Lexile Measure: 800L (What's this?)
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition (June 1, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140385428
ISBN-13: 978-0140385427
Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.4 x 7.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #92,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #88 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Military & Wars #463 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > United States
Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up
"A drum is the heartbeat of the army. It tells soldiers when to get up, When to eat, when to assemble, when to attack, when to retreat, And when to go to bed. Without a drum, the army falls apart." This quote is from G. Clifton Whistlers award winning book, Mr. Lincoln's Drummer. The book takes place during the Civil War. Willie Johnston Lives in a small Vermont town with his mother, his father,and his two brothers. His father is a tailor, and they run a family business. Willie, his mom, and his older brother help. One day, a strange colonel and his company walk into town. The colonel is trying to get people to sign up for the war. Every day he comes out, and every evening he leaves. One day the colonel comes into their shop and tells them that he needs them to make uniforms. They went to work on the uniforms right away. After a fortnight, the colonel had gotten 11 people to sign up. Willie follows him back one day. They arrive in a campsite, about a mile out from town. Willie meets a drummer boy, and they become fast friends. The boy teaches him some of the drum beats. Willie starts to see some of his friends at the camp. Willie is banging assembly one day, without thinking about what he is doing. The colonel hears, and Willie ends up banging a drum in the middle of the street to attract people. Every day more sign up. Eventually Willie and his dad sign up, too. How do they do? Does he die? Does he live? What is his fate?
One of the best novels I have read about the Civil War and the youngest person to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. It is a true story told in novel form. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down until I had finished it.
This is a remarkable tale which will inspire readers of all ages. Our hero, an 11-year old drummer in the Third Regiment of Vermont's army during the American Civil War, survives the ravages of war and splendidly demonstrates the impact one person can have on those around him. I picked up this book on a Saturday evening and stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to finish it. Mr. Wisler's writing is flawless, and the story is very real.
I read Mr. Lincoln's Drummer. This book is historical fiction. This is a high 5th grade book. There is a lot of gore and sadness. You would love this book if you like to learn about the children of the Civil War and if you like to read gory books. The story takes place in Vermont and on the battlefields in the South. You should NOT read this if you don't like reading about blood or sadness in a book.
My spirits weren't lifted when we entered the anchorage off Fort Monroe. A sea battle had taken place there recently, and the U.S.S. Cumberland, a big sailing ship, had been sunk by the rebel ironclad Merrimack. The Cumberland's masts still stuck up above the water, and a flag blew bravely from one of them. That both saddened us and cheered us. I couldn't help thinking about the drowned sailors, but that defiant flag put us in a fighting mood. In G. Clifton Wisler's Mr. Lincoln's Drummer, ten-year-old Willie Jonston joins the Civil War as a drummer boy. His job is to signal retreat, breakfast, and other things. The Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, is a tough fighter. The general for the Union, Ulysses S. Grant, is just as strong. In the beginning, Lincoln isn't doing very well. He lost the first few battles. By the time Willie came, the war had gotten very rough. One day, the battle of the two ironclads took place. The Union lost many battles. Will Willie survive this dangerous war, or will he fail? Although the main character in this book may be a boy, this book isn't only for boys. Girls that are interested in the Civil War may also like this book because that is what this book is about. This book is probably best for fourth graders because in fourth grade, we learn about the Civil War.
I bought this for my grandson, who's is 9 years old and very much interested in Lincoln and anything to do with it. He is really enjoying it and is learning much about the civil war along with it. My specific intention was to start familiarizing him with the Civil War and to start peaking his interest. This book is doing exactly what I wanted..
I read this book in the summer of 1999. It opened my eyes to history and I have now developed such a love for history and deep interest in the Civil War that many have called me a "Civil War Buff" and now actively take part in Civil War re-enactments with a Confederate artillery unit. Now I'm much older. Mr. Wisler, thank you so much for this book. It has truly changed my life.P.S. I met you once at the Missouri Literature Festival a few years ago. Thanks for being so nice! (A lot of the other authors were pretty mean to us)
This book was set in the time period of the Civil War. I thought it was interesting overall, but sometimes the war vocabulary was a little confusing and hard to follow. If I were more familiar with the geography of the area, it may have been easier to understand. If you like to read detail about historical wars, this book does that for the adolescent reader. I liked the main character, who showed s lot of bravery and character.
Mr. Lincoln's Drummer Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Abraham Lincoln: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln at Last! Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker: The Unlikely Friendship of Elizabeth Keckley and Mary Todd Lincoln Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and Times Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War The Civil War Diary of Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy: The Original Manuscript Edition (The Knox College Lincoln Studies Center) The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War Our Lincoln: New Perspectives on Lincoln and His World Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldiers' Home The Lincoln Lawyer (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel) The Vanished Man: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Burning Wire: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Twelfth Card: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Cold Moon: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) Stick Control: For the Snare Drummer Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer (Ted Reed Publications) Survival Guide for the Modern Drummer: A Crash Course in All Musical Styles for Drumset (Book & 2 CDs) Double Bass Drum Integration: For the Jazz/Fusion Drummer