This well-documented book describes the lives of ordinary soldiers during the Civil War. In the prologue, Beller introduces readers to the colorful terms that appear in the title: Billy Yank, as the Union soldier was commonly referred to, and Johnny Reb, the nickname given to Confederate soldiers. The terms are overused; near the end of the book, they appear four times within five sentences. Still, she presents a good deal of solid information in an interesting manner. Quotations from letters and journals offer authentic voices as well as basic facts about the everyday lives of these fighting folk, with chapters on topics such as life in camp, food, disease, marching, letters home, prisoners of war, the wounded, and the end of the war. Good black-and-white reproductions, mainly of photographs from the 1860s, appear throughout the book. The appendixes include a map, a chronology of the Civil War, detailed source notes, and lists of books and Internet resources.

Using archival photos from the Civil War and excerpts from memoirs, diaries, and letters of Union and Confederate soldiers, Beller has written an accessible and poignant narrative about what life was like for soldiers in the war: dealing with boredom, overcoming disease (two-thirds of all war deaths were disease related), and adapting to the horrific prisoner-of-war conditions. A map and chronology are appended. Bib., ind.

Gr 5-8-Beller describes the average soldier's life in the military during the American Civil War. A personal narrative from a Union and a Confederate soldier is included to describe camp life, diseases, and conditions for the wounded and prisoners of war. A few women who secretly served as soldiers or in support capacities are briefly discussed. Vintage photos appear on almost every page, and captions add some additional information. The volume concludes with a map of the major battles; extensive source notes; and a listing of further information including books, CD-ROMs, and Internet resources. A good choice for showing a soldier's life during this period of history.-Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.