This picture book celebrates the courage of William Carney----the first African American to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor--and his Union Army regiment, the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth. Readers familiar with the movie Glory will recognize the story of how the regiments stormed Fort Wagner in South Carolina. Here, the story begins the night before the attack, when Sergeant Carney encourages a young drummer boy, Ned. During the assault, Carney felt a burning sensation as a bullet tore through his flesh, yet he manages to lift up the flag when the soldier bearing it falls. Although the focus shifts between Ned and Carney, the story captures the fear and horror of battle as well as the bravery of the soldiers. Back matter includes an epilogue, a time line, and a few recommended books and Internet sites. Most effective when seen from a little distance, Evans' paintings convey the emotions of the characters as well as their actions. The realistic depiction of battle, the vocabulary, and the story's structure all point to an audience older than the usual picture-book crowd.

Clinton tells the rousing story of the all-African American Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment, focusing on the heroic action of Sergeant William H. Carney. Carney braces his troops by bravely carrying the flag through battle despite being wounded. Evans portrays the proud regiment dressed in the rich blues of their Union uniforms. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Evans's thickly brushed scenes of African-American soldiers with downcast eyes, clustered beneath rippling Stars and Stripes, lend an air of ritual solemnity in keeping with Clinton's inspiring commemoration of Sgt. William H. Carney's (now) renowned act of heroism in the Civil War: planting the flag on the ramparts of Fort Wagner during the 54th Massachusetts's bloody charge, then, though bearing multiple wounds, carrying it to safety in the ensuing retreat. For this, Carney was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor almost 40 years later—the first African American to receive one. Though Clinton occasionally departs from the historical record—billing the attack as the soldiers' "first battle" (it wasn't), and adding thoughts and dialogue—her account ably captures the violence and confusion of battle, as well as the courage displayed by Carney and his fellow troopers. A strong lead-in to Clinton Cox's Undying Glory: The Story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment (1991) or Clinton's own The Black Soldier: 1492 to the Present (2000). (time line, resource list) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)

Gr 3-6-The Massachusetts Fifty-fourth regiment, famously depicted in the movie Glory, was unique in the Civil War because it was made up entirely of African-American soldiers (with the exception of its commanding officer, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw). This picture book focuses on Sergeant William Carney, the first African-American soldier to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. When Shaw arrives to tell the troops that they have been selected to lead the charge, they are proud and ready. The actual fighting is depicted realistically but appropriately for a young audience. The illustrations convey pain and confusion but not graphic violence or injuries. Evans's expressive oil paintings capture the mood and action of the battle in a powerful and effective manner. Carney watches as the soldier who is carrying the flag is shot and killed. Although he, too, has been hit by a bullet, he valiantly catches the flag before it can touch the ground and gets it to safety before collapsing. A period photograph of Carney holding the American flag and a historical time line add realism to the portrayal of events. Although the book contains factual information and sources are listed, dialogue and feelings attributed to the characters put it more in the realm of historical fiction. It is an excellent resource to humanize textbook studies of the Civil War and would work well with Patricia Polacco's Pink and Say (Penguin, 1994), George Ella Lyon's Cecil's Story (Scholastic, 1995), Ann Turner's Drummer Boy (HarperCollins, 1998), and Romare Bearden's Li'l Dan, the Drummer Boy (S & S, 2003).-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.