Numbering All the Bones

by Ann Rinaldi

A story of a thirteen year old slave girl on a Georgia plantation

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Civil War, Middle Grade, Childrens

170 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Ann Rinaldi (b. August 27, 1934, in New York City) is a young adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons. She has written a total of forty novels, eight of which were listed as notable by the ALA. In 2000, Wolf by the Ears was listed as one the best novels of the preceding twenty-five years, and later of the last one hundred years. She is the most prolific writer for the Great Episode series, a series of historical fiction novels set during the American Colonial era. She also writes for the Dear America series.

Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.

Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."

Reviews

[Linda Lipko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this reminded me how much I enjoy Rinaldi's well-researched books. The setting in the one was the Civil War. Poignantly told from the perspective of Eulinda, a 13 year old slave girl working in the house of the master of the plantation who also happens to be her father. As much as he tries to help her and show some favors, he never really claims her as his. Thus, when the long years of Civil War come to an end, Eulinda must fend for herself.

Searching for her beloved brother Neddy, she learns that he died in Andersonville Prison. Notoriously this prison kept soldiers in barbarous, torturous conditions. When Clara Barton arrives at the prison, she assists in working with her to name the soldiers who died and to bury the bodies and mark the graves.

3/5 Stars.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the story of Eulinda, a house slave in the Big House of her father's plantation in Georgia, who struggles with trying to figure out who she during the final year of the Civil War .

If you are interested in reading a good story, than this book is definitely for you. It is a fast read (only 164 pages) so I was able to finish it in an afternoon. The characters seem very real and I can easily relate with Eulinda's struggle of not really belonging in any pre-made societal grouping (slave v. free, White v. Black, Union v. Confederate) even though I myself am privileged enough to not have to worry about such things during my lifetime.

However, as a Social Studies teacher, I wish there were more details given regarding the events that happened such as the prison at Andersonville and/or the work of Clara Barton. Instead of using this story as a way to learn about history, Rinaldi chose to use history as a backdrop for her story. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and like I've said before this is an excellent story, I just wish there were more Historical Fiction novels for Young Adults that aren't afraid to get messy and show things as they truly are instead of packaged in a nice, tidy box tied with a ribbon.

[Rabina · Rating 1 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WAS THE MOST BORING BOOK IN THE WORLD!
I FELL ASLEEP READING THE BOOK, BUT MY MOM SAID I HAD TO FINISH THE BOOK.
IF IT WASN'T FOR MY MOM THEN THAT BOOK WOULD'VE GONE RIGHT BACK TO THE LIBRARY!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the work of Ann Rinaldi. Her ability to bring her characters alive while taking the reader on the journey back in time. I was first introduced to her work when my daughter had to read several historical fiction books for her History class. She didn’t seem to like what I had on my shelves so I went to her History teacher. She recommended I get her some books by Ann Rinaldi. She said she had never met anyone who didn’t like to read work by this author. She was correct. This was the turning point in my daughter’s reading life. I, the reading teacher had not been able to get her to crack a book for pleasure and yet this teacher had hit on the one author who would do that.

In Numbering All the Bones we meet Eulinda, a house slave. She was much more than that. Her master was also her father. We start off reading about the accusation of a theft by the master’s first wife to get back at Eulinda for being her husband’s daughter. This resulted in the mistress selling off Eulinda’s youngest brother, who had found the ring. To pay her back, her older brother actually steals the ring for future use. When the mistress dies, the master remarries. His new wife seems to treat Eulinda like an actual member of the family, that is when it is convenient for her in the presence of her husband. As the Civil War Winds down changes take place in the master’s house. With a prison down the road from their plantation, the mistress has found a way to make money off of the situation. At the end of the war a confederate soldier has come to make things right in the abandoned prison. It is learned that 13,000 soldiers, both black and white died there, including Eulinda’s brother. When she finds him she finds the ring and goes about trying to set things right. This is done with the help of Clara Barton.

