Sorry I can't rate it higher. Some great bits & aspects, but bogged down in educational details.

Here there's an awful lot about the battles and generals... I felt like I needed a map and colored pins....

Brilliant analyses of different peoples' reactions. Not only do we unfortunately have people like Gortman still, but we have adults who think as young Jethro did at first: "anger for both the President and his father; they had not shown the hard, unyielding that he admired in the talk of Tom and Eb and their friends."

Not sure if this adds much to the Newbery Canon that is not already in [b:Rifles for Watie|529474|Rifles for Watie|Harold Keith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348097090l/529474._SY75_.jpg|118191] and [b:The Perilous Road|121841|The Perilous Road|William O. Steele|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328875696l/121841._SX50_.jpg|117291]... but clearly we need to use every tool at our disposable to teach kids that war is bad cuz they're not learning it. I hope teachers who do like this can teach it well. ( )

In 1861, America is on the cusp of war, and young Jethro Creighton is just nine-years-old. His brother, Tom, and his cousin, Eb, are both of fighting age. As Jethro's family is pulled into the conflict between the North and the South, loyalties are divided, dreams are threatened, and their bonds are put to the test in this heart-wrenching, coming of age story.

Sad and nuanced. I’ll write a more complete review later.

Good YA historical novel on the Civil War. ( )

Really interesting to reread this. It's a very informative read, and effective pov. It could use with a more modern perspective -- it touches on slavery but does not fully confront it. ( )