate spy. It is only after he tells Silas about the wagon train that he finds out that his brother's job in the Army will be as a wagon driver. Chris then takes it upon himself to go tell his brother of the fact that the Confederates have been alerted about the wagon train in order to try to save Jethro's life.

Awards and nominations

In 1959, "The Perilous Road" was awarded the Newbery Honor.