I felt so sorry for Eulinda being in a situation where she felt she didn’t fit into either world. Although she was a fictional character, most of the other characters were not. I am sure there were many people like Eulinda during this time who took a stand for what was right. This is probably one of the best Civil War book I have read in a long time and one I will proudly recommend to my students. I gave this a rating of 5 out of 5

[Talia · Rating 2 out of 5]

i actually thought this book was pretty boring. It was definitely a devastating and tiring time in history and the author doesn't do a well enough job coveying that AND making it exciting.

[Tara ♪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished "Numbering All The Bones" by Ann Rinaldi. I thought that the book, although short, was well-written and researched impeccably, which is one reason why I really enjoy reading Ann Rinaldi's books. I must say, Ms. Rinaldi did stick to one, well, really two, of her common character relationships in her books. (We had "the sweet slave/servant who dearly loves her master-and if she's a slave then possibly father- and never wants to leave them but 'has to' either by her own difficult choice or by force" and, although Neddy does not even appear in the story, we also have the "kind brother/uncle who always protects and loves main character, but often, main character finds some way to make said relative angry, although she is normally forgiven by said relative" (although in this case, she didn't do anything to vex her brother because he didn't appear as an actual character) no eccentric, mean mothers who
say mean things about kind, loving father, though.)

So what did I rate the book? Four stars. Because, although there was really nothing wring with it, there was nothing outstanding about it; it was kind of dull, so I wouldn't recommend it as your first Ann Rinaldi book, because although, as I first mentioned, it has excellent qualities, something just didn't seem quite right to me. A bit mediocre, but still good, you know what a mean? (And I know you're thinking, by the end the girl is Clara Barton's secretary and you think that it's mediocre?!?!) but honestly, I have mixed feelings. Eulinda was great, Clara Barton was great, everyone was great, great, great, which might be my problem. Everyone is so nice!!!! Well, Misiti (or however you spell her name, I don't know) wasn't the best, but I wouldn't say, as ms. Barton said, "That woman is a viper." I get her feelings, though, being so sweet and nice in public and around her husband and then so mean when she's alone with Eulinda. And making money off of the war is not a picnic in the park of likable personalities, either. Still, she didn't seem near as bad as Miz Gertrude, who we only heard about in the first chapters.

Overall, a nice book. I'd recommend, but it's still not the best of Ms. Rinaldi's work, in my opinion.

[Barb Terpstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of unpacking 30 cartons of books for our English department yesterday, and borrowed this one for the weekend. I ended up reading it before breakfast this morning. A perfect way to start a lazy Saturday.

I'm giving this 4 stars because I think it has so much historical information in it for discussion.

Eulinda is her master's daughter, but lives in that strange window of being a little bit accepted by her father, but really belonging to the slave population. It is in the throes of the civil war, and everyone knows the South will lose, but the slaves have not been declared free as yet.

Near the plantation is the infamous Andersonville prison. There are many true facts about the prison woven into the story. 13,000 dead in Andersonville, did you know that? It was, in essence, as the author points out, a death camp where food, medicine and kindness were missing.

New learning for me was the fact that Mr. William Griffin, who was an ex-confederate, came to Andersonville Prison of his own accord, and, used his own money, to clean up and put to order the graves of those who died there (it was not protected and animals were disturbing the graves). Eventually Clara Barton and Mr. Griffin worked together to honor the dead. Dorence Atwater, whose job at Andersonville was to record the dead, assisted them in identifying graves. Headstones were erected to mark the graves. Can you imagine recording thousands of dead people. One wonders how that would affect a life.

Eulinda's story, and that of her slave brothers, are the backdrop for the historical context.

As I think of the news in the world today, people being beheaded on the internet for all to see, the continued warring in the Middle East - I can't help but wonder with the Psalmist, "Lord, how long". God created us to live in peace, to live with compassion,kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3), we are doing a pretty miserable job of it!

