Callie Wilcomb is a 12 year old enslaved girl who lives in Virginia in the 1860s. With the Civil War going on all around them, Callie and her family make a risky yet life-changing decision to go after their freedom. Based on true accounts and real locations of the Civil War, Calico Girl is a poignant, hopeful, and sometimes heartbreaking story of one family’s journey to be free.
Have students illustrate the different settings in Calico Girl by Jerdine Nolen
Storyboard Text
Belle Hill Farm
Fort Monroe
Callie and her family live in a small cabin on Mister Henry's farm. Papa tends to the horses, Mama Ruth sews, and Callie takes care of Mister Henry's daughter, Suse, at the big house.
Fort Monroe is a large fortress and serves as an outpost for the Union Army. It is bustling with soldiers, refugee slaves, horses and wagons, and constant activity. It has its own hospital and school. It is a safe place for enslaved people who have escaped.