Pub Date: February 8, 2003
Dewey: FIC
LCCN: 2001040446
Lexile Code: 0000
Target Age Group: 08 to 12
Physical Info: 0.52" H x 8.14" L x 5.18" W ( 0.47 lbs) 192 pages
BISAC Categories:
Fiction | Historical | 19th Century American Civil War Era | War and Military | History | United States | Civil War Period 18501877 | African American and Black
Description: "A New York Public Library recommended book for young readers."--P. [4] of cover.
Brief description: William R. Forstchen is the author of the New York Times bestseller One Second After and We Look Like Men of War, among numerous other books in diverse subjects ranging from history to science fiction. He has co-authored several books with Newt Gingrich, including Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War, Pearl Harbor, Days of Infamy, To Try Men's Souls and Valley Forge. Forstchen holds a Ph.D. in History from Purdue University, with specializations in military history and the history of technology. He is currently a Faculty Fellow and Professor of History at Montreat College, near Asheville North Carolina. He is a pilot and flies an original WWII recon "warbird." He resides near Asheville with his daughter Meghan.
Review Quotes:
"Action and adventure abound in this tribute to the heroism of black soldiers during the Civil War." --Booklist
"William Forstchen is a master storyteller and an accomplished military historian. His skills combine in this fast-paced story of a slave's son who enlists as a drummer boy in the 28th US Colored Troops. The Battle of the Crater is the book's climax. Forstchen's account of that epic fight has no glamour-only the acrid taste of gunpowder, the copper smell of blood, and the enduring message that freedom never comes easily. His hard-edged realism makes this a major contribution to the young adult category of Civil War literature." --Dennis Showalter, Past President, Society for Military History "A vivid picture of army life in general and combat in particular, for teachers interested in introducing students to that topic." --Civil War Book Review "Exciting, heartwarming, and horrifying all in one, this novel offers moments when readers will feel the patriotic spirit of the 28th USCT and wish they could fight beside them. At other times, readers barely will have the courage to keep turning the pages. Sam is powerful, with more bravery and pride than most teenage characters in literature today possess. This novel is highly recommended for all public and school libraries." --VOYA "Exceedingly well researched." --Publishers Weekly