It's good to remember that God raises up people like Clara Burton and William Griffin to help us get back on track.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this Scholastic paperback years ago as a prize from the library summer reading program. Yet for some reason I never bothered to read it until now. I am glad I finally did because I thought it was a fantastic book. I find myself drawn to books about the history of slaves, the Civil War, and the old South, and this one did not disappoint. The way it was told in a first-person narrative really made the story come alive for me. Another thing I appreciated was that the characters in this were not one-dimensional—Mr. Hampton was a slave owner but he was not an entirely bad person, and even Mistus, bad as she was, had a few glimmers of goodness. This isn’t a perspective often seen in books covering this topic. As a sidenote, I discovered an inconsistency (a slave how had first been described as losing his five children later only said it was four—1 boy + 3 girls or vice versa. I can’t remember. I just know that part puzzled me. I guess I just notice stuff like that!) I was shocked and horrified at the descriptions of what life was like for the prisoners at Andersonville. I had never heard of this before and it was really sad to read that something like that existed, and that the locals actually came and gawked at the situation. I just can’t believe people would do that! It reminds me of the quote: “all that is necessary for evil to prosper in the world is for good people to do nothing”…or something like that. Eulinda really feels like she must do something with her life and I can relate so much to her own quest for fulfillment. This book really gave me a lot to think about and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in this era of American history. I look forward to exploring more books by Rinaldi.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this novel set at the time of the Civil War, Rinaldi does what she does best: entwines at least two historical themes to communicate historical truth to young people. This novel treats slavery through the narrator, Eulinda, product of a union between plantation owner Mr. Hampton and her slave mother. Though she is raised as a member of the family, sort of, and educated by the owner’s second wife, a Southernized Northerner, she suffers the problems of slavery, including exploitation, humiliation, having beloved family members sold away from her, etc. She struggles to find her identity, where she fits, among the field slaves or with her father/master and his family. The second theme involves the notorious Andersonville prison and historical figures, including Clara Barton, who are connected to the prison. Eulinda goes there first to try to find her brother, who deserted the plantation to fight in the Union army, was subsequently captured, and whom Eulinda is convinced is being held prisoner there. After she receives freedom, in the aftermath of the Confederate defeat, she helps clean up and rehabilitate the horror-filled fortress. Positive. Eulinda’s parentage, and other sexual issues are hinted at, handled tastefully. Aimed at junior high, the action and characterization make this novel suitable for high school.

[Flor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flor Cristerna
Ann Rinaldi

This book is about Slavery after the Civil War A girl named Eulinda was half whit and half African american because her mother got raped by their "master".
So the mom had no other choice then to give birth to her.She is trying to find herself because when she goes to the whites they treat her like a slave and when she goes with the African Americans they don't trust her.

Why did you choose this book?
I chose this book because it was interesting to read about how the African Americans lived during that time specially because she was mixed ad she didn't know were she belonged.

What was your favorite part?
my favorite part is when Eulinda tries to find zeeck because her mistress took him and sold him.

Did you enjoy the book?
Yes i liked the book even if it had to do with history back then and how African Americans were treated.Also her story is very touching.

Would you recommend this book?
Yes I would recommend this book because its informational and inspiring.

[L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The whole book was dull. There was no true development of characters which is a shame in a time period of great agony and triumph. The author failed to develop the landscape and time period in the book which is horrifying, seeing that it is a historical fiction. The author choose to name drop those famous during the time period instead of taking us to that place in time through careful description. I didn't feel for the main character I didn't care what she did or didn't do. When you can not get a reader involved on some level you have failed. I would not recommend this book because if you are new to historical fiction of this time period you may be ruined.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am definitely an Ann Rinaldi fan and this book did not disappoint. I love the different point of view that Eulinda gives of the war and as a slave.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not compelling, the voice didn't seem authentic.

[Jennifer Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to consider a book 5 stars when there isn’t a lot of text to base it on (this book is roughly 170 pages) but the purpose behind this book is too important to not acknowledge. I’ve seen and read a lot of things about America during the Civil War but I’ve never heard about the Andersonville Prison. This was such a sweet (can I say that? Maybe meaningful or rich is better?) story. I loved reading even the little bit that Clara Barton was in. As a nurse, I really respect her. This is a perfect quick read. If you have an hour to spare, read it.

[Myesha-Tiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “Slavery denies childhood.”~Janie

This coming of age tale in the words of a young preteen, Eulinda is powerful and at times down right saddening. Quick read that is also historical in context, great for a middle grade book.

[VJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Black History Month, I'm reading all of Ann Rinaldi's works associated with the slavery or Civil War era in American history. Historical fiction: how I want to write one as good as Rinaldi's!

First, a criticism: the cover art is deceptive. Eulinda, our protagonist, is very fair-skinned. She is referred to as "bright-yellow" because she is fair enough to pass for white: she is the master's daughter. The cover picture, while nice, does not reflect the true nature of Eulinda's "race."

Race only means skin color, and the fact that other characters are referred to as Negroes or mulattoes suggests Rinaldi meant for race to be considered up front in this wonderful narrative of a young girl on the brink of freedom and how she navigates the consequences of her birth. Eulinda is a slave, daughter of the master and a slave mother, raised in the household and treated somewhat as family, but a house slave she is.

Andersonville is an active character in the story. From studying marriage in the time of slavery, I came away with the idea that Anglo men didn't much care for their women. (That's why President Obama caught so much hell; his mama slept Black...) After learning about Andersonville, I learned Anglo men don't care much for one another, either. All that Reb and Yank rationalizations, when men had their blood up, a contradictory way of lifestyle at stake, and you get all sorts of cruelty unleashed on the world. Eulinda's world was easy compared to the brutish lives led and lost in Andersonville. 13,000 dead in one year.

Then, there is the Clara Barton story. I love the stories of Florence Nightingale and her nurses in the Crimea. Here, we have a slight dusting of Barton's story, but it was enough to cause me to review her story, just as the descriptions of Andersonville caused me seek and find a movie of the same name. Egad, hideous.

Plot resolution was well done. I like feeling there were no loose ends hanging, but that potential spread before all involved.

A satisfyingly good read.

[Juno · Rating 4 out of 5]

13-year-old Eulinda is a glorified house slave. She's lived on the plantation her whole life and sees nothing wrong with her situation, not until they opened the prison in Andersonville. Her master - Mr. Hampton - is her father, and her two brothers are long gone, along with their mother. When the prison opens up, she starts to see all the bad in her situation. This comes about mainly after the discovery that her older brother, Neddy, is at the prison and his refusal to leave and come back to the plantation - his desire to die a free man in the prison than come back and be a slave again. Once this happens, and after the Yankees come to Andersonville, Eulinda has to choose between staying with Mr. Hampton or leaving, and she ultimately chooses to leave and join the effort to give those who died in the prison a proper burial and let their deaths be known.
The main theme in this novel is that of finding yourself. That the most important thing in this world is to be true to yourself, and once that happens, everything else falls into place. It says multiple times throughout the book that Eulinda must "make [her]self come true" and that's exactly what happens as the story progresses. She deals with needing to choose between herself and others - what she's always known - and decide what it means to be herself and find her way once she becomes a free woman. How and why she needs to make a life for herself, not those who control her.
I loved reading this book. At first, it was a bit slow-going, but you start to feel for the young girl and become invested in her story. How, at first, she was oblivious to the happenings around her and how she slowly starts to open up to the world around her. It hits home in a way you wouldn't expect. You expect it to be a heartwrenching tale, of course, but not one that you can really relate to. This is a story that is familiar to us all, not in the way of events, but it the way of reaction. Of growing up and being unsure of everything, including yourself. In not knowing what's right for you, but knowing that above all, you need to do it.

[Lynn Surgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books takes me back to a place of wonder. I wonder what it was like to be a slave... but not only that... to live as a slave knowing that your slave master is also your father!!! I would like to say all the things I would do "if" I was alive during this tragic time in the history of America but this is impossible for me to even imagine.

In Numbering All the Bones, we get a sense from the main character Eulinda that even when our lives our not our own, we still have the power to change our situations. Thank you Eulinda for giving us hope. People can change and grow in amazing ways, we just have to give them the opportunity to do so.

Thank you Ann Rinaldi for writing this amazing novel!!!

