School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7-When Rufus Rowe, 16, runs away from home to escape his harsh stepfather, he keeps his promise to his teacher by recording his experiences in the "fine leather bound book" she gave him. Upon arrival in Fredericksburg, he acquaints himself with the rebel troops and begins an enterprising business running errands for soldiers, and takes shelter at a farm that becomes the headquarters of a Confederate division during the Battle of Fredericksburg. His observations of crude medical procedures, the slaughtering of men, and corpse robbing are recorded with frank simplicity. Pumping emotion into fact, his journal shows the humanity that is at the center of this war, as when Rufus witnesses the occasional acts of compassion between the opposing armies. But with his youthful tendency to seek explanations, Rufus surmises that despite the overwhelming brutality, "some people keep their decency no matter how ugly the situation." A historical note and period black-and-white photographs and reproductions are appended.-Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Leaving home because of his abusive stepfather, sixteen-year-old Rufus Rowe finds shelter at a soon-abandoned plantation, where he sees and records events surrounding the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862. His journal is mostly plausible and accurate, but some observations seem preternaturally wise. An afterword includes black-and-white period photographs. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
"On to Richmond!" was the Yanks' cry in 1862, but Fredericksburg stood in the way. Coincidentally, 17-year-old Rufus Rowe is there, too. Having left home and his abusive stepfather, he's come to Fredericksburg and is living above the stable at Brompton, on Marye's Heights, soon to be the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Too young to fight, Rufus is an able reporter, observing the flight of the town's residents before the impending battle, the failure of Union troops under Burnside to take their early advantage, the failure of pontoon bridges to arrive on time, and the horrors of the battle itself. Though this entry in the My Name Is America series never feels like an actual journal, it does clearly portray a young man's coming of age, his first friendship with an African-American man, and his disillusionment with war. Civil War buffs and fans of the series will find a solid summary of a key battle. (Fiction. 9-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
