Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender

March 1, 2005
Gr 2-3 -These beginning readers offer basic historical overviews in story format. The first one describes the famous surrender by General Lee to General Grant as told from the imagined point of view of 11-year-old Willie McLean, a real person who might have witnessed the event and the tragic rampage through his family's house by Yankee soldiers following the truce signing. The second title discusses Frances Scott Key's inspiration for the poem he wrote during the War of 1812, explaining how the music was selected and how the song finally came to be accepted as the country's national anthem. Both books have clear, unencumbered texts complemented by serviceable period art in color and an author's note. These books offer perfunctory descriptions and interpretations for readers just becoming interested in history or embarking on a museum visit." -Rita Soltan, Oakland University, Rochester, MI"

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