Lynn Surgers

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eulinda, age 13, lives on a plantation near Anderson Prison in Georgia. When she is granted her freedom, she begins helping with the prison cleanup efforts, a way to support the North and discover her imprisoned brother's remains. Here, she meets Clara Barton and plays a major role in labeling the deceased prisoner's graves.
Some aspects of this book are based on true events, and Eulinda is a likable character. I learned new facts about Anderson Prison, too. The writing doesn't flow well sometimes, though, which makes this book difficult to read in places.
Overall, I would recommend "Numbering All the Bones" to readers who are interested in Civil War history, prison conditions, honoring the dead, nursing, freedom, or veteran cemeteries.

[Ginette Rossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Numbering All The Bones by Ann Rinaldi. This book is about a young girl who learns about her family, and mostly learns about herself. She was a slave working for her white father and stepmother. Eulinda's brother, Neddy, ran off to go serve in the war. When she becomes a freed woman, Eulinda goes to work at the cemetery painting headstones, every 24 hours, she is one day closer to finding Neddy. I liked this book, because Eulinda really was just working to find out who she was, though she did not realize it. I can understand not knowing what your purpose is in life. I would reccomend this book to people who love fiction!

Paloma Grade 6

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about a girl named Eulinda, who was a slave in the civil war. Her master is also her father but will not acknowledge that. She loses all of her family.
In other books I’ve read about the holocaust, little children were taken away from their family to either be killed or forced to work until they died. Families don't know if they'll ever see each other again, or see each other in terrible condition.
I didn’t really like this book because it didn’t have much detail so I couldn't really feel or connect with how she felt.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really am finding that I enjoy historical fiction. This one is a bit different from the other historically set books I’ve read. Those books are set in history but contain little to no real life characters. This one contains several, blended well with fictional characters, which I thought was really neat! It’s a story that really shows that your place in the world is for your own making. Others may try to tell you and make you feel a certain way about who they think you are but ultimately, it’s up to you to decide. And sometimes, that can be a really tough decision.

[Sarah Crisan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1864 during the American Civil War. Eulinda is a thirteen year old slave girl on a plantation in Georgia who is just trying to find out who she is despite what others think and say. All she wants to do is to be able to be true to herself and keep her promises. Turn page to page as you go with Eulinda on a journey unlike any other as she finds her true self.

This is a wonderful historical fiction that I enjoyed til the final page had been turned.

[Caren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good HF that is about Andersonville, Clara Barton and the people around it.
The question that author proposes at the beginning of the book is, "How do horrific things happen while they are surrounded by good people?"


The story is told through a fictional character, Eulinda, who is half slave and has been fathered by her Master.
The title refers to Eulinda looking for, and finding her brother's bones in Andersonville.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for years but was trying to go back and read some of the younger books I never did. This turned out to be a really good book. Though it is written at an easier level, it was still full of depth and I did end up learning real things that I hadn't known about before, such as more in depth knowledge of the situations of prisoners kept on both sides of the Civil War.Definitely worth the fast read.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's the end of the Civil War. Eulinda was the daughter of the master and a slave woman and didn't fit in either the black or white world. Her younger brother had been sold earlier and now she wants to look for her older brother who ran away to join the Union Army. She gets connected with Clara Barton and with her help finds her brother buried near an infamous concentration camp. Usually I have enjoyed Ann Rinaldi 's books but for some reason found this one boring.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical fiction gives an amazing account of the Andersonville Prison during the Civil War through the eyes of a little mulatto girl who struggles to find where she fits in. I recommend any Ann Rinaldi book as a must read. She does an exquisite job of presenting historical fiction in an interesting way.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rinaldi does it again with this intense, fascinating look into the South after the Civil War. The story is told through the eyes of Eulinda, a house slave on a Georgia plantation. She becomes the secretary to Clara Barton after the Emancipation. I learned a lot about Clara Barton in this story and saw Southern reconstruction/recovery in a new light.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really compelling story of a slave girl released during the Emanicipation Proclamation and finding work with Clara Barton. Besides the main character and her family all of the other people and events were entirely historically accurate and I feel like I know a little bit more about this important part of history.

[Stormy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to read a historical fiction book for Language arts but if i read this one i get extra credit in my u.s. history class yipee!! we will see how it goes..

AFTER I READ IT: It took me QUITE a while to get into it. I liked it but I probably would not read it again. But it taught me a lot and told me a lot about how awful slavery was.