Synopses & Reviews
In June 1861, when the Civil War began, Charley Goddard enlisted in the First Minnesota Volunteers. He was 15. He didn't know what a "shooting war" meant or what he was fighting for. But he didn't want to miss out on a great adventure.
The "shooting war" turned out to be the horror of combat and the wild luck of survival; how it feels to cross a field toward the enemy, waiting for fire. When he entered the service he was a boy. When he came back he was different; he was only 19, but he was a man with "soldier's heart," later known as "battle fatigue."
Review
"The nightmare of the Civil War comes to the pages in this novel from Paulsen . . . based on the real-life experiences of a young enlistee." Kirkus Reviews, Pointer
Review
"Paulsen's storytelling is so psychologically true that readers will feel they have lived through Charley's experience." Publishers Weekly, Starred
Review
"A stark, utterly persuasive novel of combat life in the Civil War that may well challenge generations of middle-school readers." The New York Times
About the Author
Gary Paulsen is the author of more than 100 books.