Harder Books
“The most complex historical events can be understood through the lives of individual people. I write to give readers a window into extraordinary experiences through the eyes of those who lived them.”
Steal Away
Publication Year: 1992
This powerful historical novel weaves together past and present as elderly Susannah McKnight travels with her granddaughter Mary to visit Bethlehem Reid in Canada in 1896. What begins as a seemingly simple journey unfolds into an extraordinary tale of courage, friendship, and the quest for freedom.
The story reveals how Susannah and Bethlehem, as young girls from different worlds, formed an unbreakable bond and helped each other escape north—Bethlehem seeking freedom from slavery and Susannah returning to her beloved home. Their friendship, forged in the crucible of necessity, remains fierce and authentic throughout their lives.
Critics have praised the book’s emotional resonance, poetic imagery, and uncompromising clarity, noting how it balances adventure with profound insights about personal liberty and human connection.
Becoming Mary Mehan (Two-Book Series)
The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan (1996)
Mary Mehan Awake (1997)
This acclaimed historical duology traces the journey of a young Irish immigrant woman through the turmoil of Civil War America and into a new beginning.
In The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan, readers meet Mairhe (Mary) living in a Washington D.C. slum with her father, working in an alehouse and crocheting lace while her brother joins the Union Army. Her dreams at night mingle with harsh realities, creating what one reviewer called “the fuller truth” of the immigrant experience during America’s most divisive conflict. Her chance encounters with poet Walt Whitman offer a connection between kindred souls amid the chaos of war.
Mary Mehan Awake continues Mary’s story as she seeks healing in the tranquil setting of upstate New York near Lake Ontario. Exhausted from nursing dying soldiers and grieving her brother’s death, Mary finds renewal through her connection with nature and a developing relationship with Henry, another war veteran who has lost his hearing. Together, they discover the possibility of new beginnings as America itself seeks healing and westward expansion.
The duology has been celebrated for its artistic prose, emotional authenticity, and lyrical exploration of recovery and resilience.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
Publication Year: 1998
This gripping non-fiction account chronicles one of history’s greatest survival stories. In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 set sail from England in an attempt to cross Antarctica. Five months later, their ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the ice and eventually broke apart, leaving the men stranded in one of Earth’s most hostile environments.
Armstrong’s swift, stirring prose recounts their extraordinary journey to survival—camping on ice floes, taking shelter on remote Elephant Island, and Shackleton’s incredible 800-mile open-boat journey across wild ocean to find help. The narrative is enhanced by over 40 original photographs from the expedition, providing remarkable visual documentation of their ordeal.
This exceptional work has garnered numerous awards, including recognition as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. Its combination of historical accuracy, compelling storytelling, and remarkable visual elements makes it accessible to readers from middle school through adulthood.
Photo by Brady: A Picture of the Civil War
Publication Year: 2005
This unique historical work examines the Civil War through the lens of pioneering photographer Mathew Brady, whose images brought the distant reality of war into American homes for the first time. Armstrong explores how Brady’s earlier portraits—including those of Abraham Lincoln—helped shape the nation’s understanding of its leaders before focusing on his groundbreaking wartime photography.
Concentrating primarily on the war in Virginia and photographers based in New York City and Washington, Armstrong weaves a narrative rich with fascinating details drawn from soldiers’ diaries and letters. The book features numerous period photographs that provide visual context to the written accounts.
With meticulous research and engaging prose, Armstrong demonstrates how Brady, the president, and the war became forever entwined in our national memory. The book includes extensive picture credits, source notes, and a comprehensive bibliography, making it an invaluable resource for Civil War collections and young historians.
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
Publication Year: 1999
Co-written with Irene Gut Opdyke, this remarkable autobiography stands out even among World War II memoirs for its extraordinary substance and emotional impact. Born to a Polish Catholic family in 1922, Opdyke was a 17-year-old nursing student when Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
Her journey through the war included tending to Polish military remnants hiding in forests, capture and assault by Russian forces, escape and recapture, and eventual forced service to the German army. When she became a housekeeper for a German major, she used his villa to hide twelve Jews—keeping them safe throughout the war at enormous personal risk.
Armstrong and Opdyke’s collaboration creates an uncanny ability to place readers in young Irene’s shoes. The memoir balances the complexities of wartime Poland with intimate personal experiences, presenting Irene as simultaneously strong and vulnerable—a real woman rather than a saint. Telling details and carefully crafted metaphors provide narrative structure while offering insight into Irene’s experiences and the foundation of her heroic resistance.
This inspiring account of moral courage has been praised for its riveting storytelling and profound impact on readers of all ages.
Shattered: Stories of Children and War
Publication Year: 2002
As editor of this powerful anthology, Armstrong brings together twelve notable authors who explore the far-reaching consequences of war as experienced by children. The collection spans diverse settings—from the American Civil War to Afghanistan in the 1980s—and presents characters touched by conflict in various ways, from those with loved ones fighting overseas to children struggling to survive in active war zones.
The anthology presents diverse viewpoints on conflict, with some stories challenging conventional perspectives on war’s impact. One particularly powerful entry recreates the Communist scare of the 1950s, based on the real case of a librarian accused of Communist affiliations. Another focuses on a young Quaker conscientious objector who leaves his family to serve in the Civilian Public Service.
Each story is complemented by factual information about the historical conflict it portrays, providing contextual understanding for young readers. The book concludes with Authors’ Notes that offer insight into the inspiration behind each narrative.
Described as “thought-provoking and disturbing,” this exceptional collection has been highly recommended for academic and public library collections and for readers ages 12 to 18.
What a Song Can Do: 12 Riffs on the Power of Music
Publication Year: 2004
In this innovative anthology, Armstrong presents twelve short stories that explore the universal power of music in young people’s lives. Rather than portraying music solely as a healing force, the collection offers nuanced perspectives on how music intersects with identity, relationships, and personal challenges.
The stories range widely in theme and tone. In one narrative, a boy named Lee faces the dilemma of playing with his band or caring for his hospitalized mother. In another, a character with synesthesia—a condition causing her to see colors and objects when she hears music—processes grief while navigating a new crush.
Armstrong’s careful curation creates a collection that resonates with authentic adolescent experiences and avoids simplistic portrayals of music’s role in young lives. The anthology succeeds through its deliberate circumspection and diversity of voices, making it particularly relevant for teen readers interested in the intersection of art and identity.