Red Moon at Sharpsburg

Wells, Rosemary. (2007). Red Moon at Sharpsburg. New York: Razorbill, Penguin Putnam. 256 pp. ISBN 0-670-03638-2 (Hardcover); $16.99

India Moody has heard of a college that takes girls and she wants to go. Unfortunately war has broken out and college must wait. I love the way this Civil war girl does not want to be a pokey old girl who wears hoop skirts. I love the way she wants to understand things the way real scientists do. But more importantly this book shows the horrifying reality of war. "’Over there,’ he says. ‘This morning at ten o'clock that was a cornfield.’ There is no cornfield. There is earth in strange lumps, thousands of mouse-colored mounds. Some seem to move, I ask what they are. He tells me. ‘Those are bodies. show more Most probably dead by now. Some alive. No can help the wounded ones until the sun sets and both sides stop shooting.’" (pp. 119-120). "’Poor simply little girl,’ he says. ‘Go home. This ain't no place for a nice girl.’ ‘I can't go. I have to find my pa.’ I try to tell him. ‘My pa has the camp fever. If he doesn't get his medicine he will die.’ Tennessee's face and voice rise up impatient and twangy. ‘Listen good sister,’ he says. ‘Tomorrow thousands of dead men will turn black and bloat up like sausage in the sun. Their trousers can't contain their guts. You don't wanna see that ever in your lifetime.’ (p. 120) Indeed we don't and that is what makes this book worth recommending. The fact that India is NOT passive, eager to learn and also falling in love, make this one award worthy. One small quibble: There is a passage on page 49 in which David Hunter Strouther is arguing about the immorality of slavery and he says, "Blacks ... get worked and whipped until they drop dead." The use of the term "black" is very jarring for this Civil War novel. Strouther would have said, "Negroes" and not used this modern terminology. A minor complaint in the scheme of things for this book that deals with how our ignorance (in so many ways and layers) caused so many people to die. show less

Although a book for "young adults," I enjoyed this book very much. India Moody is not satisfied to be a young lady learning, needlecraft, scripture, etc from her tutor, but wants to learn everything he is studying: all the "men's" sciences. She is sharp and picks it up quickly. The Civil War is raging and her father, a harness maker, goes in as an ambulance driver. When she tries to find him to give him life-saving pills, he is nowhere to be found (at Sharpsburg.) There is quite a bit of story after that, but it was all good and exciting. The author who normally writes for much younger children, did a good job on historical research for this novel. I hope she writes more of this genre.

Great story of young girl who lived in the Shenandoah valley and saw the aftermath of the horrible battle at Antietam or Sharpsburg. She had ambitions beyond the normal girls of the time. Very worthwhile read.

Red moon at Sharpsburg is about war. It is a historical fiction book written by Rosemary wells. The book Red moon at Sharpsburg was good because it was romantic but also about the difficulties of war. A girl named India just wants to play with boys and have fun but her mother wants her to study housing. Until she meets a young scientist named Emory Trimble he studies medicine, chemistry and biology. Her dad goes off to war and gets camp fever. India finds herself in a situation in the race between time and death for her father.
Red moon at Sharpsburg takes place in Virginia Shenandoah valley. When war breaks out school closes down and India is forced to stay at home and work for her family with her friend Julia. India the main show more character is brave, and caring. Her father (“pa”) is religious, caring and brave by going into the war and risking his life. Her mother is weird, crazy and controlling she is also mean because she doesn’t let India do much. Julia is rich and she moves so she can go to college leaving her friend behind during the time India needs her most.
India needs to give her father medicine to fight camp fever but she can’t do it by herself. She gets help from Emory who gives her pills for camp fever but she needs to hand deliver it herself so the yanks (enemy) doesn’t ruin them. So she goes to Sharpsburg were her dad is at war. She finds a dead soldiers wallet at takes out all of the money so she can afford college. Where then she discovers her father is not there and that he is dead. They say the moon was red at sharps burg because of her dad’s blood and the rest of the soldiers. When she gets back she faces the fear of telling her mother of her father’s death. She then moves away from the war to then yet again find out another love one has died.
The Red moon at Sharpsburg was a good book. The writing was powerful and effective. The book could have had more information on the war but overall it was educational and romantic. This book was dull at first but moving more towards the end. I recommend this book to 12 year olds and up. In my opinion it was good.
This book was hard to put down after you got towards the end. It was romantic, historical and very realistic. If you like a little violence and some romance this would be a good book for you. The book was good I just wanted few more chapters to really finish it off. But it was a pretty good book. show less

a well researched historical novel. At times a bit predictable, but on the whole, a good read

This is a sprawling novel, continuing through much of the Civil War in just about 250 pages. I thought parts of it felt a little disjointed and I wished that I could have seen India's character grow and change a bit more gradually. But there's no denying Ms. Wells's beautiful turn of phrase.

Which war caused the catastrophic breakup of our nation and created more fatalities than any other war in American history? The Civil War, of course! The North side, or the Union, and the South side, or the Confederates, had monumental differences, which triggered the start of war. My book, Red Moon at Sharpsburg, tells about a young girl who encounters devastating loss and unexpected first love during this murderous time in history. Even though this book is fiction, it was described like it was a firsthand portal into the Civil War.
This book takes place in Maryland, from the Confederate point of view. This story is told by India Moody, a 12-year-old girl whose father goes off to fight against the Union. Other main characters in this show more book are Emory Trimble, a young boy who tutors India; Cyrus Moody, India’s father; and the Trimble family, who take India in when the war gets harsh. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is very violent and very sad, yet it is still very good.
India and her father, Cyrus Moody, have a very close bond. They are Quakers, so their family doesn’t believe in violence. India is heartbroken when her father registers for the army. India’s mother tells Emory Trimble, a friend, to tutor India in religion, but he teaches her chemistry and botany instead. When India discovers that her father has caught fever, she finds the courage to find her father and bring him medicine during one of the most violent battles of the Civil War, the Battle of Sharpsburg. Cyrus dies anyway, so she heads back home, only to find that Emory has been kidnapped. India moves homes a lot, since her mother can no longer take care of her. This book has a happy ending, however, when India finds Emory in a field hospital as a doctor. She and Emory run away together, and India sells a ring to get to college.
This book left me with the impression that the Civil War was a tragic war and it left hundreds of people with torn lives. It would be good for girls, because it is a love story, and good for people who love very sad and violent books. This is a very touching and awe-inspiring story and I highly recommend it. After reading this book, I want people to take away that even in the bleakest of times, it is still possible to find happiness. show less