Tilly had to watch the battle of Gettysburg from her attic window. At first she views it as a circus, but she soon realizes what happens is terrible. She was troubled during these times, and wasnt sure how to handle it. This is a nonfiction, factual book. The Battle of Gettysburg was a real life event that many people's lifes were changed by.

The battle at Gettysburg from a child's perspective. ( )

This book accurately portrays the Civil War from the viewpoint of a young girl. The story does tell a good story from this viewpoint, as the main character, Tillie experiences the war from her mindset. The reader experiences the developments with her, free from political “spin.” The reader sees how the town views the massing soldiers in an almost “country fair like” atmosphere. For example, on the first day Pa and Tillie climb up to the loft and pull up some chairs to watch the battle as though it were a theatrical show. Then, the realities of battle set in and the town feels the ravages of war.
The theme provides insight and understanding for today’s problems as well as those of the past. Wars carry with them consequences, both immediate consequences and not unforeseen consequences.
This would be a good addition to the secondary LMC as it ties into the social studies curriculum. ( )