My Name Is America: Journal Of Rufus Rowe, Witness To The Battle Of Fredricksburg (A Dear America Book) [Hardcover]

Sid Hite (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Acclaimed author Sid Hite brings the drama of the Civil War to life through the eyes of Rufus Rowe, a Confederate boy.

Sixteen-year-old Rufus Rowe runs away from home, to escape his cruel stepfather. He finds work and shelter in Fredericksburg, Virginia, just as the Rebel troops begin to amass in preparation for a confrontation with the Union Army. Rufus befriends several Confederate officers, who do not believe the Confederate army can be beaten, and sensitively observes and records the gripping battle that takes place there.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-When Rufus Rowe, 16, runs away from home to escape his harsh stepfather, he keeps his promise to his teacher by recording his experiences in the "fine leather bound book" she gave him. Upon arrival in Fredericksburg, he acquaints himself with the rebel troops and begins an enterprising business running errands for soldiers, and takes shelter at a farm that becomes the headquarters of a Confederate division during the Battle of Fredericksburg. His observations of crude medical procedures, the slaughtering of men, and corpse robbing are recorded with frank simplicity. Pumping emotion into fact, his journal shows the humanity that is at the center of this war, as when Rufus witnesses the occasional acts of compassion between the opposing armies. But with his youthful tendency to seek explanations, Rufus surmises that despite the overwhelming brutality, "some people keep their decency no matter how ugly the situation." A historical note and period black-and-white photographs and reproductions are appended.
Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 132 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; First Edition edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439353645
• ISBN-13: 978-0439353649
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,156 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:

4.0 out of 5 stars The journal of Rufus Rowe(review) : By Tabatha Denham, October 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: My Name Is America: Journal Of Rufus Rowe, Witness To The Battle Of Fredricksburg (A Dear America Book) (Hardcover)

Rufus rowe ran away from his home in Bowling Green Virgina.
Cause of his step dad his teacher gave him the journal to write in.He starts to write in the journal a month after he got the journal September 22, 1862. Rufus left to go to fredricksburg to were the battle of the Yanks and Rebels will be fighting on october 6, 1862. He also thought that his step dad Mr. Jenkins will be looking for him in richmond cause he takled about moving there. before Rufus left for fredricksburg he told his mom cause he didn't want her to worry. rufus is sleeping in a alley way when he gets to fredricksburg he didn't write in his journal for a week when he gets there cause he has been to buissy looking for a place to live. the day after he wrote in his journala girl saw him in the ally and she offered him a potatoe after she offered him the potatoe she asked him if he had a place to live. She told him to go up togo up to Brompton Hill to where she worked for a rich guy she told him to meet her there the next day. So he takes her offer and he meets her there she said that he can sleep in the barn on the second floor she said she already put hay up there for him. He lives there for a week until he meet a soilder and the soilder ask if he can run a errond for him Rufus took the offer and the soilder aid him that he'll pay him a dollar and fifty cents so he did. after a month of doing that the war started and he had to quit running erronds.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Plain., September 18, 2006

By 

MAB (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Name Is America: Journal Of Rufus Rowe, Witness To The Battle Of Fredricksburg (A Dear America Book) (Hardcover)

"The Journal of Rufus Rowe" I found to be boring. I was looking forward to this book since it comes from the stand point of the Confederate, but I felt it didn't come from either side - but neutral. I think I find author Sid Hite's writing to be bland, as I've yet to find a book he's writing that I like. I felt the journal entries were lacking and history was not presented in an interesting fashion. I do not recommend.