Voices of Gettysburg

Gr 4—8—Brief but poignant, first-person narratives from a variety of fictional individuals present a portrait of the battle of Gettysburg and highlight its importance in the larger conflict of the Civil War. From a mother watching soldiers march by outside her window in Chambersburg, PA, to a teacher-turned-nurse and a photographer to generals from both sides of the conflict, the "voices" represent a wide cross-section of people and demonstrate the far-reaching effects of war. The chronological entries (with dates, and often hour, noted) provide readers with a timeframe of the conflict. An author's note adds useful background information. While the dialogue is fictionalized, it's based on historical research. Included are small details that will fascinate readers (hot-air balloons were used for spying) and offer information about peoples' characters (General Lee orders his soldiers to buy food rather than steal it, though Confederate dollars were worthless in Pennsylvania). The text is especially effective in describing the topography of the Gettysburg area and how it affected the battle. Unfortunately, the watercolor paintings have an amateurish quality to them, with the figures' heads sometimes out of proportion to their bodies. However, the artwork does effectively provide a sense of time and place. This book is not intended as an introduction to the Civil War, but will be a valuable supplementary source to enrich a classroom study or to prepare for a visit to the battlefield.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA