Review by Booklist Review
In describing how Whitman devotedly gave aid and comfort to thousands of wounded Civil War soldiers as a volunteer nurse, Golio pays tribute to a great soul who matched deep wells of compassion with equally profound love for both his country and its people. Brief pull quotes from his poems and letters give the poet a personal voice, and his gray-bearded figure--at once approachable and charismatic--lights up Lewis' hospital scenes. Though the patients in those scenes show no major wounds and the facilities look cleaner than the era's probably ever were, impressionistic illustrations of twisted corpses on a battlefield and blood dripping from an American flag strongly evoke the wrenching tragedy of that (or any) war. In an essay attached to the closing set of period photos, the author holds up "Walt's example of service" as "a story of what one person can do" in response to overwhelming catastrophe. When, once, a bedridden patient fearfully confessed that he was actually a "rebel soldier," Whitman only took his hand. "There were no sides here."
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This moving picture book biography from Golio and Lewis explores the work that poet Walt Whitman (1819--1892) took on during the U.S. Civil War. In New York City, where he befriends ferry pilots and occasionally visits them in the hospital, he begins visiting wounded Union soldiers, as well. When his brother's misspelled name appears on a list of wounded soldiers, Whitman hurries south, finding his sibling in Virginia. The poet stays at the camp to talk to soldiers and write letters for those who cannot, and army doctors eventually put him in charge of wounded soldiers being sent to Washington, D.C. Graceful, light-filled watercolor spreads depict hazily chaotic battles, city scenes, and Whitman's face and faraway eyes as he wrestles with the pain he encounters. As one included quotation reads, "I do not see that I do much good to these wounded and dying... but I cannot leave them." Reproduced photographs and more about the figure conclude. Ages 7--10. (Sept.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In "Song of Myself," Whitman defines the essence of his poetry: "I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul." This picture-book biography covering Whitman's experiences during the Civil War introduces readers to that "Soul" by showcasing his deeply felt compassion. After traveling to Virginia to see his wounded brother, he is so affected by the plight of injured soldiers that he moves to Washington and takes a part-time job that allows him time to visit the many hospitalized war casualties, befriending them by writing letters, bringing treats, and just listening to their stories. Appropriately placed excerpts from his poetry, and a letter to his mother, underscore the deep connections between his words and his deeds. Whitman writes in Leaves of Grass: "And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, / My heart gives you love." Others are inspired by his actions to contribute both money and baked goods for these soldiers. Lewis's watercolor portraits of Whitman, staring at readers with his steady blue eyes, are nearly as realistic as the Mathew Brady photograph appended in the back matter. Hospital scenes are less detailed, while the battleground illustrations blunt the horrors of war, as Lewis displays a more impressionistic style. An author's note providing more details about Whitman and a bibliography conclude this fine book. Betty CarterSeptember/October 2024 p.99 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Poet Walt Whitman tends to wounded soldiers during the U.S. Civil War. Golio opens his account of a sometimes-overlooked chapter in Whitman's life with a grand statement: "America--it was everything he believed in. Friendship, equality, and freedom." Whitman, distraught over the Civil War and a stalwart believer in the Union's effort to end slavery, comforted wounded soldiers, regardless of which side they fought for. "The truth of war was not flags flying, but young men dying." At first he did so in Brooklyn, where he lived, but when he learned that his brother had been injured, he traveled to Virginia to care for him. He relocated to Washington, D.C., to care for other hospitalized soldiers; he helped them write letters, brought them treats, and provided good conversation. Excerpts from Whitman's Leaves of Grass punctuate the text: "And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, / My heart gives you love." In Golio's thoughtful and tender presentation, Whitman is the consummate friend: "He met their eyes with his, touched or held their hands, and read to them even if they seemed not to hear." Lewis' richly textured watercolor paintings of soldiers lying wounded on the battlefield and in the hospital, of city scenes and moonlit nights, together with images of the gray-bearded Whitman both in action and in contemplation, convey the heart of this beautiful story. In a time of strife in contemporary America, this emotive story centers empathy and kindness. (further information about Whitman, archival photographs, sources and resources, picture credits) (Informational picture book. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
