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The Civil War of Amos Abernathy: An Earnest, Hilarious Middle Grade Novel About Historical Reenactment and LGBTQ+ Identity for Children
An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Selection * Golden Kite Award Winner * New York Public Library Best Books for Kids * ALA Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth * Jane Addams Award finalist * Lambda Literary Award Finalist
A heartfelt debut novel about a boy’s attempt to find himself in the history he loves—perfect for fans of Dear Sweet Pea and From the Desk of Zoe Washington.
Amos Abernathy lives for history. Literally. He’s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life. But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there’s something missing from someone like the two of them.
Amos is sure there must have been LGBTQ+ people in nineteenth-century Illinois. His search turns up Albert D. J. Cashier, a Civil War soldier who might have identified as a trans man if he’d lived today. Soon Amos starts confiding in his newfound friend by writing letters in his journal—and hatches a plan to share Albert’s story with his divided twenty-first century town. It may be an uphill battle, but it’s one that Amos is ready to fight.
Told in an earnest, hilarious voice, this love letter to history, first crushes, and LGBTQ+ community will delight readers of Ashley Herring Blake, Alex Gino, or Maulik Pancholy.
A heartfelt debut novel about a boy’s attempt to find himself in the history he loves—perfect for fans of Dear Sweet Pea and From the Desk of Zoe Washington.
Amos Abernathy lives for history. Literally. He’s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life. But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there’s something missing from someone like the two of them.
Amos is sure there must have been LGBTQ+ people in nineteenth-century Illinois. His search turns up Albert D. J. Cashier, a Civil War soldier who might have identified as a trans man if he’d lived today. Soon Amos starts confiding in his newfound friend by writing letters in his journal—and hatches a plan to share Albert’s story with his divided twenty-first century town. It may be an uphill battle, but it’s one that Amos is ready to fight.
Told in an earnest, hilarious voice, this love letter to history, first crushes, and LGBTQ+ community will delight readers of Ashley Herring Blake, Alex Gino, or Maulik Pancholy.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
32 people are currently reading
4334 people want to read
About the author
Michael Leali
3 books82 followersMichael Leali is a writer and educator. He received his MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When he’s not dreaming up stories, he’s probably playing a board game, eating cheese, or grading papers somewhere in the suburbs of Chicago. The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is his debut novel. Visit Michael at michaelleali.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @michaelleali.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
July 3, 2022
This was a pleasant surprise. I went into this book blind so I wasn't sure what to expect as I worked my way through the text. It's a great look at the historical erasure of marginalized communities in American history. And quite honestly with the historical uptick in book bannings and censorship of books that showcase the history of this country, this book definitely has made it's way at an extremely important time.
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy follows Amos Abernathy who loves history and has been a part of Civil War reenactments in his town for as long as he can remember. He's openly gay and finds himself questioning the lack of diversity at Living History Park when he meets a cute new volunteer. As a part of a competition for a new exhibit, Amos researches historical LGBTQIA+ figures to incorporate into his submission. Of course, terminology changes as society changes and so Amos struggles in the beginning but eventually comes across a man named Albert Cashier who may have identified as trans in modern times. From there, Amos continues to do more research and learn more about the not so black and white history of the US.
As an adult reading this book, there were quite a few things that Amos discusses that most people my age would be familiar with. While this could present an issue in an adult novel, I think that these foundational conversations are important for the intended target audience. With the current battle on what history is "appropriate" for classrooms, Amos' narrative provides middle grade readers with a clear perspective on the consistent white-washing and removal of history that centers marginalized voices. As Amos learns more, so do readers. Part of me (as an adult) was concerned about the pedestal that Amos places Abraham Lincoln on at the beginning of the novel, but I was happy to see Leali discuss the true thought process and feelings that Lincoln had towards the cohabitation of Black and White people. I was also shocked to learn more about Lincoln possibly being bisexual which is something that I never knew. I also enjoyed and appreciated the discussion that centered the role of religion as pertain to the churches that Ben and Amos attend. While Amos' church is more accepting and open to the queer community, Ben's church is not and it eventually presents issues in their friendship and budding relationship. Amos is also great at acknowledging the different lived experiences by those in the queer community. He consistently notes that he is a cis white gay guy and that by no means gives him a better understanding of what it would have been like for Albert Cashier to be a trans man.
One of things that I struggled with was the back and forth in time as readers learn more about the relationship between Ben and Amos. I sometimes struggle with non-linear stories and I could see younger readers struggling with that element as well. While it is a different way for readers to learn about the relationship that exists between Ben and Amos, there were aspects of it that were slightly confusing and I found myself having to remember whether specific parts of the story took part in the past or present.
Overall, this is another good 2022 middle grade release. I think that this is one that a lot of middle grade readers will enjoy while learning a lot more about US history.
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy follows Amos Abernathy who loves history and has been a part of Civil War reenactments in his town for as long as he can remember. He's openly gay and finds himself questioning the lack of diversity at Living History Park when he meets a cute new volunteer. As a part of a competition for a new exhibit, Amos researches historical LGBTQIA+ figures to incorporate into his submission. Of course, terminology changes as society changes and so Amos struggles in the beginning but eventually comes across a man named Albert Cashier who may have identified as trans in modern times. From there, Amos continues to do more research and learn more about the not so black and white history of the US.
As an adult reading this book, there were quite a few things that Amos discusses that most people my age would be familiar with. While this could present an issue in an adult novel, I think that these foundational conversations are important for the intended target audience. With the current battle on what history is "appropriate" for classrooms, Amos' narrative provides middle grade readers with a clear perspective on the consistent white-washing and removal of history that centers marginalized voices. As Amos learns more, so do readers. Part of me (as an adult) was concerned about the pedestal that Amos places Abraham Lincoln on at the beginning of the novel, but I was happy to see Leali discuss the true thought process and feelings that Lincoln had towards the cohabitation of Black and White people. I was also shocked to learn more about Lincoln possibly being bisexual which is something that I never knew. I also enjoyed and appreciated the discussion that centered the role of religion as pertain to the churches that Ben and Amos attend. While Amos' church is more accepting and open to the queer community, Ben's church is not and it eventually presents issues in their friendship and budding relationship. Amos is also great at acknowledging the different lived experiences by those in the queer community. He consistently notes that he is a cis white gay guy and that by no means gives him a better understanding of what it would have been like for Albert Cashier to be a trans man.
One of things that I struggled with was the back and forth in time as readers learn more about the relationship between Ben and Amos. I sometimes struggle with non-linear stories and I could see younger readers struggling with that element as well. While it is a different way for readers to learn about the relationship that exists between Ben and Amos, there were aspects of it that were slightly confusing and I found myself having to remember whether specific parts of the story took part in the past or present.
Overall, this is another good 2022 middle grade release. I think that this is one that a lot of middle grade readers will enjoy while learning a lot more about US history.
July 24, 2022
This fast-paced book was difficult to put down. The positive, confident and 'out'-going character of Amos led the way. His friends, teachers, parents and key community people supported Amos' quest to get LGBTQ representation in the local Living History Park to show that not just cis-white-males deserved to be taught when talking about the Civil War heroes.
This is a perfect book for the 7th/8th grade audience that is represented by the main characters. The odd-chapters cover 1 full year prior to the August 2022 Living History summer presentation, while the even-chapters cover the one full day of the 2022 presentation. This worked quite well for me. I kept wanting to constantly read what happened next!
There was some good conflict of some classmates and parents and church leader that did not want to see what LGBTQ may have been present both in the time of the Civil War as well as in current society. But his was handled beautifully by the solid cast of pro-LGBTQ characters. Late in the book, it was maybe handled a little 'too well' as the book got idealistically perfect - but that is a "plus" for this middle-grade book where this strong 'win' for LGBTQ needs to be seen.
Chloe is a great best friend for Amos. Ben represented the questioning classmate that had to go through more of a roller-coaster of finding himself per society pressures not letting him be true to his inner self. Ms Wiseman leading the middle school GSA was ideal. The Amos-Ben relationship was wholesome. Amos' Mom was supportive, and played a balancing act as a board-member of the Living History Park trying to balance her son's interest to get LGBTQ material in the park as politics and money came into play. It was nice to have Amos' church minister on his side of Love.
I liked the letter-writing method used as Amos wrote to Albert. Albert was trans from a young age, and fought in the Civil War as a man and kept his identity as a man though the rest of his life. Amos had trouble finding LGBTQ historical information, but it was this initial finding of Albert that was his launch-pad.
Easy 4.5* book to round up and recommend.
Albert Cashier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_...
Albert D. J. Cashier (December 25, 1843 – October 10, 1915), born Jennie Irene Hodgers, was an American soldier who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Cashier adopted the identity of a man before enlisting, and maintained it until death. Cashier became famous as one of a number of women soldiers who served as men during the Civil War, although the consistent and long-term (at least 53 years) commitment to a male identity has prompted some contemporary scholars to suggest that Cashier was a trans man.
This is a perfect book for the 7th/8th grade audience that is represented by the main characters. The odd-chapters cover 1 full year prior to the August 2022 Living History summer presentation, while the even-chapters cover the one full day of the 2022 presentation. This worked quite well for me. I kept wanting to constantly read what happened next!
There was some good conflict of some classmates and parents and church leader that did not want to see what LGBTQ may have been present both in the time of the Civil War as well as in current society. But his was handled beautifully by the solid cast of pro-LGBTQ characters. Late in the book, it was maybe handled a little 'too well' as the book got idealistically perfect - but that is a "plus" for this middle-grade book where this strong 'win' for LGBTQ needs to be seen.
Chloe is a great best friend for Amos. Ben represented the questioning classmate that had to go through more of a roller-coaster of finding himself per society pressures not letting him be true to his inner self. Ms Wiseman leading the middle school GSA was ideal. The Amos-Ben relationship was wholesome. Amos' Mom was supportive, and played a balancing act as a board-member of the Living History Park trying to balance her son's interest to get LGBTQ material in the park as politics and money came into play. It was nice to have Amos' church minister on his side of Love.
I liked the letter-writing method used as Amos wrote to Albert. Albert was trans from a young age, and fought in the Civil War as a man and kept his identity as a man though the rest of his life. Amos had trouble finding LGBTQ historical information, but it was this initial finding of Albert that was his launch-pad.
Easy 4.5* book to round up and recommend.
Albert Cashier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_...
Albert D. J. Cashier (December 25, 1843 – October 10, 1915), born Jennie Irene Hodgers, was an American soldier who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Cashier adopted the identity of a man before enlisting, and maintained it until death. Cashier became famous as one of a number of women soldiers who served as men during the Civil War, although the consistent and long-term (at least 53 years) commitment to a male identity has prompted some contemporary scholars to suggest that Cashier was a trans man.
July 8, 2022
personally, i think a little more empathy might have been extended to ben, especially on the part of the adults, but it worked out in the end i suppose
Rep: gay mc, gay li, Black side characters, Latinx nonbinary side character, sapphic side character
CWs: homophobia, racism, microaggressions
Rep: gay mc, gay li, Black side characters, Latinx nonbinary side character, sapphic side character
CWs: homophobia, racism, microaggressions
January 20, 2022
So GOOD! I was lucky enough to read this book before it was published, and it hits so many checkboxes for me: nerdy kids, an adorable crush, excellent LGBTQIA+ rep, and hidden/untold history. Amos wants to change the world, and I cheered him on the whole way!
January 1, 2023
A nice queer Middle Grade story about Amos setting out to learn more about LGBTQ+ historical figures, being a historical reenactor at a living history park, and having feelings for his friend Ben.
I enjoyed what this story was going for in having these twelve and thirteen year old kids learning about marginalized people from history and wanting to not shy away from negative aspects of our country’s history. It was also good to see different representations of how parents react when their kid comes out.
However, I thought that a lot of the writing in here was pretty clunky and didn’t flow naturally all of the time. The book is in a dual timeline going back and forth between Amos in 2021 writing letters to a historical figure and then in 2022 with a more traditional narrative. I feel like the letters and jumping back and forth distracted me from the story more than they added anything.
I enjoyed what this story was going for in having these twelve and thirteen year old kids learning about marginalized people from history and wanting to not shy away from negative aspects of our country’s history. It was also good to see different representations of how parents react when their kid comes out.
However, I thought that a lot of the writing in here was pretty clunky and didn’t flow naturally all of the time. The book is in a dual timeline going back and forth between Amos in 2021 writing letters to a historical figure and then in 2022 with a more traditional narrative. I feel like the letters and jumping back and forth distracted me from the story more than they added anything.
April 5, 2022
Every once in a while, you read a book where you can tell the author *loved* writing it. The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is definitely one of those books. The story follows 13-year-old Amos (an intelligent, hilarious, and vulnerable gay boy) as he navigates his first crush and first heartbreak all while searching for a way to bring more light to unsung figures in history. I adored the setting of this book, where Amos worked alongside his mom and best friends Chloe and Ben (freaking) Ogilvie at a history reenactment park. I loved the overall theme and messages, but what really got to me were the kids in the book. Amos is such a lovable main character, and his voice completely popped off the page. Choe was a great, level-headed influence on him, and I loved their fierce friendship. The pacing was incredible, and I loved the back-and-forth from a year ago to present day—especially the fact that the present took place over the course of one day. I never wanted to put the book down! I recommend this title to anyone looking for a middle grade with lots of heart and characters that are easy to root for. Michael’s writing was fantastic, and I cannot wait to see what he does next!
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December 21, 2021This was absolutely adorable - feels very Rutherford Falls if it were a middle grade novel sans Indigenous rep. Really enjoyed the discussions of growing up queer in a religious household and the erasure of marginalized folks in history.
March 20, 2024
as a queer kid who was born and raised in illinois and was obsessed with history and abraham lincoln, there was no way i wasn't going to love this book. it was so earnest in the best way possible. i found myself near tears at the end. i loved it so much and it warmed my heart in a big way. <3
January 18, 2023
Amos, 13, is out and proud. His mother is the director of a living history park in a small town in Illinois. Amos and his BFF Chloe are volunteer reenactors and up to now have enjoyed their reenacting but when a new boy who shares Amos's passion for Abraham Lincoln, comes on the scene, Amos develops a big crush on Ben. Unfortunately Ben attends an evangelical church and his parents believe being gay is a lifestyle choice they don't approve of. Chloe, too, discovers bigotry because she's female and Black. As they talk about their problems, they realize the museum has a big problem with the way they tell history. While they may be inclusive in hiring diverse reenactors, they aren't being honest about history. Amos, Chloe and Ben set out to discover all the queer people from the time period of the Civil War history has left out. Amos learns about Albert Cashier who might refer to himself as a Trans man if he lived today. Through letters to Albert, Amos goes on a journey through a civil war of his own to figure out who he is and what he wants.
I really didn't like the back and forth storytelling. It starts in August 2021 and then switches to August 2022 and back and forth to fall 2022. It feels anti-climactic knowing what happens before Amos writes about it as it is happening. That just didn't work for me. I found myself skipping the 2021 letters to see what was going to happen in 2022.
Amos started off as an appealing character. I loved his interest in history and how he was secure knowing who is was. Then came Ben. His crush on Ben confuses him, ties him in knots and is upsetting when Amos doesn't know what Ben wants to what to do about it. That went on too long and was too much of the focus of the book. Amos's voice sounds too adult at times. He's so very confident and thinks deeply about a lot of things. He has a lot of insights I'm not sure a kid his age is capable of. I do know 13-year-olds are thinking about injustice and inequity and want to change the world but some of the conversations sound like they're coming out of a therapist's book and not a kid's brain.
From an adult perspective, I could see what was going on with Ben and had a lot of empathy for him. Unlike Amos, he wasn't raised with parents who love him unconditionally and allow him to be himself. They want him to fit whatever mold their pastor says is acceptable and anything else must be prayed away. I understood that right away but Amos did not and I felt frustrated with him for being sooo confused. It isn't easy to be told go right go right your whole life but feel like turning left. It's not easy to go against everything you've been brought up to believe or to admit certain truths to yourself, let alone your parents. Imagine going through all that at 13? Ben's a good kid. He's smart, he's sweet and kind but he's confused about who he is. His parents are awful but they're portrayed as two-dimensional because the book is from the perspective of a kid who doesn't fully understand. I think that's fine for this age group and there are some mature conversations that come out in the end. Too mature if you ask me. Are 13-year-olds that self aware? Can they talk to their parents honestly and openly? Thankfully Ben doesn't do it alone and he has help from an unexpected source. I do kind of feel sorry for his parents. They don't seem like very intelligent, thoughtful people. They act like sheep and follow whatever their pastor tells them to do. Now he is the truly evil one.
Amos's BFF Chloe is awesome! She's a bad ass chick who knows what she wants and doesn't stop until she gets it. Chloe is incredibly smart and her 19th-century subject of choice is blacksmithing. I'd like to research with her and learn more about what she knows. She's determined to be the first female blacksmith at the LHP but of course faces obstacles. She's aware of historic racism and unconscious bias and is tired of waiting. She's always waiting for someone to do something to change the world and she is eager to help Amos with his project because it's a small step forward towards telling more inclusive stories. Go Chloe! I don't like how she acted as go-between with the boys and their romantic drama but she didn't have much choice. She's a loyal friend and someone I would always want to have my back. Amos is a lucky kid..
Sometimes I got frustrated with the kids because they don't understand that Amos's mom can't just do whatever she wants or what they want her to do. She has to answer to the board- a board comprised of elderly, White, cisgender men stuck in the mindset of the way things have always been done and the way things should be. They stick to what they know from the history books. This doesn't make them bad people, just lacking the sense and courage to learn something new and see the LHP with fresh eyes. There's also the community which is very conservative. Would it hurt LHP admission if they put up the exhibit Amos, Ben and Chloe want? I will give Chloe her due because she was totally brushed aside and ignored. However, I also feel that Amos's mom was busy. She was mourning the loss of her husband, trying to be a single working mother and figure out a new relationship, balance work and home life and balance the needs of the LHP vs. the wants of the board. Kids don't know about that kind of behind-the-scenes stuff, nor should they but Amos's mom should have told him a little bit more about her job and what she really does.
Kids also don't understand that people in the past didn't think like them and that doesn't make those people, like Abraham Lincoln, evil. Lincoln was a man of his time and a politician. Kids also want change to happen over night and it is not going to happen. Keep talking, having discussions, sharing your stories and your feelings. Get one adult to listen and pass the message along to another adult. That's the lesson Amos and Chloe learn in this story.
One other kid appears in the story as an antagonist. Meredith Simmons, daughter of the wealthiest man in town. She's a classic mean girl type and she has it out for Amos. I think she's jealous of him, to be honest, and can't stand that he's smarter and more creative. She's always had Daddy to buy her whatever she wants. Mr. Simmons is the true villain in the story. He think he can throw his money around wherever he wants and get his own way. He owns a shoe empire for goodness sakes and I'm not sure he CAN legally do what he threatens to do.
Amos's mom is a great mom. She listens, she cares and she tries to help. She's sympathetic and goes all Mama Bear when her son's heart is broken. I like that about her and I appreciate her job because I'm an adult in the same field and I know it's tough. She is not without her unconscious biases though and she is guilty of romanticizing the past as well as trying to make her museum a fantasy world where all is happy and inclusive even though it is not. That's certainly not the way real life was either. She makes it like Little House on the Prairie the TV show vs. LHOTP the books and the books are more sanitized than the true stories.
Another complicated adult who comes across as a villain for most of the story is Brad, the blacksmith at LHP. He's sexist in a very 19t-century way and dead set against Chloe working as his apprentice. He comes up with some lame excuses until he learns to think and not just see the surface. Chloe as the passion and the drive so why not allow her to learn? I wonder if she's read Cold Fire? Chloe is a modern day Daja.
The heroes of the book are Ms. Wiseman and Pastor Shirt. Ms. Wiseman is the teacher everyone wishes they had. She's cool! Queer, out, and the adult supervisor of the Gay, Straight, Alliance, Ms. Wiseman is the only one who really listens and understands what Amos is telling her. She gets it and tries to help. She deserves a medal. I don't know how or why she ended up in that community but sticking it out can't be easy but doing it for kids like Amos who need her must be worth it. Pastor Shirt is also a hero for being a cool, open-minded clergyman. His church is tolerant and welcoming. He also listens to what Amos has to say and realizes a few things he never thought of before. An adult who is willing to listen and reconsider is a good one.
The story addresses the erasing of diverse voices from HISTORY as well as injustices done towards queer people and people of color today. It is meant to teach and inspire queer kids to fight for the right to be heard and to give them heroes from the past they can relate to. It's meant to teach the adults that they're biased in the way they tell history and have blatantly ignored their biases and prejudices. This story is not "leftist liberal propaganda." It's history, it's current events and it's true. While I have a lot of questions about the so-called evidence used to create Amos's list of queer people, I do believe the evidence is strong for Albert Cashier and I have heard Walt Whitman wrote homoerotic poetry. It's hard to tell most of the time because social cues were different and gender norms were very strict. Most people didn't have the language to understand and describe who they were.
Although I felt the voice was too adult at times, I think this book should be in all libraries and classrooms. Amos is a hero for kids of Gen Z to rally around, no matter who they are.
Banning is is silly because that means the would-be banners (in Texas) didn't READ the book and missed the point! They're acting just like the pastor from the evangelical church, Ben's parents, Mr. Simmons and the other adults.
There is an author's note and lists of resources. One more is The History Project in Boston
https://www.historyproject.org/exhibi...
There are a few more people for Amos's list. (also he should use the archaic terms "sapphic" for women and (putting the male term in spoilers because it's rude and offensive) for men if he's searching for 19th-century people. He might also want to explore the post-Civil War period and look to the theater and search for lavender marriages and two women living together and supporting one another in a Boston Marriage.
The list of improper Bostonians for Amos for his project:
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau
Fred W. Loring, novelist
Winslow Homer, painter (in Europe)
Alice James and Katharine Peabody Loring (slightly later)
Katharine Lee Bates and other professors at Wellesley College (end of the 19th-century)
and many others
I really didn't like the back and forth storytelling. It starts in August 2021 and then switches to August 2022 and back and forth to fall 2022. It feels anti-climactic knowing what happens before Amos writes about it as it is happening. That just didn't work for me. I found myself skipping the 2021 letters to see what was going to happen in 2022.
Amos started off as an appealing character. I loved his interest in history and how he was secure knowing who is was. Then came Ben. His crush on Ben confuses him, ties him in knots and is upsetting when Amos doesn't know what Ben wants to what to do about it. That went on too long and was too much of the focus of the book. Amos's voice sounds too adult at times. He's so very confident and thinks deeply about a lot of things. He has a lot of insights I'm not sure a kid his age is capable of. I do know 13-year-olds are thinking about injustice and inequity and want to change the world but some of the conversations sound like they're coming out of a therapist's book and not a kid's brain.
From an adult perspective, I could see what was going on with Ben and had a lot of empathy for him. Unlike Amos, he wasn't raised with parents who love him unconditionally and allow him to be himself. They want him to fit whatever mold their pastor says is acceptable and anything else must be prayed away. I understood that right away but Amos did not and I felt frustrated with him for being sooo confused. It isn't easy to be told go right go right your whole life but feel like turning left. It's not easy to go against everything you've been brought up to believe or to admit certain truths to yourself, let alone your parents. Imagine going through all that at 13? Ben's a good kid. He's smart, he's sweet and kind but he's confused about who he is. His parents are awful but they're portrayed as two-dimensional because the book is from the perspective of a kid who doesn't fully understand. I think that's fine for this age group and there are some mature conversations that come out in the end. Too mature if you ask me. Are 13-year-olds that self aware? Can they talk to their parents honestly and openly? Thankfully Ben doesn't do it alone and he has help from an unexpected source. I do kind of feel sorry for his parents. They don't seem like very intelligent, thoughtful people. They act like sheep and follow whatever their pastor tells them to do. Now he is the truly evil one.
Amos's BFF Chloe is awesome! She's a bad ass chick who knows what she wants and doesn't stop until she gets it. Chloe is incredibly smart and her 19th-century subject of choice is blacksmithing. I'd like to research with her and learn more about what she knows. She's determined to be the first female blacksmith at the LHP but of course faces obstacles. She's aware of historic racism and unconscious bias and is tired of waiting. She's always waiting for someone to do something to change the world and she is eager to help Amos with his project because it's a small step forward towards telling more inclusive stories. Go Chloe! I don't like how she acted as go-between with the boys and their romantic drama but she didn't have much choice. She's a loyal friend and someone I would always want to have my back. Amos is a lucky kid..
Sometimes I got frustrated with the kids because they don't understand that Amos's mom can't just do whatever she wants or what they want her to do. She has to answer to the board- a board comprised of elderly, White, cisgender men stuck in the mindset of the way things have always been done and the way things should be. They stick to what they know from the history books. This doesn't make them bad people, just lacking the sense and courage to learn something new and see the LHP with fresh eyes. There's also the community which is very conservative. Would it hurt LHP admission if they put up the exhibit Amos, Ben and Chloe want? I will give Chloe her due because she was totally brushed aside and ignored. However, I also feel that Amos's mom was busy. She was mourning the loss of her husband, trying to be a single working mother and figure out a new relationship, balance work and home life and balance the needs of the LHP vs. the wants of the board. Kids don't know about that kind of behind-the-scenes stuff, nor should they but Amos's mom should have told him a little bit more about her job and what she really does.
Kids also don't understand that people in the past didn't think like them and that doesn't make those people, like Abraham Lincoln, evil. Lincoln was a man of his time and a politician. Kids also want change to happen over night and it is not going to happen. Keep talking, having discussions, sharing your stories and your feelings. Get one adult to listen and pass the message along to another adult. That's the lesson Amos and Chloe learn in this story.
One other kid appears in the story as an antagonist. Meredith Simmons, daughter of the wealthiest man in town. She's a classic mean girl type and she has it out for Amos. I think she's jealous of him, to be honest, and can't stand that he's smarter and more creative. She's always had Daddy to buy her whatever she wants. Mr. Simmons is the true villain in the story. He think he can throw his money around wherever he wants and get his own way. He owns a shoe empire for goodness sakes and I'm not sure he CAN legally do what he threatens to do.
Amos's mom is a great mom. She listens, she cares and she tries to help. She's sympathetic and goes all Mama Bear when her son's heart is broken. I like that about her and I appreciate her job because I'm an adult in the same field and I know it's tough. She is not without her unconscious biases though and she is guilty of romanticizing the past as well as trying to make her museum a fantasy world where all is happy and inclusive even though it is not. That's certainly not the way real life was either. She makes it like Little House on the Prairie the TV show vs. LHOTP the books and the books are more sanitized than the true stories.
Another complicated adult who comes across as a villain for most of the story is Brad, the blacksmith at LHP. He's sexist in a very 19t-century way and dead set against Chloe working as his apprentice. He comes up with some lame excuses until he learns to think and not just see the surface. Chloe as the passion and the drive so why not allow her to learn? I wonder if she's read Cold Fire? Chloe is a modern day Daja.
The heroes of the book are Ms. Wiseman and Pastor Shirt. Ms. Wiseman is the teacher everyone wishes they had. She's cool! Queer, out, and the adult supervisor of the Gay, Straight, Alliance, Ms. Wiseman is the only one who really listens and understands what Amos is telling her. She gets it and tries to help. She deserves a medal. I don't know how or why she ended up in that community but sticking it out can't be easy but doing it for kids like Amos who need her must be worth it. Pastor Shirt is also a hero for being a cool, open-minded clergyman. His church is tolerant and welcoming. He also listens to what Amos has to say and realizes a few things he never thought of before. An adult who is willing to listen and reconsider is a good one.
The story addresses the erasing of diverse voices from HISTORY as well as injustices done towards queer people and people of color today. It is meant to teach and inspire queer kids to fight for the right to be heard and to give them heroes from the past they can relate to. It's meant to teach the adults that they're biased in the way they tell history and have blatantly ignored their biases and prejudices. This story is not "leftist liberal propaganda." It's history, it's current events and it's true. While I have a lot of questions about the so-called evidence used to create Amos's list of queer people, I do believe the evidence is strong for Albert Cashier and I have heard Walt Whitman wrote homoerotic poetry. It's hard to tell most of the time because social cues were different and gender norms were very strict. Most people didn't have the language to understand and describe who they were.
Although I felt the voice was too adult at times, I think this book should be in all libraries and classrooms. Amos is a hero for kids of Gen Z to rally around, no matter who they are.
Banning is is silly because that means the would-be banners (in Texas) didn't READ the book and missed the point! They're acting just like the pastor from the evangelical church, Ben's parents, Mr. Simmons and the other adults.
There is an author's note and lists of resources. One more is The History Project in Boston
https://www.historyproject.org/exhibi...
There are a few more people for Amos's list. (also he should use the archaic terms "sapphic" for women and (putting the male term in spoilers because it's rude and offensive) for men if he's searching for 19th-century people. He might also want to explore the post-Civil War period and look to the theater and search for lavender marriages and two women living together and supporting one another in a Boston Marriage.
The list of improper Bostonians for Amos for his project:
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau
Fred W. Loring, novelist
Winslow Homer, painter (in Europe)
Alice James and Katharine Peabody Loring (slightly later)
Katharine Lee Bates and other professors at Wellesley College (end of the 19th-century)
and many others
July 14, 2022
I adore this book and I learned from it about some of the people in American history who were likely queer. We need to know their stories and stop erasing identities from history. Also, this is just a lovable, fun story that readers of all ages will enjoy!
June 14, 2022
Absolutely loved this middle grade queer story!
Amos is such a brave and loving kid, I adore him! His courage to be himself is so glorious to watch as he grows, and his friendships are great too!
The format of some chapters taking place in the past was a little hard to follow at first, but it soon fell into a well paced novel.
Highly recommend this middle grade queer book, especially for pride month!
Amos is such a brave and loving kid, I adore him! His courage to be himself is so glorious to watch as he grows, and his friendships are great too!
The format of some chapters taking place in the past was a little hard to follow at first, but it soon fell into a well paced novel.
Highly recommend this middle grade queer book, especially for pride month!
Want to read
June 10, 2022i feel like people don't know what we have nowadays... a tradpub novel for MIDDLE GRADE about a TWELVE y/o boy who knows himself, is out, & is happy being gay. & is doing research on gay people IN HISTORY! :) :) :) :) :)
June 20, 2022
Definitely gives you things to think about.
June 25, 2022
4.5 rounded up to 5
I think this book will force all readers to ask themselves some real questions and hopefully think about history and the voices represented and who is being left out. This was a book that encompassed a lot and really appealed to the history geek in me as well. All of this amazingness is wrapped up in the character of Amos who is queer and has friends who are as well, but they don't necessarily always feel welcome in their hometown and decide that if they could see themselves in the history of their home state that maybe that would help. Their journey ends up considering sexism and racism as well. This story is about friendship, first crushes, family and so much more as well though and is told in such a way through Amos that it doesn't seem "preachy".
PS The librarian in me loved all the research and the discussion about different sources!!
I think this book will force all readers to ask themselves some real questions and hopefully think about history and the voices represented and who is being left out. This was a book that encompassed a lot and really appealed to the history geek in me as well. All of this amazingness is wrapped up in the character of Amos who is queer and has friends who are as well, but they don't necessarily always feel welcome in their hometown and decide that if they could see themselves in the history of their home state that maybe that would help. Their journey ends up considering sexism and racism as well. This story is about friendship, first crushes, family and so much more as well though and is told in such a way through Amos that it doesn't seem "preachy".
PS The librarian in me loved all the research and the discussion about different sources!!
May 17, 2022
Yoooooooo I loved this. So much. Each time something happened that I wanted, I got the biggest chills.
Amos is the epitome of sweetness. The most wonderful child I’ve ever read about, and I was both heartbroken and ecstatic reading about his experiences.
This is great for history buffs as it takes place at a Living History Museum and is all about queer identities in history.
This book did a lot for me! It was INCREDIBLY well written and goes back and forth between before a big traumatic event and after. So you get to learn about the events leading up to something major at the same time of reading how it’s resolved. Very very engaging writing style that will hit a lot of readers interests.
I also just loved the ease of language in this book. It’s so perfect for any early or middle grade reader because it writes about big topics so simply. It does a great job of addressing bigotry, wrongly religious beliefs of queerness, and performative allyship (even from those closest to us).
There’s just so many great lessons and characters in this book I could talk about it for days. Big big big big big fan.
Amos is the epitome of sweetness. The most wonderful child I’ve ever read about, and I was both heartbroken and ecstatic reading about his experiences.
This is great for history buffs as it takes place at a Living History Museum and is all about queer identities in history.
This book did a lot for me! It was INCREDIBLY well written and goes back and forth between before a big traumatic event and after. So you get to learn about the events leading up to something major at the same time of reading how it’s resolved. Very very engaging writing style that will hit a lot of readers interests.
I also just loved the ease of language in this book. It’s so perfect for any early or middle grade reader because it writes about big topics so simply. It does a great job of addressing bigotry, wrongly religious beliefs of queerness, and performative allyship (even from those closest to us).
There’s just so many great lessons and characters in this book I could talk about it for days. Big big big big big fan.
July 18, 2022
This book is so phenomenal in so many different ways. I absolutely ADORED Amos, and his bravery, even as he realistically grappled with so many different doubts and anguishes and omg the PINING in this book is PURE middle grade crush. I stood up and cheered at the end, at the wonderful way the story culminated - the two different timelines was SO interesting and unexpectedly beautiful - and omg... just. This book is so wonderful and important. I loved how it showed realistically how to do research. How to ask questions. WHICH questions to ask - there's a point where Amos gets mad at his mom for helping out his bff Chloe and then he realizes "omg, I'm centering myself" LIKE YES please more kids need to read this, and internalize it and omg. This book was so well done. Not only was it fun "this is what it's like volunteering at a living history park" but the tying in with all the histories we don't know, the histories we don't tell, and how we should be asking ourselves these questions. So so so so so so so so so happy I was alive in the same timeline that this book was released and I had the opportunity to read it.
May 6, 2022
“ ‘You know,’ he said quietly. ‘Boys who… like boys. Or girls who like girls. Or whatever. Did they exist back then?’
At first, I was like, OF COURSE GAY PEOPLE EXISTED, but when I tried to think of a queer person from the nineteenth century, my mind went blank.”
“Was my heart always racing this fast?”
“She’s not just living history - she’s making history.”
“Never too old to learn you’re wrong.”
“Somehow he’s familiar and new all at the same time.”
“Took more out of me than I thought it would.”
“Changing the world usually does.”
“Queero = queer + hero” (This is my favorite!)
I mean OBVIOUSLY I loved The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali because I adore Michael’s writing and heart, but to read parts of the book aloud to my hubby and have us both cheering and applauding? (You go, Mrs. Abernathy!) That’s a whole new level of loving a book.
Amazing work, Michael!
At first, I was like, OF COURSE GAY PEOPLE EXISTED, but when I tried to think of a queer person from the nineteenth century, my mind went blank.”
“Was my heart always racing this fast?”
“She’s not just living history - she’s making history.”
“Never too old to learn you’re wrong.”
“Somehow he’s familiar and new all at the same time.”
“Took more out of me than I thought it would.”
