Setting is 1862, Kentucky. Mother leaves her 3 children with the Shakers.
Detail about Shaker life and religion is very interesting. ( )

In 1862 Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 14-year-old Rosemary Elizabeth strives to fit in with the Shaker sisters of this 'Heaven on Earth,' but yearns to be reunited with her mother and siblings from whom she was separated when they sought refuge from her abusive father. Includes facts about Shakers and Morgan's Raiders.

To escape their drunken, abusive father Rosemary Elizabeth travels with her mother and younger siblings to the Shaker village of Pleasant Hill. While the Civil War rages on, Pleasant Hill is an oasis of peace. Rosemary knows that she and her family will be safe there. But when ma leaves the children in the care of the Shakers without so much as a goodbye, Rosemary is crushed. The Shakers give her a new name (Sister Bess) and try to teach her the Shaker way, but Rosemary can't seem to get it right. She's constantly making mistakes (the Shakers call them "imperfections"). Will Rosemary be able to adopt Shaker beliefs? She must try, for she has nowhere else to go...

This book gives a detailed look at the Shaker life in 1860s Kentucky. Kentucky was a state trapped in the middle of the war - a Union state that still had slaves - and Rosemary is also trapped in the middle. Some parts of the plot didn't really click with me, but this was worth the read for the gorgeous descriptions of Shaker buildings, craft, and food. An author's note with sources is included (yay!). ( )