The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Tale of Young Americans) [Hardcover]

Trinka Hakes Noble (Author), Robert Papp (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Tale of Young Americans

In July 1863 the bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought outside the sleepy Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. In "The Last Brother" the story of one small boy is told amidst the dramatic events of those early days of July.

Though he is only 11 years old, Gabe is a bugler in the Union Army. He takes his responsiblity very seriously; after all, there are over 60 different battle calls for buglers to learn. But what is even more important to Gabe is watching over his older brother Davy who, as a foot soldier, is right in the thick of the fighting. Two of Gabe's older brothers have already perished, and he is not willing to lose the only one he has left.

During those long days, Gabe meets another young bugler - one who fights for the other side. Suddenly, what was so definite and clear has become complicated by friendship and compassion. Does one have to choose between service to country, to kin or to a friend? As the cannons fire and the battle rages on, Gabe must do his duty while searching for a way to honor all that he holds dear.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–This Civil War story resonates with courage and fear, love and loyalty. Eleven-year-old Gabriel has followed his 16-year-old brother Davy to war after their older brothers were killed fighting. As a bugler for the Union Army, Gabe has the important job of blowing orders to the troops. On the day before the Battle of Gettysburg, he is afraid and seeks comfort at a nearby creek. As he quietly practices his bugle calls, he is surprised to hear them answered with the reverse commands. He meets Orlee, a young Confederate bugler who is fishing in the stream. The boys share an interlude that has nothing to do with the imminent battle and they part, hoping to meet again. The next day, as Gabe's regiment marches into the fray, he must figure out a way to save Davy from danger in the front lines and to honor his new friendship. The well-rendered paintings are hauntingly detailed and place readers right in the action. They realistically convey the setting, the intensity of battle, and the emotions of the characters. This book puts a human face on one of our country's bloodiest confrontations and will spark discussion about the Civil War and about how people can be friends even if they have different beliefs.–Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Eleven-year-old Gabe's two older brothers have already died in battle, but he still decides to accompany Davy, his "last brother," when he joins the Union Army. They march to Gettysburg, and three days of fighting and death are seen through Gabe's eyes. But there are personal moments as well. Gabe meets Orlee, a Confederate bugle boy almost his mirror image; worries about his brother; practices the 60 calls that every bugler needed to know. Papp's richly colored illustrations resemble tableaux: their dramatic poses and fully realized figures recall N. C. Wyeth--or the movies. Readers won't learn much about the war or the battle, but they will get a sense of its sorrow and hardship. Noble says her tale is based on family history, and Papp thanks a reenactment group for its research assistance. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (May 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585362530
• ISBN-13: 978-1585362530
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traitor or hero?, September 15, 2007

By 

Joan "a compulsive reader" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Tale of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

Set at the battle of Gettysburg this is story that does not glorify war. Instead, it gets children thinking about the fact that war often involves senseless death. Questions to ask after reading this book: Does the young Union bugle boy make the right decision? Is he a hero or a traitor? Ask young readers to look at his decision to halt the charge from the points of view of the different players in the war - his brother, his parents, his Conferderate counterpart, the generals, and even President Lincoln. Although this is a picture book, its message is one that can be debated even by high school students.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to the Civil War, July 17, 2009

By 

Tracy L. Polyak "honey bunny mom" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Tale of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

I read this book with my 4yo who has been asking about the Civil War, which is a lot harder to explain than other wars. I was afraid that it would be above her head, as there is a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary (much of it military-related). But she waded through it, asking me what the words meant. It is hard to tell how much she understood, but it gave us the chance to talk about topics like honesty, loyalty, friends and enemies, obedience, responsibility, etc.

5.0 out of 5 stars You can hear a pin drop, July 4, 2011

By 

R. Fischer (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Tale of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

Part of American history has to do with Abraham Lincoln, slavery and The Civil War. In the past, I have found it to be difficult to teach these themes to third and fourth graders in an understandable way. A couple of years ago, I found "Pink and Say" -a story about two very different boys at the time of the Civil War. Now, there is "The Last Brother" - also about two boys. The difference here is that in "The Last Brother", both boys are on different sides of the war, both are buglers for their regiments, and both could easily die on the battlefield - at the age of 12. You can hear a pin drop when I read aloud - I would suppose that the whole story is too close to home to ignore. There are extraordinary illustrations that are deserving of a Caldecutt medal. I allow unlimited time after reading for lively discussions.