“Changing the world usually does.”
“Queero = queer + hero” (This is my favorite!)
I mean OBVIOUSLY I loved The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali because I adore Michael’s writing and heart, but to read parts of the book aloud to my hubby and have us both cheering and applauding? (You go, Mrs. Abernathy!) That’s a whole new level of loving a book.
Amazing work, Michael!
January 28, 2022
A delight! I love that Amos was such an advocate for the entire LGBTQ+ community!
April 22, 2023
It's so easy to give this book five stars because it deserves more than that. This book is special to me now because I know it would have been special to me then, when I was Amos age, when I was Ben's age. As I was reading I saw myself in a lot of the characters, even now as an adult there's a lot you can learn and realize about yourself looking back at how teens are today versus how you might have been.
The writing and relationships in this book had me feeling like a teen again, but in the best way--the nervousness of my first relationship, the excitement that comes with sitting next to one another watching a movie, pushing your leg against them, moving your pinky closer and closer until you're finally holding hands at that once instance is so so special but so so tiny in scope.
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is also incredibly inspiring. Sometimes it's important to break the rules of the world which are neither just, nor fair, and that message comes through here--books like this will change lives for not only the children and teens who read them, but our whole future. It will tell them that things sometimes need to change and change can come from them.
The writing and relationships in this book had me feeling like a teen again, but in the best way--the nervousness of my first relationship, the excitement that comes with sitting next to one another watching a movie, pushing your leg against them, moving your pinky closer and closer until you're finally holding hands at that once instance is so so special but so so tiny in scope.
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is also incredibly inspiring. Sometimes it's important to break the rules of the world which are neither just, nor fair, and that message comes through here--books like this will change lives for not only the children and teens who read them, but our whole future. It will tell them that things sometimes need to change and change can come from them.
November 19, 2024
This is one of my best reads of the year! The educational and creative premise drew me in and the voice the author provides Amos made him jump right off the page (as well as the other characters, such as a trans civil war solider !!!!!) this book tackles the topic of marginalized groups in American history. It's also a page turner that makes you laugh, tense up, and feel all of Amos's emotions as if you're right there with him. This one definitely stands out among the sea of middle grade queer texts we've bought this year
August 23, 2022
Amos is a history buff and a long-time volunteer as a Civil War-era reenactor. Why has it taken him so long to notice that history never mentions people like him? And, now that he's noticed, what is he going to do to change that?
June 29, 2022
Wow! Such an exciting debut. Amos is so relatable & engaging. An easy entry into some tough subjects. LOVED!
December 9, 2023
01/01/2023
★★★★☆
This would've been an easy 5 stars if the book wasn't so binary in addressing people as men and women or Ladies and Gentlemen while also complaining about binary thinking and even having a non-binary, or genderqueer, side character.
Trigger warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, queerphobia in general, internalised homophobia, religion as an excuse for homophobia, racism, sexism, death of a parent, bullying, talk of slavery.
“Maybe, if we want things to change, we have to stop waiting. Maybe we just need to do something about it ourselves.”
Moving on, I was thoroughly impressed by the reflectiveness on white supremacy, racism, sexism, etc., It was an ongoing conversation, and I think that's pretty awesome for a middle grade, they were constantly talking about social themes and the main character was aware of his privilege. The book also addressed heteronormativity! Furthermore, he was eager to learn not only about history (I will talk about that later on) but also about life lessons, like someone's success, not being a failure for yourself and being happy for them and not stealing the show.
What I really enjoyed was the description of characters and stating when someone was white and not using white normativity until stated otherwise in books by white authors. I also love how this book doesn't shy away from using labels and saying when someone is a lesbian or trans, etc.
I will say, though, that I would recommend this book for kids who already know a bit about queerphobia, racism, sexism, etc., because while the book mentioned a lot of labels and terms, it was a bit like name-dropping, so a kid who doesn't know all the terminology might be a bit confused, which is not a problem when someone is there to explain it!
The kids calling out the adults on bigotry throughout the book was a breath of fresh air and some of them realising their mistakes and properly apologising and changing things was great. I appreciate that there wasn't a magical change of perspective by all the queerphobic, racist, etc. people, but some of them who couldn't let go entirely of their way of thinking slowly started to get more tolerant, which is a realistic outcome, even though it's still frustrating.
This book focuses a lot on reenacting the past in a camp where they showcase old ways of living and jobs while ignoring the bad aspects of the past. This gets addressed in the book. However, I can understand if it doesn't sit right with people. I thought it was handled alright, but I kind of wished for the adults in the story to acknowledge how such a camp takes away from real events and our main character addressed this problem and even said that he sometimes forgets how awful the past really was, when reenacting it at the camp. Later on, he even realises, while reenacting battle scenes for the enjoyment of an audience, how wrong this reenacting camp feels, but it wasn't properly addressed afterwards. It is important to say, though, that the camp is also used to showcase that women can work in a men-dominated field and have been in the past, and how that has been almost erased from history.
There were a lot of moments where characters stood up for each other or themselves and I have 5 notes saying a character is so slay for doing something. This book felt so empowering at times, which balanced out the bigotry of other people or the frustrating aspect of marginalised communities' erasure in history.
We had amazing character growth from one of the main characters who deals with internalised homophobia and them being surrounded by their homophobic family which brings religion into the conversation whenever they can, and I think the way this character handled all that gets overlooked. There was some serious character development there!
Furthermore, this was also a cute story about a boy who has a crush on another boy, in the most childhood crush kind of way and I was living for it!
I loved the fandom references in this one, they were talking about marvel, movies and musicians and briefly mentioned Glee in a sentence (which is my guilty pleasure, though I acknowledge what's wrong with it and it's more problematic than not).
There could've been said more about queer history, though, still. I found the queer history in this to be not only almost solely centred around the past 200 years but also that it stopped there. There is so much more and I can imagine someone reading this and wondering, "But what was before the 19th century?" especially kids.
I want to say, though, that I am looking forward to more works from this author! I enjoyed the constant reflection on privilege and the inclusion of social themes in every chapter. I think that is pretty awesome for a middle-grade!
Stay curious! :)
★★★★☆
This would've been an easy 5 stars if the book wasn't so binary in addressing people as men and women or Ladies and Gentlemen while also complaining about binary thinking and even having a non-binary, or genderqueer, side character.
Trigger warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, queerphobia in general, internalised homophobia, religion as an excuse for homophobia, racism, sexism, death of a parent, bullying, talk of slavery.
“Maybe, if we want things to change, we have to stop waiting. Maybe we just need to do something about it ourselves.”
Moving on, I was thoroughly impressed by the reflectiveness on white supremacy, racism, sexism, etc., It was an ongoing conversation, and I think that's pretty awesome for a middle grade, they were constantly talking about social themes and the main character was aware of his privilege. The book also addressed heteronormativity! Furthermore, he was eager to learn not only about history (I will talk about that later on) but also about life lessons, like someone's success, not being a failure for yourself and being happy for them and not stealing the show.
What I really enjoyed was the description of characters and stating when someone was white and not using white normativity until stated otherwise in books by white authors. I also love how this book doesn't shy away from using labels and saying when someone is a lesbian or trans, etc.
I will say, though, that I would recommend this book for kids who already know a bit about queerphobia, racism, sexism, etc., because while the book mentioned a lot of labels and terms, it was a bit like name-dropping, so a kid who doesn't know all the terminology might be a bit confused, which is not a problem when someone is there to explain it!
The kids calling out the adults on bigotry throughout the book was a breath of fresh air and some of them realising their mistakes and properly apologising and changing things was great. I appreciate that there wasn't a magical change of perspective by all the queerphobic, racist, etc. people, but some of them who couldn't let go entirely of their way of thinking slowly started to get more tolerant, which is a realistic outcome, even though it's still frustrating.
This book focuses a lot on reenacting the past in a camp where they showcase old ways of living and jobs while ignoring the bad aspects of the past. This gets addressed in the book. However, I can understand if it doesn't sit right with people. I thought it was handled alright, but I kind of wished for the adults in the story to acknowledge how such a camp takes away from real events and our main character addressed this problem and even said that he sometimes forgets how awful the past really was, when reenacting it at the camp. Later on, he even realises, while reenacting battle scenes for the enjoyment of an audience, how wrong this reenacting camp feels, but it wasn't properly addressed afterwards. It is important to say, though, that the camp is also used to showcase that women can work in a men-dominated field and have been in the past, and how that has been almost erased from history.
There were a lot of moments where characters stood up for each other or themselves and I have 5 notes saying a character is so slay for doing something. This book felt so empowering at times, which balanced out the bigotry of other people or the frustrating aspect of marginalised communities' erasure in history.
We had amazing character growth from one of the main characters who deals with internalised homophobia and them being surrounded by their homophobic family which brings religion into the conversation whenever they can, and I think the way this character handled all that gets overlooked. There was some serious character development there!
Furthermore, this was also a cute story about a boy who has a crush on another boy, in the most childhood crush kind of way and I was living for it!
I loved the fandom references in this one, they were talking about marvel, movies and musicians and briefly mentioned Glee in a sentence (which is my guilty pleasure, though I acknowledge what's wrong with it and it's more problematic than not).
There could've been said more about queer history, though, still. I found the queer history in this to be not only almost solely centred around the past 200 years but also that it stopped there. There is so much more and I can imagine someone reading this and wondering, "But what was before the 19th century?" especially kids.
I want to say, though, that I am looking forward to more works from this author! I enjoyed the constant reflection on privilege and the inclusion of social themes in every chapter. I think that is pretty awesome for a middle-grade!
Stay curious! :)
June 22, 2022
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, by Michael Leali
★★★★★
290 Pages
1st person, present tense POV / 1st person, past tense letters
Themes: self-discovery, self-identity, race, discrimination, historical whitewashing, sexuality, homophobic, first crush, bigotry, challenging authority, exposing forgotten/hidden history, historical LGBTQ+ figures
Triggers: homophobia, racism, sexism, challenging identity, and mentions of white privilege, historical dead-naming, and historical misgendering.
Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, first crush
~
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is a stunning debut from Michael Leali. All at once, it manages to be a journey of self-discovery, self-identity and seeing your faults with stark reality, while being a history lesson and a timely, much needed war cry to stop erasing our past and start showing ALL stories, regardless of gender, race or belief, of the people involved.
Though this is a novel for the YA market, with characters of 12-13 years old, the story is touching, thought-provoking, moving and inspiring. It allows Amos Abernathy – 13-year-old history geek – to stand up, shout out, and demand that people listen. Along with his feisty, brilliant best friend, the two begin to realise that, sometimes, the people who make decisions don't always make the right one. People are people! We are all equal, and the world doesn't always show that, or behave as if we are, and that needs to change.
~
PLOT
For a book that tackles some heavy subjects, I was smiling from almost page 1. And when I wasn't smiling, I was crying. Amos is a lot of things – smart, witty, a historical re-enactor, and going through his first crush, as well as Anchovy Amos – but I think I love his questioning mind more than anything else. The moment he realises there's a huge gap in his learning, he doesn't just ask why, he actively pursues that history, learning from his own curiosity, chasing questions that don't even occur to him until another issue crops up.
It all begins with Ben. Freaking Ben Oglevie! Who is new to the historical re-enactment village Amos has spent his life in (as his mother runs it). What begins as an inevitable friendship, bonding over their mutual respect for Abraham Lincoln, and being utterly adorable history nerds, soon forms into a crush. Which seems innocent, as Amos has been open and out about being gay since...well, forever. Only, Ben isn't quite anything. Amos tried to ignore the crush, but it's constantly rearing its head and the situation with Ben becomes a lot complicated.
Amongst all this, Amos begins writing to “Albert”. We don't know why, or who Albert is, until almost halfway through the book, but that's for a reason. The reveal of Albert is touching, heart-breaking, and a pivotal moment in Amos' journey. The revelation not only made me cry, but also felt like a healing moment for Amos, amongst all the chaos. And when Amos stands up to tell everyone Albert's story, and those kids said all those names, I cried for about the third time.
The story keeps up a dual timeline throughout the entire book. Timeline 1: present day, 2022, where Amos is preparing for the Civil War Reenactment Week at the LHP (Living History Park). Timeline 2: letters written to Albert, beginning late 2021, which tell the story of how Amos first met Ben and how it led to the events of the present timeline.
While I'm not normally a fan of dual timelines, as it can be confusing, the fact that Leali kept the timelines obviously separated – one in letter form, with past tense, and the other in present tense while not in letter form – made it really easy to follow. I never felt confused about which timeline I was in, and it really helped that each new timeline shift came with a new chapter. That made things a lot easier and neater to keep in mind, in my opinion.
In the present day timeline, we learn that things with Ben soured recently, and Ben is implied to be the one to blame, though Amos has doubts, worries that he made mistakes, too. In the past timeline, we learn about how that came about, though it still takes a majority of the book to learn *what* happened, and what led up to it.
The reason I love this aspect so much is that Leali manages to make something seem normal, even obvious, than even adult books don't do well. He has a 13 year old make a smart, logical, calm explanation of what went wrong. That boy apologises, grovels for forgiveness, and tried to share his side of the story, without ever laying blame on the other person.
Like I said, not even adults in adult-written novels can pull this off as well as Leali did. To say I was impressed is an understatement, because it all felt so...natural. Like these boys might only be 13 years old, but they were smart and mature, and to sit down to that difficult conversation at that age felt right for their characters, as they'd been written until that point.
~
CHARACTERS
As well as Amos and Ben and their whole situation, it almost feels at times like WE – the reader – are Albert. That we're the one he's pouring his heart out to, and sharing his hopes, dreams and failures with, and that he's just waiting for us to tell him it's okay.
At the same time, he has his awesome bestie – a trailblazing young black woman, Chloe – to be there for him, too. Constantly feeling overshadowed by her older sister's accomplishments, Chloe is the kind of kickass female best friend that I love and rarely see. She is smart, strong, feisty, independent, and she doesn't let Amos away with things he shouldn't get away with. When he messes up, she tells him.
Yet, conversely, there's a point in the book where Chloe gets a huge win and Amos innocently tells Albert how it impact his own life. Then, in the VERY NEXT paragraph, he apologises for stealing her moment, for making things about him. Not just acknowledging his white privilege and the moment of selfishness, but ADDRESSING it.
Seriously, I'm impressed.
Even secondary characters have a huge impact on the story. From the snooty Meredith, to Amos' mother Hannah, and her new boyfriend Darren, to the school teacher, Ms Wiseman, Amos is surrounded by interesting characters who impact on his life, his choices, and his research. Getting awkward pep talks from Darren about how it's okay for men to show emotion, an ally in lesbian teacher Ms Wiseman, and challenging the bigoted beliefs of Meredith's father, and Meredith's constant attempt to sabotage his ideas. Amos' story proves that support can come from unexpected places. You CAN challenge authority, your peers, and the adults around you without disrespecting them. And sometimes you need to fight for what you really want. And when they don't listen to your solid, politely presented arguments, then maybe you need to shout louder and make your voice heard by the people who can implement change.
For a book about characters who are 12-13 years old, they are so authentically their own age. They never speak or act older or younger than their age, which is refreshing. Often, some authors think they need to use the most modern slang and make their characters overly mature. These kids are just naturally mature for 13, but never to the point where it feels unnatural or forced. They are who they are, from page 1 to The End.
~
OVERALL
I love how the book shows Amos actively questioning queer history, his access to it, the school system and the church teachings that don't include him and people like him in their past. He explores the various ways to access that information, the limitations preventing teens from researching further, and the change of language throughout the ages, as well as how queer culture wasn't openly acknowledge, and didn't really have its own language, for decades and centuries.
The real journey is how Amos looks at himself, and at the world around him, and begins to realise that some questions need to be asked, and some are NOT asked often enough. His conflicting emotions, during the re-enactment battle choked me up, just as intensely as when Amos stood on the stage to tell Albert's life story.
Most of all, I love how authentic the book is. From the names used throughout, who are genuine LGBTQ+ people in history, to the way Amos begins to explore queer history and his place within it, there is so much to connect to and inspire the reader. Most of all, it shows what can be accomplished with some understanding, listening to those around you, and be fighting together for what is right.
It's not until the Author's Note and Acknowledgements that we find out the story is largely based on Leali's own childhood and the questions they faced, as an adult, when exploring his identity and place in his hometown. Challenging the concept of 'write what you know' by asking 'what don't I know about things I should', which led him on this path of research and discovery. Just as an innocent question from Ben, our love interest and Amos' best friend, leads to three 12-13 year old kids challenging the history they've been taught, and asking why it doesn't tell everyone's story.
If I ever need to read a book that moves me to tears while inspiring me with hope for the future, this will be the first thing I pick up. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
~
FAVOURITE QUOTE
Honestly, there were so many I marked off that it was hard to choose just a few to showcase. So, I limited myself to three, and here are some of the best of the best.
“For months now, the boy who got all this started one year ago hasn't said a word to me. Complete and utter silence. It's like he never existed, like smoke vanishing in a breeze; but that's how he showed up, too – the way fireworks just kind of burst out of the darkness.”
“Researching LGBTQ+ history is like being a paleontologist on the hunt for a complete dinosaur skeleton and, after days of chipping away, only finding a molar.”
“There's a civil war still going on, Albert, but it looks different today. Actually, I think there's a lot of civil wars happening all around us, all over our country – inside people's minds and hearts, between parents and kids, between brothers and sisters.
There's even a civil war inside me.”
★★★★★
290 Pages
1st person, present tense POV / 1st person, past tense letters
Themes: self-discovery, self-identity, race, discrimination, historical whitewashing, sexuality, homophobic, first crush, bigotry, challenging authority, exposing forgotten/hidden history, historical LGBTQ+ figures
Triggers: homophobia, racism, sexism, challenging identity, and mentions of white privilege, historical dead-naming, and historical misgendering.
Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, first crush
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The Civil War of Amos Abernathy is a stunning debut from Michael Leali. All at once, it manages to be a journey of self-discovery, self-identity and seeing your faults with stark reality, while being a history lesson and a timely, much needed war cry to stop erasing our past and start showing ALL stories, regardless of gender, race or belief, of the people involved.
Though this is a novel for the YA market, with characters of 12-13 years old, the story is touching, thought-provoking, moving and inspiring. It allows Amos Abernathy – 13-year-old history geek – to stand up, shout out, and demand that people listen. Along with his feisty, brilliant best friend, the two begin to realise that, sometimes, the people who make decisions don't always make the right one. People are people! We are all equal, and the world doesn't always show that, or behave as if we are, and that needs to change.
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PLOT
For a book that tackles some heavy subjects, I was smiling from almost page 1. And when I wasn't smiling, I was crying. Amos is a lot of things – smart, witty, a historical re-enactor, and going through his first crush, as well as Anchovy Amos – but I think I love his questioning mind more than anything else. The moment he realises there's a huge gap in his learning, he doesn't just ask why, he actively pursues that history, learning from his own curiosity, chasing questions that don't even occur to him until another issue crops up.
It all begins with Ben. Freaking Ben Oglevie! Who is new to the historical re-enactment village Amos has spent his life in (as his mother runs it). What begins as an inevitable friendship, bonding over their mutual respect for Abraham Lincoln, and being utterly adorable history nerds, soon forms into a crush. Which seems innocent, as Amos has been open and out about being gay since...well, forever. Only, Ben isn't quite anything. Amos tried to ignore the crush, but it's constantly rearing its head and the situation with Ben becomes a lot complicated.
Amongst all this, Amos begins writing to “Albert”. We don't know why, or who Albert is, until almost halfway through the book, but that's for a reason. The reveal of Albert is touching, heart-breaking, and a pivotal moment in Amos' journey. The revelation not only made me cry, but also felt like a healing moment for Amos, amongst all the chaos. And when Amos stands up to tell everyone Albert's story, and those kids said all those names, I cried for about the third time.
The story keeps up a dual timeline throughout the entire book. Timeline 1: present day, 2022, where Amos is preparing for the Civil War Reenactment Week at the LHP (Living History Park). Timeline 2: letters written to Albert, beginning late 2021, which tell the story of how Amos first met Ben and how it led to the events of the present timeline.
While I'm not normally a fan of dual timelines, as it can be confusing, the fact that Leali kept the timelines obviously separated – one in letter form, with past tense, and the other in present tense while not in letter form – made it really easy to follow. I never felt confused about which timeline I was in, and it really helped that each new timeline shift came with a new chapter. That made things a lot easier and neater to keep in mind, in my opinion.
In the present day timeline, we learn that things with Ben soured recently, and Ben is implied to be the one to blame, though Amos has doubts, worries that he made mistakes, too. In the past timeline, we learn about how that came about, though it still takes a majority of the book to learn *what* happened, and what led up to it.
The reason I love this aspect so much is that Leali manages to make something seem normal, even obvious, than even adult books don't do well. He has a 13 year old make a smart, logical, calm explanation of what went wrong. That boy apologises, grovels for forgiveness, and tried to share his side of the story, without ever laying blame on the other person.
Like I said, not even adults in adult-written novels can pull this off as well as Leali did. To say I was impressed is an understatement, because it all felt so...natural. Like these boys might only be 13 years old, but they were smart and mature, and to sit down to that difficult conversation at that age felt right for their characters, as they'd been written until that point.
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CHARACTERS
As well as Amos and Ben and their whole situation, it almost feels at times like WE – the reader – are Albert. That we're the one he's pouring his heart out to, and sharing his hopes, dreams and failures with, and that he's just waiting for us to tell him it's okay.
At the same time, he has his awesome bestie – a trailblazing young black woman, Chloe – to be there for him, too. Constantly feeling overshadowed by her older sister's accomplishments, Chloe is the kind of kickass female best friend that I love and rarely see. She is smart, strong, feisty, independent, and she doesn't let Amos away with things he shouldn't get away with. When he messes up, she tells him.
Yet, conversely, there's a point in the book where Chloe gets a huge win and Amos innocently tells Albert how it impact his own life. Then, in the VERY NEXT paragraph, he apologises for stealing her moment, for making things about him. Not just acknowledging his white privilege and the moment of selfishness, but ADDRESSING it.
Seriously, I'm impressed.
Even secondary characters have a huge impact on the story. From the snooty Meredith, to Amos' mother Hannah, and her new boyfriend Darren, to the school teacher, Ms Wiseman, Amos is surrounded by interesting characters who impact on his life, his choices, and his research. Getting awkward pep talks from Darren about how it's okay for men to show emotion, an ally in lesbian teacher Ms Wiseman, and challenging the bigoted beliefs of Meredith's father, and Meredith's constant attempt to sabotage his ideas. Amos' story proves that support can come from unexpected places. You CAN challenge authority, your peers, and the adults around you without disrespecting them. And sometimes you need to fight for what you really want. And when they don't listen to your solid, politely presented arguments, then maybe you need to shout louder and make your voice heard by the people who can implement change.
For a book about characters who are 12-13 years old, they are so authentically their own age. They never speak or act older or younger than their age, which is refreshing. Often, some authors think they need to use the most modern slang and make their characters overly mature. These kids are just naturally mature for 13, but never to the point where it feels unnatural or forced. They are who they are, from page 1 to The End.
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OVERALL
I love how the book shows Amos actively questioning queer history, his access to it, the school system and the church teachings that don't include him and people like him in their past. He explores the various ways to access that information, the limitations preventing teens from researching further, and the change of language throughout the ages, as well as how queer culture wasn't openly acknowledge, and didn't really have its own language, for decades and centuries.
The real journey is how Amos looks at himself, and at the world around him, and begins to realise that some questions need to be asked, and some are NOT asked often enough. His conflicting emotions, during the re-enactment battle choked me up, just as intensely as when Amos stood on the stage to tell Albert's life story.
Most of all, I love how authentic the book is. From the names used throughout, who are genuine LGBTQ+ people in history, to the way Amos begins to explore queer history and his place within it, there is so much to connect to and inspire the reader. Most of all, it shows what can be accomplished with some understanding, listening to those around you, and be fighting together for what is right.
It's not until the Author's Note and Acknowledgements that we find out the story is largely based on Leali's own childhood and the questions they faced, as an adult, when exploring his identity and place in his hometown. Challenging the concept of 'write what you know' by asking 'what don't I know about things I should', which led him on this path of research and discovery. Just as an innocent question from Ben, our love interest and Amos' best friend, leads to three 12-13 year old kids challenging the history they've been taught, and asking why it doesn't tell everyone's story.
If I ever need to read a book that moves me to tears while inspiring me with hope for the future, this will be the first thing I pick up. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
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FAVOURITE QUOTE
Honestly, there were so many I marked off that it was hard to choose just a few to showcase. So, I limited myself to three, and here are some of the best of the best.
“For months now, the boy who got all this started one year ago hasn't said a word to me. Complete and utter silence. It's like he never existed, like smoke vanishing in a breeze; but that's how he showed up, too – the way fireworks just kind of burst out of the darkness.”
“Researching LGBTQ+ history is like being a paleontologist on the hunt for a complete dinosaur skeleton and, after days of chipping away, only finding a molar.”
“There's a civil war still going on, Albert, but it looks different today. Actually, I think there's a lot of civil wars happening all around us, all over our country – inside people's minds and hearts, between parents and kids, between brothers and sisters.
There's even a civil war inside me.”
June 10, 2022
WOW! Leali’s debut novel beautifully touches on current topics in ways that anyone can connect with and in a way that young readers will appreciate it and learn from. This novel somehow brought out a range of emotions from me while reading, and I truly could not wait to read Amos’s story! This is a must read!
July 11, 2022
Re-Enactor Introduction Guy: Who's the historical figure you know the most about?
Me, sweating nervously:.....next question-
Ending bumped this up to 3 stars. I really wanted to love this one and I definitely loved Amos' passion for history--he works at a re-enactment site in Illinois and I have a feeling that parts of it are based on a (now unfortunately shut down) re-enactment site in Illinois that my family and I would visit annually. The only other book I've read with re-enactors in it was A Million Quiet Revolutions, which I also didn't love as much as I wanted to but I would say is a good follow-up to this one, albeit YA, and while I've never re-enacted myself, I have very fond memories involving them--meeting a man who re-enacted as Ulysses S. Grant and talking to him for hours was what kickstarted my childhood obsession with the Civil War (although the American Revolution will always be my first historical love) and presidential history. He gave me a Grant dollar coin when I named all of the (at the time, 44) presidents to him in order. So the passion of the characters was a definite plus, and I loved that it extended out past just Amos--Chloe does a ton of research into women blacksmiths, Black women, and Black women blacksmiths to solidify her shot at being chosen as the apprentice blacksmith.
