By: Paul Fleischman
Woodcuts by: David Frampton
Honestly, I was not looking forward to reading this story after casually flipping through some of the pages, even though I love history. Once I started reading, though, I really got into the different characters.
Keeping the characters straight was difficult for me, though I think hearing different characters' stories was absolutely awesome and effective in interpreting the whole of the story. I probably should have kept a little piece of paper with notes on it to write down character names and to keep them straight. On the other hand, having the viewpoints of 16 different characters really made me feel I was part of the action. Each character was very authentic and readers get a glimpse of the different people in the first battle of the Civil War. I don't think I would have liked this book as much as I did if it had been written from just one person's point-of-view. Writing it this way proves to be very effective. I felt like I was really a part of the battle and the whole time, I was thinking about which character I liked the best.
If I taught a grade and the Civil War was an SOL, I would definitely use this story as a teaching tool. I think it gives a real insider's look to what war is really about. I also think kids would learn more from a story written in this way than an out-dated textbook any day.
2 comments:
I, too had difficulty remembering each character and I found myself flipping backwards throughout the book to find out whether or not the character had already been introduced. I relied heavily on the picture symbols at the top of each character's name to help me remember. I was also uncertain initially about whether or not I would enjoy the book because of the many different perpectives. I did find myself becoming invested in the story quickly, however. I had just read I Had Seen Castles and this story was told from one perspective, thus making this book more intimate. Bull Run did not have the same impact for me as a reader, but I was equally moved by the stories that revealed the impact of war, especially for Lily Maloy.
I think that the subject of war lends itself very well to the format of writing in different perspectives, not only in each of the two "sides" of the war and battles, but of the individuals and what they believe in and struggle with on the side of the war they are on. I think that using fictional, historical accounts such as this truly make history come alive and mean so much more to students than just reading sentences full of facts in a textbook. Those facts and class discussions certainly act as a foundation for prior knowledge and should be a place for a teacher to cultivate curiosity about the subject which would then in turn lead beautifully into sharing a book like this. It could be done with individuals, partners, and literature circles. Students would run with being into this book once given the opportunity to share what they thought about the perspectives of the people affected by the war in this book.
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