January 1, 2007
Set during the Battle of Gettysburg, this story tells of Gabe, a young bugler for the Union Army. In the heat of the three-day battle, Gabe, having lost two brothers already in the war, is torn between his concerns for his remaining brother's safety and for his new Confederate friend. Papp's paintings add depth and beauty to the sometimes dense text.
(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
December 1, 2006
Gr 3-6-This Civil War story resonates with courage and fear, love and loyalty. Eleven-year-old Gabriel has followed his 16-year-old brother Davy to war after their older brothers were killed fighting. As a bugler for the Union Army, Gabe has the important job of blowing orders to the troops. On the day before the Battle of Gettysburg, he is afraid and seeks comfort at a nearby creek. As he quietly practices his bugle calls, he is surprised to hear them answered with the reverse commands. He meets Orlee, a young Confederate bugler who is fishing in the stream. The boys share an interlude that has nothing to do with the imminent battle and they part, hoping to meet again. The next day, as Gabes regiment marches into the fray, he must figure out a way to save Davy from danger in the front lines and to honor his new friendship. The well-rendered paintings are hauntingly detailed and place readers right in the action. They realistically convey the setting, the intensity of battle, and the emotions of the characters. This book puts a human face on one of our countrys bloodiest confrontations and will spark discussion about the Civil War and about how people can be friends even if they have different beliefs."Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA"
Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2006
Eleven-year-old Gabe's two older brothers have already died in battle, but he still decides to accompany Davy, his "last brother," when he joins the Union Army. They march to Gettysburg, and three days of fighting and death are seen through Gabe's eyes. But there are personal moments as well. Gabe meets Orlee, a Confederate bugle boy almost his mirror image; worries about his brother; practices the 60 calls that every bugler needed to know. Papp's richly colored illustrations resemble tableaux: their dramatic poses and fully realized figures recall N. C. Wyeth--or the movies. Readers won't learn much about the war or the battle, but they will get a sense of its sorrow and hardship. Noble says her tale is based on family history, and Papp thanks a reenactment group for its research assistance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)