Amid the fearsome battles of the Civil War, both Union and Confederate soldiers were urged onward by song.

There were songs to wake them up and songs to call them to bed,
Songs to ready them for battle and to signal their retreat,
Songs to tell them that their side was right, and the other wrong . . .

And there was one song that reminded them all of what they hoped to return to after the war.

Defeated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Union soldiers retreated across the river. There, a new battle emerged as both armies volleyed competing songs back and forth. With the Christmas season upon them, however, Federals and Confederates longed for the same thing. As the notes of "Home, Sweet Home" rose up from both sides, they found common ground for one night.

Interwoven with soldiers' letters and journal entries, this is a true story of duty and heartbreak, of loyalty and enemies, and of the uniting power of music. Debbie Levy's moving text and Gilbert Ford's vibrant, layered illustrations come together to create an unforgettable tale of American history.

Author: Debbie Levy
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 02/07/2017
Pages: 80
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 8.30h x 10.80w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781484725986
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/14/2016
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2017
School Library Journal 02/01/2017 pg. 117
Booklist 02/15/2017 pg. 65
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2017
Horn Book Magazine 05/01/2017 pg. 118

About the Author
Debbie Levy (www.debbielevybooks.com) is the author of The Year of Goodbyes, Imperfect Spiral, Maybe I'll Sleep in the Bathtub Tonight, and many other books for young readers. A former newspaper editor and lawyer, Debbie is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan Law School. She loves to read, kayak, fish, swim, and take long walks. Debbie lives in Maryland with her husband. They have two grown sons.