To the Front!: Clara Barton Braves the Battle of Antietam
By Claudia Friddell
Illustrated by Christopher Cyr
Calkins Creek
ISBN: 978-1635923223
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This powerful tribute to Civil War nurse Clara Barton and her heroic efforts during the Battle of Antietam reveals how she earned the name “The Angel of the Battlefield,” and shows the beginnings of her journey as one of our country’s greatest humanitarians and the founder of the American Red Cross.
During the Civil War, nurse Clara Barton carefully snuck her wagon filled with supplies and provisions onto the field where Antietam, the bloodiest battle of the war, was set to take place. On the day of the battle, Clara and her team of helpers sprang into action.
She found herself comforting the wounded and dying, cooking meals for soldiers, and providing doctors with innovative sources of light so they could see better. No soldier went unnoticed or unaided by the woman called “The Angel of Antietam.”
Author Claudia Friddell blends her words with Clara Barton’s firsthand account to capture the nurse’s brave actions, while Christopher Cyr’s accurate and dramatic illustrations portray one of the most heroic women in history.
To the Front!: Clara Barton Braves the Battle of Antietam Awards
- 2022 California Reading Assoc. Eureka Silver Honor Award
- 2023 Notable Social Studies Trade Book List
- 2023 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Title
Reviews
“This 32-page work makes a brilliant introduction to the Civil War for students of any age and demonstrates how one determined person can make a world a difference.”—School Library Connection, starred review
“In this riveting tribute to the ‘Angel of the Battle-field,’ Friddell mixes incantatory lyrics with matter-of-fact quotes from Barton…to capture a powerful sense of the battle’s fearful carnage and the courage required to plunge into it…An extended afterword that includes photos and further quotations adds biographical details and highlights Barton’s…fervent support for both women’s suffrage and equal pay. Readers moved to learn more about this admirable figure will be well served by the closing list of resources.” —Booklist, starred review
Read Sandy Brehls blog post, Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books, to learn more about my new book,To the Front!, as she makes parallels to the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