I just wish that this had focused more on the "discovering forgotten history" angle than the "running around the park to find Ben" angle. Like at the end, James A. Garfield is name-dropped as a queer person in history, to which I was like "WAIT, WHAT?!" but he was never mentioned before or after that moment, which is a shame because I really wanted to know more for reasons that should be obvious if you know my tastes in theatre. I really liked the discussion on what parts of history we tell and walking the line between inclusion and erasure of historical oppression--for example, Amos' best friend Chloe is a Black girl who works as a re-enactor as well and the Living History Park is fully inclusive in its actors and doesn't treat them differently based on their race or gender...but also internalized biases exist among its staff and casual erasure is present in how things are framed.
All in all, the split formatting in this book didn't work too well for me and I wish more of the book had been about the preparation process for Amos' surprise exhibit, but I'm glad that a book like this exists for kids, especially since Amos is out from the beginning of the story--a lot of MG books focus on realizing you're queer and while I love those stories as well, it's also nice to see a character who's so confident about who he is. Like Alice Austen Was Here, this should also give kids a good jumping-off point for their own research into queer history, and I'll also definitely be checking out the people name-dropped in this book.
Me, sweating nervously:.....next question-
Ending bumped this up to 3 stars. I really wanted to love this one and I definitely loved Amos' passion for history--he works at a re-enactment site in Illinois and I have a feeling that parts of it are based on a (now unfortunately shut down) re-enactment site in Illinois that my family and I would visit annually. The only other book I've read with re-enactors in it was A Million Quiet Revolutions, which I also didn't love as much as I wanted to but I would say is a good follow-up to this one, albeit YA, and while I've never re-enacted myself, I have very fond memories involving them--meeting a man who re-enacted as Ulysses S. Grant and talking to him for hours was what kickstarted my childhood obsession with the Civil War (although the American Revolution will always be my first historical love) and presidential history. He gave me a Grant dollar coin when I named all of the (at the time, 44) presidents to him in order. So the passion of the characters was a definite plus, and I loved that it extended out past just Amos--Chloe does a ton of research into women blacksmiths, Black women, and Black women blacksmiths to solidify her shot at being chosen as the apprentice blacksmith.
I just wish that this had focused more on the "discovering forgotten history" angle than the "running around the park to find Ben" angle. Like at the end, James A. Garfield is name-dropped as a queer person in history, to which I was like "WAIT, WHAT?!" but he was never mentioned before or after that moment, which is a shame because I really wanted to know more for reasons that should be obvious if you know my tastes in theatre. I really liked the discussion on what parts of history we tell and walking the line between inclusion and erasure of historical oppression--for example, Amos' best friend Chloe is a Black girl who works as a re-enactor as well and the Living History Park is fully inclusive in its actors and doesn't treat them differently based on their race or gender...but also internalized biases exist among its staff and casual erasure is present in how things are framed.
All in all, the split formatting in this book didn't work too well for me and I wish more of the book had been about the preparation process for Amos' surprise exhibit, but I'm glad that a book like this exists for kids, especially since Amos is out from the beginning of the story--a lot of MG books focus on realizing you're queer and while I love those stories as well, it's also nice to see a character who's so confident about who he is. Like Alice Austen Was Here, this should also give kids a good jumping-off point for their own research into queer history, and I'll also definitely be checking out the people name-dropped in this book.
August 9, 2022
My actual enjoyment of this book was somewhere between 3 stars and 4, but I'm rating it as 4 because I don't think I'd have as many criticisms of this book if I were in the target age range.
Firstly and primarily, I'm absolutely overjoyed that a book like this is out in the world. Queer people have always existed, and getting queer history in front of young audiences is crucial. And on a much smaller note, I'm very happy that this fit in one of my favorite pieces of history trivia, that Abraham Lincoln wrote a poem thought to be the first written reference to gay marriage in U.S. history. I would absolutely recommend this, especially to young readers. This is going to be a great introduction to queer history for so many people; personally, I think I know more than average about queer history, and I know I still have some Googling to do on a couple of points.
However, I did have a couple of issues with the book. The main one is that the first half especially felt clunky. The book is told in dual timelines, and going back and forth between them rather quickly meant that it took a while for either one to gain momentum. On top of that, there were many points at which it felt like the narrative was paused to take time to make some kind of point or argument, particularly about queer history. I'm not saying that making these points was a problem, but I think that if you're choosing to make these points through fiction, they shouldn't feel like interruptions to the plot. The good news here is that this improved as the book went on and more pieces started coming together.
One quote near the end that I could have really done without:
Can we stop insisting that platonic relationships are undesirable/inherently inferior to romantic ones? Having your crush not like you back is disappointing and unpleasant, sure, but I'd hardly say that being friends with someone you enjoy spending time with is the equivalent of being force-fed spinach.
Again, I'd definitely recommend this, but it wasn't the new favorite I was hoping it would be.
CW: homophobia (including homophobia rooted in Christianity), racism, sexism, transphobia
Firstly and primarily, I'm absolutely overjoyed that a book like this is out in the world. Queer people have always existed, and getting queer history in front of young audiences is crucial. And on a much smaller note, I'm very happy that this fit in one of my favorite pieces of history trivia, that Abraham Lincoln wrote a poem thought to be the first written reference to gay marriage in U.S. history. I would absolutely recommend this, especially to young readers. This is going to be a great introduction to queer history for so many people; personally, I think I know more than average about queer history, and I know I still have some Googling to do on a couple of points.
However, I did have a couple of issues with the book. The main one is that the first half especially felt clunky. The book is told in dual timelines, and going back and forth between them rather quickly meant that it took a while for either one to gain momentum. On top of that, there were many points at which it felt like the narrative was paused to take time to make some kind of point or argument, particularly about queer history. I'm not saying that making these points was a problem, but I think that if you're choosing to make these points through fiction, they shouldn't feel like interruptions to the plot. The good news here is that this improved as the book went on and more pieces started coming together.
One quote near the end that I could have really done without:
But learning to be friends - just friends - with someone you want to be more than friends with is like being forced to eat steamed spinach even though the cheesiest pizza in the world is sitting in front of you. (278-279)
Can we stop insisting that platonic relationships are undesirable/inherently inferior to romantic ones? Having your crush not like you back is disappointing and unpleasant, sure, but I'd hardly say that being friends with someone you enjoy spending time with is the equivalent of being force-fed spinach.
Again, I'd definitely recommend this, but it wasn't the new favorite I was hoping it would be.
CW: homophobia (including homophobia rooted in Christianity), racism, sexism, transphobia
July 21, 2022
This is a perfect book for a wide audience --- great for a young adult reader with curiosity about what the LGBTQ+ movement is about, super for a book club of 60 -year -old and older women who wonder the same things (I know that from experience since our book club just read and discussed it last week), for parents of all ages, and really everyone should read it because of its messages on acceptance and tolerance and kindness which we could all use. This book especially gives a voice to an LGBTQ+ audience that has been ignored. My book club loved this book giving it all 4.5 and 5's , and we had a wonderful wide open discussion on a plethora of subjects, including what's behind all the labels we have been hearing about, first crushes, gender/sexual readiness (when you know and when to come out to others), when and how to deal with bullying, how prevalent the movement is, historic examples of LGBTQ+ (what a high point in the story!), the courage one must have to take a stand, the more we talk about things , the more we get comfortable with things, the civil war the movement has within itself, all the diverse groups within the movement, and more. We even spent time talking about re-enactments and the camp interactions that Amos and his friends go through, and we learned a little LGBTQ+ history about Albert Cashier, a Union soldier from Illinois who might have identified as a trans man if he'd lived today. But most importantly, we came out of the experience of reading/ discussing the book being quite inspired - and we all pointed to the denouement of the book, where Amos talks to a little boy who tells Amos what his presentation meant to him. I highly recommend this book, which is easy- to- read but so rich in the ideas presented. I think it will be one of those books that people years from now will look back on as an example of "history being righted" -- and because of that, it will become a step (one of many, we hope) in the right direction for the movement. As the author writes: “Race and gender and sexuality aren’t the same things. But seeing yourself accurately represented in history and the world you live in —- that’s what connects people from all sorts of background and identities together. Making sure everyone feels seen is more important than worrying about offending someone.” Amen to that!
December 24, 2021
Amos is a historical reenactor and loves history and learning more about the past. He’s also gay and starts to wonder if people like him were around at the time. This leads him and his friends Chloe and Ben, to research and learn more about the stories that aren’t told in history. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down! This would be great for kids questioning the world around them and further examining who’s history is told.
June 6, 2022
A middle grade novel about really hot button topics—the struggle of deciding who decides what makes accurate history, and whose stories are told. Compelling characters and story. The back and forth flashback chapters were a little confusing for the intended age group, and while I understand Amos as the point-of-view character, I thought it did the other characters (his friends) a bit of a disservice to only see them through his eyes.
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