Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War

by Ted Lewin

Provides a reenactment of a real battle from the Civil War as young Steven, the drummer boy from the "Red Legs" regiment, and other men head out to meet the Confederate Army.

Genres: History, Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2001

Reviews

[Makkena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because it talks about a part of history that helped form our country the way that it is now.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the artwork of this book and that it is a children's book from a boy's perspective. The book seemed to have a good story line (more on that below). And I just now realized that the author gave special thanks to the 14th Brooklyn which was a unit I was a member of for a year when I lived on Long Island. Going back through the book I recognized some of the soldiers the artist used in the story from the 14th Brooklyn unit! That's pretty wild.

That being said, maybe it's because I've been a reenactor, but the book didn't feel "real" to me. It definitely felt reenactor-y. Maybe it's because everyone and everything looked so clean. I don't know, but then with the ending saying that the whole thing WAS a reenactment, I guess I felt better about that aspect.

My biggest qualm with the book, which led me to give it 3 stars, is that the main character boy himself gets "shot" and you can see the blood on his chest. I don't care if it was a reenactment in the book, the fact that the reenactment part is a surprise and revealed AFTER this disturbing picture really bothers me, not to mention the distasteful smearing of blood right there on the kid's chest! Do you think that a child will hear and absorb the big reveal at the end after seeing the boy's chest smothered in blood? NO! Kids are so impressionable and they don't always grasp the difference between pretend and reality in media. Look, I get that the Civil War was terrible and bloody, but it can be done tastefully and tactfully for impressionable children.

I had to reiterate to my 6 year old son that it was all just pretend, that many Civil War soldiers did get wounded or killed because of the fighting, but this book was just pretend - because he didn't quite grasp it; and I don't blame him because of how the author led us on like that. I think the author should have sold this book as a book about a reenactment, not a book about a "real" drummer boy because it wasn't. Some surprises in books are good. This was not one of them.

[Alison Durbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very unique, in my opinion. It played out a historically plausible situation, but with a twist at the end. I was pleased to know that this wasn't a children's book that was going to kill off a character; I also appreciated that the book shined a light on reenactors, specifically those of the Civil War. I also like the bit of information at the end that provided statistics from that war as well as the character(and who he was based on). I think this would be a fun way to introduce a Civil War topic in a history lesson.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure that I liked this book. While the battle was interesting and accurate and made me feel I was there, when he was shot I thought, "How traumatic for little kids!" yet it's accurate as well. Then making the whole thing a re-enactment seems to take away some of the impact of the story. Just...it's not how I would have done it.

I'm giving this 3 stars for the art and for the first part of the book. It would have been 4 but I had to drop one for how it played out.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent. I liked that it was based on the real story of a 9-year old drummer boy from the Civil War. And there is a twist ending...you think the 9-year old drummer boy has been shot and killed, and it turns out he is in a war re-enactment. Though I suspect some children would still be squeamish about the battle content...

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides the story of Civil War drummer boy while also acknowledging the work of re-enacters to bring history to life. This book did have a moment for us. Parents may want to read this first, so as to know how to approach it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful picture book placed in the Civil War, but with a little surprise twist at the end. Very enjoyable.

[Brittany Walley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute, didn't suspect that it was a re-enactment until he told you in the end.