When I see something from a small, independent publisher, I’m never sure what to expect.  There are some excellent authors out there who just don’t want to mess with the hugeness of the book industry.  And then there are some duds, where it would have been really good for an editor (or someone) to tell the author, “Sorry, but you’re really not publishable quality.”  I was pleased to find that Mr. Adams falls into the former category.  I was pleasantly surprised, not only by the solid writing quality, but also by the content of The Uncivil War: Battle in the Classroom.

Civil War Texts for Children

It’s often helpful, when we begin a new topic, to introduce the children to it by way of a fictional story.  It can help build interest (depending on the story), and it provides some mental “hooks” upon which to hang the information they learn in the studies that follow.  I hoped The Uncivil War would do that for Ariel when we studied the War Between the States recently, but I was a little nervous about handing it over.

It seems that all of the children’s books out there idolize Lincoln and villainize the South.  While we don’t believe the South was perfect (no one is perfect!), we are proud of our Southern heritage and believe the strongly-biased perspective in the common texts doesn’t reflect the historical record accurately.  (Lincoln is another story entirely!)  All of that is to say that I was a little nervous I’d be giving her yet another book that reinforces all the same stereotypes.  This could not have been further from the truth.

Unbiased Perspective

One of the things I really appreciate about this story is that it isn’t pro-North.  Or pro-South.  Historical events are treated as just that — historical events.  What happened, happened.  It is what it is.  There is no propagandizing.  Mr. Adams even goes a step further, though.  Inherent to the story is the principle that it is people who fought that war.  Whatever their reasons, some fought for one side and some for the other, but at the end of the day, they were “just” men.  They had families and loved ones and principles and (generally speaking) honor.

The Plot

The Uncivil War weaves together the fictional account of two modern-day fourth graders with the stories of their ancestors (who are actual historical figures, ‘though fleshed out with a bit of artistic license).  During the completion of a school assignment, these students, who are constantly battling each other, discover that their ancestors, too, battled one another — on opposite sides of the Chickamauga battlefield.  They learn to leave the past in the past, and even to appreciate one another.

My Conclusion

I can’t say enough good things about this book.  The reading level and length of the story are age-appropriate.  The story is educational, wholesome, and edifying.  There is nothing in it that I would consider inappropriate for my young children.  It is not going to be the next Pride and Prejudice — it’s not that sort of “great literature” quality — but I heartily recommend it.

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Uncivil War from the author to facilitate my review.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.