Book Review: "Drummer Boy: Marching to the Civil War" by Ann Turner, illustrated by Mark Hess

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Author Ann Turner and illustrator Mark Hess team up to tell the story of a drummer boy who joins the Union army in the U.S. Civil War. It is a wonderful book that does not talk down to children.

The protagonist is an unnamed thirteen year old rural farm boy. His brother, Jed, has already gone ahead of him into battle, and the boy yearns to join. He makes his decision after seeing President Abraham Lincoln at a train station. The boy feels the sad president was looking right at him, needing him to serve his country. The boy's family seems rather indifferent to the slavery issue, feeling it is none of their business, but the boy does sympathize with the slaves. He writes a goodbye note, and leaves home. He enlists, lying and claiming to be fifteen years old, and is assigned to be a drummer boy. He becomes part of his company, and then goes into his first battle. The terror of the cannon noise and falling bodies around him freeze him in place. A soldier dies holding his hand. Soon, the boy is almost a veteran as the battles run together. The faces of his friends and acquaintances blur together as well, and he takes special care to remember each and every one, since they may not be there the next day. The final page gives adults and children alike something to ponder, in the voice of the battle-hardened boy: "And when the war's over and I go home, I'll stop to talk to Mr. Lincoln and tell him how it's his fault, how his great, sad eyes made me go and see things no boy should ever see."

"Drummer Boy" is a wonderful book for all ages. The text and pictures are just twenty eight pages long, with an interesting one page historical note, and Turner and Hess do not waste a word or image. Drummer boys were not just children who banged on the drums during battles, the drums were used to signal orders to the troops, making the children prime targets for the enemy. The book is large, and every illustration by Hess would look wonderful framed on a wall. His portrait of Lincoln, and two page painting of slave quarters, are breathtaking. I went back through the book at its conclusion, just trying to take in the pictures on their own. Turner does not overdo the contemporary vernacular, you come to care for this boy as a real person. Her writing is not overwhelmed by the art, both complement each other.

"Drummer Boy" is appropriate for ages four through eight, according to the jacket notes. I think it is appropriate for any age above four, telling such a strong story in such little space. Truly a treasure.