Thank you for stopping by today! This is my third book so far for the In The Bookcase challenge for June. The Louisa May Alcott reading challenge rules said we were allowed to read books about Miss Alcott, so when I saw this treasure, I quickly added it to my reading list.
Louisa May's Battle:
How the Civil War Led to Little Women
by Kathleen Krull
illustrated by Carlyn
Beccia
Louisa May's Battle is a
beautiful children's picture storybook filled with colorful full-page
artwork. The story begins with a brief, half page history of women
and nursing during the great American Civil War. Miss Alcott's burden
and passion to serve her country in one of the only way's available
to women in this time, as well as a desire to earn an income for her
family at home, leads Louisa to serve as a nurse at the age of 30.
Her long and strenuous train ride to Washington, D.C. are only the
beginning of the new experiences she will need to endure. Among some
of the challenges are difficult living conditions, prejudice male
doctors, the emotional and physical strain of caring for the wounded
men and boys at the hospital, and her own health risks.
Though Louisa was writing before
she began her nursing work, it was not until after her return home in
1863 that she started to become a success. Her letters sent back home
to her family were printed in the newspaper and then collected into a
thin book entitled Hospital Sketches, filled with accounts of
the conditions of hospitals and the effects of war to the men. These
were popular for people on the home-front who were longing for news
of their men and the war. Then in 1868 she at last wrote her Little
Women, a story of four sisters set during the Civil War, which is
well-read even today. :)
Kathleen Krull shares a
glimpse into the past with some of Louisa's own words quoted here and
there throughout. And there is even a short history in the back of
the book of other famous Civil War nurses such as Dorathea Dix, who
hired Miss Alcott, and Hannah Ropes, who was head nurse at the
hospital were Louisa worked. Included is also a map and information
about the battle of Fredricksburg, a major battle fought around the
D.C. area during Louisa's service as nurse and the basis for the
setting of this book.
My Thoughts:
I found history to be concise but
very informative about Louisa Alcott's family and life as a whole,
and very insightful of her time as a nurse. Most of the book covers
her nursing, with only brief moments sharing on her writing career
throughout, and a little more shared about writing Little Women after
the war was over. All of the information I've shared above was actually from the book, so you can see how much the author has included in this short picture book!
The illustrations were well done,
with some not-too graphic hospital scenes. There is some “blood”
shown, mostly through bandages or on clothing, but no actual wounds
are pictured so most children shouldn't be too troubled with that.
This storybook is a good
introduction to Louisa May Alcott and her life, and of general
nursing in the Civil War, for young ones. It shares just enough
information for children without bogging them down with uninteresting
facts.
My Rating:
**** 4 out of 5 stars
Next up-- Rose in
Bloom!
This was a popular book for the
challenge, so be sure to stop by In The Bookcase to see the
reviews from the other challengers!
Aw! This book looks so good! I'll have to see if my library has it. I don't mind reading a good picture myself -- especially if it involves one of my favorite women from history. Thanks for sharing all about it, Rachel!
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